Dressing for a Festival

FASHION · UNITED KINGDOM

Dressing for a Festival

What the weather actually does, footwear, camping practicalities and staying safe

Festival dressing is decided by mud, sun and distance walked rather than by what looks best in a photograph.

Layers, not outfits

A field is cold at seven in the morning, hot at two and cold again by ten. Plan a base layer, a warm mid layer and a waterproof, then dress up from there.

Anything that only works in one temperature spends the weekend in a tent.

Footwear

You will walk several miles a day on uneven ground. Broken-in boots or trainers you can stand in all day, with wellingtons if rain is forecast, and never new shoes.

Two pairs of socks per day and a dry pair kept sealed in a bag.

Rain and mud

A proper waterproof with taped seams rather than a shower-resistant jacket, and a poncho takes up no space. A dry bag for a phone and documents costs very little.

Camping practicalities

A torch, a power bank, wet wipes, earplugs and an eye mask. Mark the tent with something visible, since a field of identical tents at three in the morning is a genuine problem.

Sun and heat

Heat exhaustion is the most common medical problem at summer festivals. A hat, sunscreen reapplied, water refilled constantly and shade in the middle of the day.

Packing

One bag you can carry across a field in one go, since there is no trolley and the walk from the car park is longer than the map suggests. A rucksack beats a wheeled case on grass every time.

Pack clothes in dry bags or bin liners inside the rucksack, which keeps everything dry whatever happens to the tent.

Money and valuables

Most sites are cashless, so a card and a charged phone matter more than cash. Take the minimum jewellery and leave anything irreplaceable at home.

Afterwards

Take the tent home. Abandoned tents are not donated in any meaningful quantity and mostly go to landfill, which is why several festivals now charge deposits.

What to wear on the day

Comfort over everything. Something with pockets, nothing that trails in mud, and a bag that closes and sits in front of you in a crowd. Sunglasses and a hat earn their place every year.

Glitter and face paint should be cosmetic grade and patch tested a day ahead, and biodegradable glitter avoids the microplastic problem entirely.

Crowds

Know where the exits are, stay out of a crush if it becomes uncomfortable, and move sideways rather than backwards.

Staying safe

Filtered earplugs protect hearing permanently. Never leave a drink unattended, agree a meeting point, and use the welfare tent, which exists for exactly that.

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