Just when you’d started to get to grips with winter dressing, the weather did a 180 degree turn and before you knew it, the sun was out and festival season had arrived.
Dressing for a festival can be tricky, and lesser women have slipped and fallen (yes Jessie J in your white y-fronts, you’re in that camp).
Read on for the answers to your most burning festival fashion questions…
Is the boho look still acceptable?
Yes…but tread carefully. Boho in 2013 is still alive, but it’s a pared down version to the one paraded by Sienna Miller years ago. A nod to boho with a soft, flowy dress and beachy hair is fine, but don’t go overboard like Vanessa Hugdens’ very literal interpretation of boho at Coachella this year. Ditch the feathers, tassels and daisy chain headbands to avoid looking like you’ve fallen out of a dress-up box.
Take a lesson from the doyenne of festival dressing, Sienna Miller, who showed us how to rock the modern boho look at Glastonbury this year just months after becoming a mum.
Image Source
How short is too short?
Is your name Alexa Chung? If not, rule out micro shorts. It may be swelteringly hot, but very few people can successfully pull off shorts cut so high that they look like a pair of denim pants. If there’s a hint of cheek on show, you’ve gone too far.
And remember ladies, just because we’re at a festival and the sun’s out doesn’t mean you can cast off the cardinal rule of fashion: it’s cleavage or legs, but not both at the same time.
Should I wear a maxi then?
Yes, and no.
Maxis are great for covering up stubble on your legs (who has time for shaving their legs at a festival?) but aren’t always practical. Why? Just think about what the bottom of your poor skirt will trail through in the mud and in a portaloo…ergh, not ideal. And if it’s too long, you and everyone around you will end up tripping up on it too. You don’t want to be that girl.
If you find that maxi dresses are always far too long but you don’t want to faff around with an expensive alteration, take a look at Dorothy Perkins’ petite range which is designed for people who aren’t quite as tall as Rosie Huntington-Whitely.
There’s also a hot new length that is more practical than a maxi: a midi falls mid-calf and is ultra-flattering.
How should I dress for the weather?
There are three main conditions you should be prepared for at a festival:
- Rain (and with rain, comes mud)
- Chilly evenings
- Blistering heat
The trick is to pack layers of clothes that you can peel off or pile on as you please, including a lightweight raincoat.
Footwear is equally important. As Mille Mackintosh has recently proclaimed, wellies really do go with just about anything and are a festival must. And Hunter wellies are the rubbery boot of choice for the fash pack.
To complete your survival kit, add a pair of sunnies and a good hat to survive the sun in style.
What’s the hottest face paint look?
Face paint looks great if you’re Florence Welch and you’ve got a professional doing it for your stage performance. But with all the dancing and sweating you’ll be doing, your meticulously drawn masterpiece will only end up merging together into a greasy mess on your face by 2pm. Stay clear and limit your makeup to a few waterproof essentials.
What’s your festival style solution?
