Festival Wear

What is vintage festival fashion? It's something quite difficult to define as no two outdoor music events are similar. There are urban festivals and countryside festivals, and in the latter category there are the more cultural ones (think Glyndebourne, Henley-style or glam festivals) and there are those where mud and grime plays a large part (think Glastonbury, rock and folk and eco cuisine ... and a lack of hygienic conveniences normally). It's probably these types of events that most people consider when they hear the word "festival", so what is the best clothing a festival-goer can pack in order to look great and feel suitably dressed.

Despite the fact that most festivals are held in summer, weather seems to play a big part quite often. Open-air festivals in the UK nearly always take place during June, July and August; and this means that in the UK at least, there's a slim chance of sunshine and warmth, tinged with the near certainty that rain will appear at some point. But unless there's some serious weather surprises going on, the weather should at least be bearably warm, limiting itself to magnitude 0.5 on the goose-bump scale. So what you shouldn't (in theory) need at the event is padded jackets, hats and scarves, and if you're carrying your own gear, that's an advantage.

So as for any outdoor event the trick is to pack several thin layers and one light rain layer a cagoule-type coat is probably best, but if you're sensitive to cooler temperatures, something more suited to hiking or camping will be your best bet. They are designed to be light and waterproof, after all. The downside is that they can become uncomfortable if any sunshine does appear. The alternative is simply to get wet and many a seasoned festival lover is perfectly suited to this option.

Festival fashion has remained relatively constant looking back over the past 20 or 30 years, with the mother of all festivals, Woodstock, laying the foundations. We might not be as hippy-like as our parents and grandparents used to be, but look at the fashions and apply them to the modern festival and, well, you'll almost certainly look good enough and maybe even stand out from a dull crowd. Denim, tee-shirts, flowing dresses and skirts, vest-tops and maybe even the odd jumper thrown into the rucksack will cover any meteorological mischief, and they're all light enough to be taken with you and put on or taken off as you want. If you really want to make a mark, get down to your local vintage clothing shop and you'll almost certainly discover some perfect festival wear that has "style" written all over it, and give your friends something to admire or at least comment on.

The choice of what to wear on your feet is arrived at as much by what the weather forecaster may have suggested as by how you feel comfortable. Some people just want to wear boots 24x7 while others prefer the freedom of bare feet. These sites are often massive, with all kinds of terrain, so you can traverse from dry sand to mud in a short walk. In other words, the firm, dry turf outside your tent could leave you unprepared for the muddy quagmire by the toilets. So as far as weather is concerned, keep your ear to the ground. And if your ear is covered in mud when you stand up, prepare for the worst.

So if couture wear is your preference, it's probably fair to say that you should leave it at home if you're slumming it at a festival. You'd stand out like a sore thumb in your high street fashion, certainly. Festival garb is all about chilling out, hanging loose and putting the emphasis on enjoyment. Dirt and grime will always leave a mark, but if you can't put up with a bit of mud, maybe you should settle down in front of the TV at home you'll be clean but missing out.