Festivals
Guide
What to wear to a festival
The definitive guide to dressing up, dressing down and looking the part during festival fashion season
Music festivals are as varied as the weather. There’s mud, long drops, spilled cider, and dirty guitar music shaking your tent flaps, but there’s also prosecco in the sunshine, bouji pamper stations, Michelin-starred dining and classical recitals by the riverside. All of which makes it almost impossible to know what clothes to pack.
Whether it’s your first festival or your 50th, nailing your festival outfit can mean the difference between feeling like a headliner or looking like lost property. From summer festival fashion to surviving the inevitable downpour, we’ve got you covered. Literally.
The unwritten rules of festival fashion
Before you start matching your bucket hat to your bumbag, know this: festival fashion is less about trends and more about attitude.
There’s no such thing as a festival dress code. You can wear glitter and crochet or rock up in a hoodie. But just because there are no rules doesn’t mean there aren’t bad decisions. Let’s help you avoid them.
Can I wear normal clothes to a festival?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is only if you want to spend three days being sweaty and soggy, regretting your life choices.
Your regular wardrobe might get you through a weekend in London – and it’ll certainly do for a day festival – but the field is a different beast. Festival outfits need to balance style, comfort and the kind of durability usually reserved for Bear Grylls.
Jeans? They’ll turn into leg-shaped saunas by 11:00 and chafe like sandpaper by sunset. Trainers? Fine, until they’re ankle-deep in a suspiciously wet mosh pit. Dressing for a festival isn’t about being someone else – it’s about being the best-dressed, best-prepared version of yourself.
Summer festival fashion
Hot-weather festival fashion is a careful game of coverage, cooling, and not catching sunstroke at 14:00 during a surprise IDLES set.
For the ladies:
- Co-ords: Matching sets of shirts and shorts are a lazy girl’s dream – high impact, low effort. Go for lightweight fabrics (linen and cotton are your friends) and bold prints. Jumpsuits are all fun and games until you find yourself in a Portaloo.
- Crochet everything: If it’s vaguely bohemian, it’s probably perfect. Just make sure you’re wearing SPF underneath.
- Bucket hats: Not just a TikTok trend. Shade and style in one floppy package.
- Footwear: Sturdy trainers, trusty boots or ankle wellies. Anything open-toe is a gamble with the ground and whatever’s on it at 3am.
For the gents:
- Open shirts over vests: It’s the unofficial uniform of British festival lads and it’s surprisingly practical. Sun protection, ventilation and the illusion of effort.
- Bold shorts: Patterns, colours, the lot – just keep them above the knee and breathable.
- Bucket hats or caps: Scalp burn is not fun.
Gender-neutral essentials:
- Statement sunnies: Shield your eyes from the sun and the sins of the night before.
- Layered necklaces and beaded bracelets: Add a bit of personality to your look. Extra points for DIY versions made at a craft stall.
- Lightweight kimonos or mesh shirts: Perfect for breezy layering.
- Cross-body bags: Fashionable and functional. Keeps your valuables close and your pockets unbulged.
Still stuck for inspiration? Scroll through ASOS’s festival edit or check out the sustainable indie darlings over at We Are Cow.
Rainy festival fashion
Let’s not sugarcoat it – the British weather is a fickle beast. You can just as easily wake up in a tent oven and still go to bed in a puddle. If you’re wondering if you can wear normal clothes to a festival when it’s wet, you can! But only if you normally walk around in a plastic poncho and a pair of wellies.
Rain-ready staples:
- The Holy Grail: the packable waterproof – if you only pack one thing for a festival, pack a tent. If you pack two, pack a poncho. Look for taped seams, a decent hood, and ventilation zips. Brands like Rains and Patagonia do it properly. A clear plastic poncho still lets your outfit shine while keeping you dry. Practical and peak rave energy.
- Wellies or hiking boots – Converse look cool but The Strokes will be on stage, not sinking in front of it. You need something waterproof, with tread.
- Quick-dry trousers – Avoid denim. Cargo pants or lightweight waterproof trousers are more practical, and they’re having a moment anyway.
Don’t forget a waterproof dry bag or ziplock pouches for your phone, cash and emergency snacks.
The long game: day-to-night festival outfits
Festivals are marathons, not sprints – and your festival outfit needs to last from brunch beers to headline sets to 3am campfire karaoke.
Layers are like onions:
- Start with a base of breathable fabric – think cotton vests or technical wicking tees.
- Add a mid-layer for warmth (light sweatshirt, oversized flannel or denim jacket).
- Finish with something waterproof or wind-resistant. Even a statement mac counts.
- Stash an emergency hoodie, thermal layer and woolly hat in your bag – nights get freezing.
When in doubt, dress like you’re going on a long-haul flight. With glitter.
