At some point during your college career, you will most likely attend a formal. Whether it’s for a Greek organization or an academic club, formals are a fun night where you get to put your overpriced senior prom dress back to use and enjoy a fun night on the town with your friends! But there’s one thing you probably didn’t do for prom that you’ll need to do for your formal—decorate a cooler.
Some might be a little confused by this, so let’s break it down. A formal cooler is essentially just a cooler to hold your favorite beverages for the weekend, but you decorate it to commemorate the event. Think homecoming mum (if you went to high school in Texas), but much less obnoxious and actually useful. Most of the time, the girls will decorate and fill the cooler for the boy who has invited her as his date.
Just exactly how do you make a formal cooler? Well for starters, you get a cooler. You’ll want to make sure it has enough space to hold everything you need, while still being portable! At the end of the day, it is serving the same purpose as any other cooler, so no need to splurge too much on the base. If it is sturdy, easy to paint, and can be transported easily, it’ll do the job!
Next is the fun part—decorating! There are a few staple aspects of the cooler, but other than that, you are free to be as creative as you please! Most people will include their names, the organization that is hosting the formal, and the date. You don’t have to do anything crazy. A little acrylic paint or some paint pens and imagination can do wonders.
If you need a little design inspiration, you can never fail if you choose something you and your date have in common. Because the cooler is traditionally given as a gift to your date, you could also make it something unique to remind them of you!
For those who are not as artistically inclined as others, don’t fret! A cooler with a simple, clean design can be the best looking cooler of the trip. If you want to do something fancy, be sure to trace your design before you paint.
Formal coolers are a fun tradition of many Texas colleges. They serve a purpose for the weekend’s festivities and as a token to remember the good times.
