by The summer is filled with festivals, both at home and abroad. So surely by now, we’ve figured out what to wear and what not to wear, right? For some, you have it nailed. For others, here are a few tips on some festival fashion faux pas you should avoid.
With all focus on what festivals are on each weekend, it’s time to get yourself a little organized. You’ve decided which ones you’ll be attending and you’ve hopefully got some of the camping essentials ready. All you need to do now is decide what you’re going to wear. The weather may be a bit temperamental but you need to start sorting out the basics.
Summer can be a little tricky to dress for in terms of men’s fashion, and it can get even worse when festivals roll around. Guys think that anything is acceptable but in reality, that’s not quite true. You still want to impress, you’ll want to look stylish and you’ll want an outfit that can take you right through to the last act.
Sure, festivals are the perfect occasion to enjoy yourself and let off some steam. I mean, we wouldn’t be shelling out for them each year if they only provided us with endless misery. But while having a great time is crucial, so is looking good and not treating it as an opportunity to don your most ridiculous clobber. From misjudged cultural appropriation to trying too hard, we’ve all been to a festival where someone’s gone out of their way to look as ridiculous as possible.
So, here’s our advice on how to avoid any potential festival fashion faux-pas this summer. You want to be left with all the positive memories rather than a head full of regret (in terms of dress sense anyway).
You Don’t Have to be in Fancy Dress
Admittedly, most of us have been prone to the occasional fancy dress outfit. Halloween, a themed party or a pub golf kind of thing. It’s fun, and seeing everyone’s efforts is always interesting, but if you’re voluntarily deciding to go out in fancy dress for no apparent reason other than ‘trying to be funny’, then we think maybe you should give it a miss. It’s a festival and of course, you can add a few odd extras that you wouldn’t wear day to day, but full-on fancy dress? It’s a no from us.
Say ‘No’ to Novelty Sunglasses
Kanye may have headlined in a pair of shutter shades, but that doesn’t mean you can get away with it as well. It may be all fun and games, and you may get right into the festival spirit, but you don’t have to go for a pair of novelty sunglasses to fit in. There are plenty of other sunglass options available that’ll look both cool and stylish. For instance, the rounded frames or ones that have an extra bit of detail around the lens are just as ‘festival’ as the novelty ones.
Resist the Matching T-shirt’s
There’s really only one thing to say about this – The Inbetweeners Movie. Hopefully, you know what I’m talking about, and if not then we basically think that slogan or matching T-shirts should be banned at festivals (and lads holidays, at that). If your group’s turning up in matching slogan tees with something that’s meant to be funny on the back, you’re going to get a lot of looks and not for the right reasons. People get it, you’re a big group of mates that are out enjoying life, you have your inside jokes and you’ve been friends for years. But you don’t need to plaster this all over your T-shirt. Go for something stylish instead.
Think About Your Footwear
Footwear’s a tricky one at festivals. If it’s looking like a swamp and the rain just keeps on coming then please get yourself some wellies. It’s probably one of the few times you can get away with wellies, so embrace it, plus your feet will be protected from the rain and mud. If the sun’s shining, don’t be tempted to get your toes out. Flip flops should stay for use around the tent and that’s all, otherwise, your feet will be dirty and probably be trod on more than you’d like. Another thing to avoid is the socks and sliders look, you may think it’s cool but there are so many better options to go for.
So what shoes should you wear to a festival? Well, trainers are the best option as they’re comfy, they protect your feet and they go with pretty much every festival outfit. Choose ones that are old or ones that you don’t mind getting muddy or dusty. But, when we say old we don’t mean the holey pair that need to go in the bin. You still want them to look kind of fresh.
Don’t Make Half-Hatted Efforts
Like the fancy dress and novelty sunglasses situation, festivals are often a breeding ground for gimmicky headwear. The unnecessary addition of a naff hat is a sure-fire way to wreck an otherwise solid outfit. If you’re going for a themed look then go for it, wear that Indian headpiece. But, if you want to look festival ready then stick to the socially acceptable hats. A straw hat is good if it’s sunny and if you’re the kind of guy that can get away with one. If not, stick to a cap and you’ll give off an effortlessly cool look. If you want to mix it up a bit, switch up the colors and try to avoid black.
Don’t Be Boring
We know that we may have said that you should calm it with the fancy dress, sunglasses, and hats, but we also understand that you don’t want to look like you’ve just come from work or the supermarket. You still need to incorporate a little bit of fun into your outfit. It is a festival after all! You can do this in a stylish way through, colored shorts, patterned and wavy shirts, and cool rounded sunglasses are an easy way to bring the festival vibe into your wardrobe without looking like a complete tw*t. Go for brighter colors and loose-fitting shirts and you’ll be ready and raring to go.
6 Festival Fashion Faux Pas to Avoid This Summer
- Fancy dress and novelty extras can be left at home. You want to look cool and not try too hard to seem funny.
- Group T-shirts should be left to stag do’s and not festivals. We understand you have inside jokes but they’re inside jokes for a reason.
- Footwear is important, you don’t want muddy or wet feet, and you also don’t want to be overheating in wellies if they’re not needed.
- You can still look bright and colorful, just go for a patterned shirt and a pair of cool sunglasses instead of your everyday wear.
On That Note
Festivals are for having fun, enjoying the music, and being with your mates. You don’t want to be that guy that tries to be funny in fancy dress and random sunglasses and you don’t really want to be part of a group that walks around in matching T-shirts. You have your own style and you should show it off! And, once you’ve nailed your look, you’ll feel like Jaden Smith at Coachella.
Feature image from Pinterest
