Before my 9am lectures resumed, as the University strikes finally reached a hiatus, I allowed myself to venture out to one of Cambridge’s more infamous club nights. And although I can be sure that Revs on a Wednesday isn’t the first place to go for fashion inspiration (as revealed by the latest fashion survey), I can’t deny that sprinkled amongst the clichés and generally non-specific attire were quite a few pleasant surprises.
As usual, we stuck to the ‘tiny top big pants’ combination like a sacred text. This popular formula is vague enough, however, that it looked less like a uniform and more like an unofficial dress code. On arrival I had to push through a sea of Urban Outfitters Josie tops on the club’s main floor: an indisputably functional staple that flattered every girl I saw. I did see others, however, opt for a spectrum of single strap vests, asymmetrical pieces or fun graphic crop tops. Whilst too much layering is not advisable on a night as sweaty as Wednesday Revs, many people managed to pull it off with various mesh and net materials. Wide-knit crochet jumpers and sleeves were worn over corsets and bralettes paired with parachute pants, jeans, and suit trousers.
The less popular but still essential ‘tiny skirt or dress with big boots’ combo presented itself in pleated denim skirts with chunky knee-high platforms. I did notice a mild correlation between the girls in these outfits and the girls strong enough to brave the February night air without a coat. Those with coats put their Cambridge puffers to good use, warm enough to justify the £4 cloakroom fee and its impossibly long queue.
Inside the club, damp mullets were styled with large graphic tees, cargos in every shade of neutral and a jumper artfully folded over one shoulder and under the other. Although I am yet to wholly grasp what differentiates these outfits from an everyday lecture fit, I do know that accessories played their part. Rings and chains glinted under the lights whilst futuristic sunglasses that had cycled through a number of different wearers before getting to me added an interactive element to the outfits.
Upstairs, the aforementioned jumpers were now worn to keep warm in the open-top smoking area and to hide unavoidable sweat patches. These varied from colourful crewnecks to muted knits. Nights out seem to be the only time when almost any print or pattern is passable. Newspaper print shirts, light floral crop tops and groovy 70s print dresses were all on display. Many went in the complete opposite direction however: minimal black or white cropped tank tops with complementary silver chains were paired with jeans - baggy, flared, low waisted or high. Each look finished off with the same beat-up discoloured Air Forces that had clearly seen too many Wednesday Revs in their time.
As the night progressed, I felt quite assured in my assessment of the ‘Cambridge club fit formula’ and was ready to make the most of the rest of the night right before a guy dressed as the Cat in the Hat with ski goggles walks past me followed by two lifeguards. After a quick investigation, it became clear that a number of people at the club had come straight from a college bop, the theme of which was ‘Film Night’. These parties end early enough that people who want to extend the night can stumble into one of the four Cambridge clubs and carry on from there. You quickly become desensitised to the notion that walking into Mash on a Tuesday might leave you dancing in a room full of Pirate hats and deep-sea costumes.
In Revs, three men approached us in a sort of triangle formation: they were rocking matching striped blue and white pyjama sets. A guy in a baby pink tube top and matching cardigan chose the colour not because of Pink Week, but as an homage to Regina George and the iconic Mean Girls line “on Wednesdays we wear pink.” I watched the Riddler borrow my friend’s lighter, and Pulp Fiction’s Mia Wallace provided an excellent bathroom pep talk.
Overall it became clear that for every person who sports a generic outfit there is a person rocking a costume or accessory that is so specifically catered to a niche theme that it is completely unforeseeable. You can predict cargo skirts and backless tops but there is no way to predict that you might end your night dancing next to Indiana Jones or getting with an astronaut.
