Last Wednesday, Feb. 8, my roommates and I got a little more dressed up than our usual denim jeans, snow boots and jackets. We curled our hair and I finally wore that deep red lipstick I bought a year ago.
This was my first year attending the Condom Catwalk and it didn’t disappoint or weird me out. The event was held in the SURC Ballroom.
As we arrived, Wellness Center staff handed out glow sticks and clicker remotes so we could answer trivia questions and vote on their favorite outfits.
In the center of the dark ballroom were long, heavy black-and-white drapes that fell behind a large stage that was placed against the back wall.
As the audience took their seats, DJs from 88.1 the ‘Burg blared some Top 40s as red, green and blue projected lights fluttered. Although some seats were empty, I’d say at least 100 people attended the show.
My girlfriends and I wrapped glow sticks around our wrists and laughed as a girl in a thick jacket placed red packaged condoms on her face. We laughed even harder when she managed to stick five of them on herself.
On both sides of the stage were screens that displayed facts about sex, such as how in the 19th century, the first vibrator was created to cure hysteria in women.
There were funny sayings, too, like “a little head never hurt anyone.” My friends and I looked at each other with wide eyes and laughed. It’s good to know, I guess.
Amber Kinsey, a health education intern at the Wellness Center, hosted the show. Her cheesy jokes and cliché dance moves were a crowd pleaser, and I, along with the rest of the crowd, cheered for her.
All 11 outfits displayed a message about safe sex and it was hard to believe that they were made of condoms.
One dress was a colorful yellow, orange and red, knee-length dress that swayed to and fro when the model walked the runway.
Another model wore a dress—inspired by the birds and the bees— of purple and yellow condoms, and while the front was short I was surprised to see a tail of condoms that reached her ankles.
The only male model, Terry Fairchild, wore a George of the Jungle inspired outfit (which, isn’t much).
The audience—who was mostly female—went absolutely nuts when he walked the runway. It’s not difficult to imagine why; his waist was covered by dangling brown condoms.
Although all the designers did an amazing job creating their outfits, I had three favorites. The Princess Leia inspired outfit with the theme “Don’t use the Force,” was clever.
Another girl wore a Rihanna inspired outfit; she wore a figure-hugging black suit with black knee-length heels.
Her long orange condom shawl is what made this outfit. Each condom in the stole was blown up like a small balloon and attached together to create a fashion statement.
The last girl who, although wore a dress that was inspired by the theme of abstinence, seemed more like lingerie. Her short blue and white dress was see-through and a red condom rose placed at her waist caught my  eye. Even her matching hat was made of condoms.
The show was a great experience. I could see how the show aimed to promote safer sex practices and remove the stigma from condoms.
I thought the idea of a condom show was odd. After going, however, I realize there’s nothing weird about condoms.