What not to wear to a festival
Don’t wear the band T-shirt when it’s freezing. Don’t wear the Cookie Monster onesie when it’s boiling. It’s all too easy to end up with four days of wardrobe malfunctions when you’ve only packed for Instagram.
Avoid the following:
- White anything: unless you want it to turn grey/brown/green by Day two.
- Real suede or leather: impractical, expensive and very much not made for mud.
- Heels:just don’t. You’ll end up barefoot, blistered and broken.
- Heavy makeup: unless you enjoy watching it melt off like a waxwork at noon.
- New shoes: break them in first or leave them out.
Accessorise like you mean it
Festival accessories are where outfits really come alive – and where practicality meets style in the most chaotic, glitter-bombed Venn diagram imaginable.
- Bum bags: Secure, easy to carry and perfect for shoving in snacks, tissues and hand sanitiser.
- Hydration packs: Very “dad on a hike” but incredibly smart if you’re at a big outdoor fest.
- Bandanas: Headwear, face cover, napkin or eye mask – the Swiss army knife of festival gear.
- Face gems and body glitter: Use biodegradable versions like EcoStardust or face sticker sets that don’t require glue.
Dressing for your first festival
We’ve all been there. Fresh-faced, overpacked and underprepared. If it’s your first festival, you might be tempted to bring three outfits per day, hair straighteners and shoes for every mood. Don’t.
Capsule wardrobe for first-timers:
- 2x lightweight tops
- 2x shorts, skirts, culottes or loose trousers
- 1x warm jumper or fleece
- 1x waterproof jacket
- 1x boots or wellies
- 1x trainers or sandals
- 1x hat or cap
- Enough socks and underwear to last a zombie apocalypse
- 1x outfit for the headliners and night acts that makes you feel cool as hell
- 1x outfit you don’t mind sleeping in when you can’t face changing
Focus on layering, comfort and clothes you’re happy to part with if they get damaged. Leave the fancy stuff at home.
VIP festival fashion
Not all festivals are created equal. Some have mosh pits and lager-soaked ponchos, others have mixologists and cashmere throws. If you’re heading to the Latitude Guest Area, the backstage garden party at All Points East or anywhere at Wilderness, then you’re not just asking what to wear to a festival – you’re asking what pairs best with a glass of champagne and a gourmet tasting menu.
What does a VIP festival actually involve?
A VIP festival experience usually means shorter queues, better loos and drinks that come with a citrus garnish rather than that gritty brown stuff that builds up in a reusable cup. You might be glamping under canvas bell tents with feather duvets and mood lighting. It’s still a festival – but it’s the kind where you’re handed a cold towel instead of a pack of wet wipes.
What to pack for a luxe line-up:
- Elevated boho: Think Gwyneth goes glamping. Floaty maxi dresses, fringed kimonos, silk co-ords and vintage belts.
- Designer-meets-dirtproof: If you’re brave enough to pack Ganni or Isabel Marant, pair them with sensible soles – chunky boots or weatherproof Birkenstocks are VIP favourites.
- Layer with flair: A tailored blazer over a slinky slip dress is pure posh-field energy. Oversized sunglasses and wide-brim hats tie it all together without trying too hard.
- Gentleman’s festivalwear: Open-collar shirts in linen or seersucker, rolled-up chinos and suede loafers (with a back-up in case of rain).
- Evening upgrade: When the sun sets and the disco balls come out, swap the tee for a silk cami or embellished top. Add a light cashmere knit for fireside lounging and late-night DJ sets.
Leave the neon mesh and ironic slogan tees to the Gen Z pit crew. This is the domain of tastefully tousled glamour.
Unofficial festival uniforms
Fashion tribes are alive and well at festivals. Dress codes don’t exist in fields, but there are some ways you can still always find your tribe in a crowd.
- The Indie Kid: Vintage band tee, Dr. Martens, and smeared eyeliner.
- The Raver: Neon everything, mesh, glitter, sunglasses at midnight.
- The Cottagecore Crew: Straw hats, linen dresses and vibes straight out of a fairy tale.
- The Tech Bro in Disguise: Patagonia gilet, North Face everything, suspiciously clean trainers.
You do not need to choose a team though. Be all of the above and something else: mix, match, and dress for your mood.
Final tips for surviving in style
- SPF is your best accessory: wear it under mesh, glitter, or even on cloudy days.
- Pack spares: socks, pants and at least one dry top. You’ll thank us later.
- Test your outfits before you go: if you can’t dance in it, sit in it or unzip it in a hurry: ditch it.
The best festival outfits are the ones that let you dance, run, lie in the grass and enjoy four days in a field without losing your dignity or your debit card. Whether you’re in sequins or shell jackets, glitter boots or just your old faithful trainers, the only real rule is this: wear what makes you feel good.
Festival fashion isn’t about impressing anyone. It’s about matching the energy of the music and the crowds. Dress up, dress down, dress loud, dress smart and dress you.
Photo credit: Kirstin Sinclair / Getty
