We know you love ’em just as much as we do… so today they are our Campers of the Week! These girls have created the hottest trend of the summer, and they are definitely here to stay. Amanda and Zara, both lifelong campers, are the designers and owners of the lifestyle apparel brand, Zara Terez! Along with being total besties, they are total campies, and they are bringing a pop of color and pattern to their dresses, leggings, backpacks that summer girls love! Amanda attended her 8-week sleepaway camp for 8 summers, and Zara went to her 5-week camp for 4 years. Both of these girls loved the creativity and freedom they got to experience at camp, and, needless to say, they spent a lot of time at arts and crafts! Check out where the coolest girls of summer got the inspiration to become the biggest thing to hit camps since jacks, lanyard, and Rainbow Loom combined! (Camp girls — you know what we’re talking about!)
How has camp influenced what you do/your career path?
Zara: At camp we learned about creativity. We didn’t have a uniform so every day was a new outfit, a new you. We were all welcome to express ourselves freely, mix and match our wardrobes, and even put on fashion shows for each other.
Amanda: At camp, where there were uniforms, the evenings we had socials or any opportunity to dress in our “social clothes” were huge. It was our chance to set ourselves apart from one another and express ourselves through our fashion choices.
What are your top three essentials that you packed in your trunk?
Cady for the shower (big deal). Fave pillow. Posters of Leonardo DiCaprio.
What are three words to describe your camp experience?
Friendship. Growth. Laugh. Love. (One extra for good luck.)
Who was someone at camp that you looked up to?
The ex-campers who were our counselors and were still the best of friends.
Why do you think it is important to go to camp?
You learn a lot about yourself. It’s such a well-rounded experience that exposes you to new people and opportunities. You are pushed to try things you might not have chosen to do in the past, and then you learn just how capable you are. You form bonds and friendships with girls you spend 24/7 with.
What is your favorite camp memory?
Playing “Crack an egg on your head let the yolk drip down…”
But also –
At the end of each summer we would ‘burn the numbers.’ We would all get a candle on the center of a wood tile and walk down to the lake on our (what seemed like 10 miles) beach jungle path. We would then send our tiles out on the lake and watch them float to the middle. It was so beautiful. Then we would sit and watch the numbers burn, arm in arm, singing camp songs until they were burnt to a crisp. We would all be hysterical crying. It would signify the end of a summer and that was the worst thing we could possibly think of. It was an amazing tradition though. Something that will be engrained in my memory forever.
How has camp affected your adult life? Is there something you learned there that you still do today?
How to shave my legs. And realize how important the bonds with the women in your life are.
Words of wisdom for current and future campers?
Try everything. Be yourself. Have no fear.
How do you keep in touch with your camp friends? What has kept you close through all of these years?
Facebook, duh.
What is your favorite camp tradition?
Singing your group song before each meal.
What was your favorite camp food?
Pizza night.
What is your favorite camp cheer?
“We welcome you to camp we’re mighty glad you’re here!”
What is your favorite movie about camp/that you saw at camp?
Wet Hot American Summer and Heavyweights.
What did you prefer – pool or lake?
Lake!
Favorite canteen candy?
Whatchamicallit and Slush Puppies.
Favorite / most requested item on visiting day?
Pringles.
What was your favorite camp activity?
Arts & Crafts and Horseback Riding.
Favorite camp memento?
Polaroids.
Did you ever get homesick at camp? How did you deal with that?
Zara just ate the cheeseburgers at canteen. Amanda would hug her brother really really tight at brother/sister meet ups after dinner a couple nights a week.
What were the biggest trends/must have items when you went to camp or representative of the time you went to camp?
Hard Candy nail polish. Michael Stars. Hardtail pants. Cup of Noodles.
Any firsts at camp?
Kiss a boy. Shooting a gun at riflery. Sailing. Hold hands during roller blading social. Trapeze.
Keeping it simple… why do you love camp?
Camp is the greatest thing in the whole wide world. It allows you to be free, to build relationships with others and with yourself. You learn what you love to do, what you hate to do, and what you thought you never could do.
