Ways to wear: Festival fashion
1st Jan 2015 Fashion & Beauty
While many dream of heading abroad in the summer months, there's one thing the UK does better than any other country in the world; festival season. With every weekend from June right through to September boasting a veritable feast of arts, music and cultural events, you can immerse yourself in whatever tickles your fancy. Here's how to dress to impress.
Despite all the fun they offer, dressing for a festival can be a tricky business. Negotiating the changeable weather, muddy ground and the awkward bathroom facilities can render certain regular looks completely unpractical.
With a few small tweaks, you can still look playful AND practical, making the best use of some key trends on the British high street.
Light and bright
Festivals are all about colour, which provides a perfect opportunity to experiment with the high fashion trend of colour blocking. Rich tones often work best—the cobalt blue of the kimono jacket (£19.99, Zara), Pink CuCulottes£39, Warehouse) and Saddle bag (£30, Glamorous) all constrast beautifully and provide light layers that will protect you against both sun and light rain.
If you’re lucky enough to be at a dry event, a comfy block sandal is often just as practical as a welly boot—this Scandinavian style is a steal from Marks & Spencer at just £25. Top things off with a statement necklace to tie everything together (£30, Topshop) and you’ll be good to dance the night away.
Read more: The world's craziest festivals
Folky features
The embroidery trend is one that simply won’t go away, but it’s not without good reason—suitable for all ages, it’s the perfect way to achieve a festival finish without looking try hard.
This floaty tunic dress from La Redoute (£23) would layer perfectly with jeans or leggings at a weekend event, teamed with an ever-practical pair of Hunter wellies (£74) in a statement patent burgundy.
Keep accessories to a minimum to tap into the easy, breezy hippy spirit. A non-fussy waterproof (£30, New Look) and cross body bag (£80, Cambridge Satchel Company) will see you through the summer and beyond, offering plenty of portable storage space for wet wipes, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, phones and all your other festival essentials.
Read more: Smaller music festivals for your diary
Swinging 60s
The current music festival scene owes a lot to the days of Woodstock and early Glastonbury, so why not pay your own homage by tapping into the 60s trend?
This knitted tunic dress from Simply Be (£45) offers warmth without compromising any of the fun. Wear it on it’s own or throw on over your outfit as the evening gets cooler.
A touch of grunge will help ground the look and keep things practical. Doc Martens (£125) with an accent colour sock (£1.75, Miss Selfridge) are comfortable and cool and considerably less bulky when travelling on and off site.
A mid-size backpack will keep hands free and take care of valuables. Mi Pac offer a great range for around £35 in an array of funky colours and patterns.
Read more: The music revolution of the 1960s
Flares and frills
If the 60s isn’t your thing, move along a decade and tap into 70s rock and roll. A bell-bottom jean (£99, Rand And Bone) is flattering on all body types and looks great with a feminine frilled blouse (£24.99, H&M) that nips in at the waist.
If you’re planning on doing a lot of walking between stages, converse trainers (£70) are the perfect companion—opt for a leather high top finish to ensure easy cleaning after the event.
Colourful accessories will complete the look and make it a little more special than standard day wear. We love this quirky bracelet and earring combination, £89 and £12.99 from John Lewis and Zara respectively.
Enjoyed this story? Share it!
Feature image via Festival Number 6
