All Points East has officially ended. Over the course of August, London’s music crowd headed to Victoria Park to drink, dance and party the day (and night) away in the company of some of their favourite artists.
Now that the dust has literally (metaphorically as well as ahem, literally), we can chat about the great looks we spotted on some of the attendees.
Here are some of the biggest lessons we’re taking from the style set as we head into September.
Cowboy core was back (again)
Thanks to Bella Hadid and Beyoncé, cowgirl looks are trending yet again. Though if the crowds flocking to Bey’s Tottenham Hotspur stadium gigs weren’t enough to convince you, then the proliferation of cowboy hats and boots these past few weeks should be. Oh, and did we mention the fringed suede jackets? As we move into autumn, the look is also pleasingly transitional: win-win.
Statement fans
Handy for ventilation and for keeping dust out of your face! But most importantly for fashion. Colourful, loud and often etched with a swear or statement phrase, they were prolific at APE. Invest in one now; they’re only going to get bigger next year.
All things cherry
Dua Lipa debuted the trend last month on holiday; now it’s slowly infiltrating the mainstream. Cherries are the next big emblem in fashion, and there were plenty of them on show in the crowds last weekend. Think cherry necklaces or cherry earrings, but if you want to go the extra mile, you could emulate the few people wearing them as a print.
No cherries? That’s fine: cherry-red is also having a moment. Slip on some red pumps or a crossbody bag for a bit of pop. Or invest in Damson Madder’s pretty blue slip dress which boasts cute embroidered cherries.
Y2K metal belts
As if we needed further proof that the Noughties are back, suddenly everybody seems to be sporting metal belts around their waists. Dig them out of the back of your wardrobe (or your mum’s). They work well over pretty much anything: slip dresses, mini skirts, micro shorts.
And if your wardrobe is lacking one, Depop is currently a hotspot for all things Y2K. Pick up a belt for as little as a tenner and wear it all festival season.
Headscarves reign supreme
The humble scarf has been having somewhat of a renaissance over the last few years, but it’s really burst into the spotlight this year. Think Gracie Abrams wearing one for her debut Glastonbury set this year, Kylie Jenner pairing a scarf with her bikini top as a makeshift sarong or Alexa Chung wearing one around her jeans like a belt.
Unsurprisingly, the look was going strong in the crowd at APE, too. There were a lot of people rocking bandanas (some over their mouths), but on the plus side, the variety of scarves on the market mean that it’s easy to diversify your look and stand out from the crowd.
Biker boots are still going strong
We are in the era of the knee-high boot. The crowds at All Points East know what’s up, too: for every pair of Salomon trainers, there was a biker boot. There’s a reason for it — the boots pair perfectly with festival staples such as mini skirts, dresses and sports shorts. Get a black pair as they’ll truly go with everything.
Statement necklaces
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Delicate stacking jewellery hasn’t been a thing for a couple of years, but still – it seems to be getting bigger and bigger. Case in point: there were a lot of big, statement pieces on show at All Points East (and indeed at many other London day festivals I’ve been to this year.) Think oversized metal starfish, big wooden beads and chunky chains. Pair with some acrylic bangles for the ultimate statement look.
