Festival season is in full swing and whether you’ve already jetted off to Palm Springs for Coachella or filled your diary with UK-based festivities such as Galstonbury, there are still plenty more festivals to look forward to. It goes without saying that it’s always a good time to start thinking about your next festival-ready ‘fits so you’re not left with the classic last minute rush when the big weekend finally rolls around.
The only rule? There aren’t any: anything goes. Whether you’re a baggy-band-tee-as-a-dress kind of girl, you prefer a classic waistcoat and denim or maybe Y2K is your vibe - either way, a festival is the perfect place to express yourself in exactly the way you want… and then some.
Amp up the extra with the likes of sequins and feathers or if you prefer the boho aesthetic then it’s crochet and fringing that should be on your wishlist - and biodegradable glitter is never a bad addition.
Considering the fact that you’re almost definitely going to be smashing that 10,000 step count trudging from the main stage to the bar, your tent to the portaloos, and then partying until the early hours, your footwear should tick both the comfort and style boxes.
Retro trainers are a great go-to, but always take a back-up for adverse weather conditions which, in Britain, is always a possibility. That could mean wellies, DMs or stomper boots. If it’s going to be sunny, a flat chunky sandal will see you from AM to PM in warm weather style or a cowboy boot, which was a favourite at the spring/summer 2023 shows, will score you the all important fashion points.
When it comes to accessories, it’s not necessarily a more-is-more situ. Sunglasses are, of course non-negotiable. Then, a beaded choker, baseball cap, bucket hat or some gold chains are enough to add a level of festival-cool instead of overdoing it and distracting from the look.
Our best tip? Don’t buy fast throwaway pieces that you’re never going to wear again. Stick to your own aesthetic, just make it festi-ready - so you could use your purchases for other summer events, holidays or even eveningwear.
To take some of the stress out of finding the perfect outfit, we’ve put together our list of suggestions, from fashion, to footwear, to accessories. Even if you just take some inspiration from our list, we hope it helps.
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Best bags for festivals 2023: Backpacks, bum bags and more
Best shoes to wear to festivals in 2023: Hiking shoes, wellies and cowboy boots
Clothing
Reclaimed Vintage Limited Edition Crochet Mini Dress
Is it even a festival if you don’t wear crochet? Reclaimed Vintage’s mini is perfect for a hot climate. Pair it with a beaded choker and retro trainers to finish the look.
Buy now £59.99, ASOS
Urban Outfitters Green Floral Asymmetrical Mesh Mini Skirt
Urban Outfitters is the best place to go for low-key Y2K vibes. We love this whimiscal skirt with a ruffle detail, especially when paired with a vintage-style T-shirt and disc belt.
Buy now £39.00, Urban Outfitters
Nasty Gal Real Leather Fringed Festival Jacket
Whatever the temperature in the day, you can almost certainly guarantee a chill come sundown. Keep your fashion windsock pointing firmly towards festival vibes with this two-toned fringed jacket, made from real leather. The moon and star details make it look like a piece straight out of the Daisy Jones costume department.
Buy now £109.50, Nasty Gal
The Ragged Priest Y2K Crop Cardigan with Shaggy Collar
Bring your Britney A-game to the festival with this fuzzy, flirtatious cropped cardigan by The Ragged Priest. Pair with a mini cargo skirt and chunky boots for a thoroughly Y2K aesthetic.
Buy now £58.00, ASOS
Miaou Abstract Print T-shirt
Festival attire doesn’t need to be a one-time wear. Treat yourself to Miaou’s radiant tee featuring sunset tones and you’ll throw it on throughout the summer.
Buy now £90.00, Farfetch
& Other Stories mirror disc slip dress in silver
If you’re partial to the Paco Rabanne look without the price tag, & Other Stories’ mirrored dress could be exactly what you’re looking for. It would look best worn over a printed co-ord - just watch out for tan lines.
Buy now £132.00, ASOS
Gimaguas Purple Tank Top
Bringing the flair to your festival look, get ready to cue the compliments with this striking style from Ibiza-born label Gimaguas. From the shocking violet hue to the jacquard knit construction, it’s a conversation-starting design.
Buy now £50.00, SSENSE
Motel Midaxi Slash Neck Black Lace Slip Dress
Gothic glamour comes to life with this lace number. Boasting a streamlined silhouette and swathes of Victoriana black lace, the piece offers a vampiric take on festivalwear.
Buy now £40.00, ASOS
4th & Reckless beach co-ord in navy zebra print
Animal print is always a statement we love to see in festival szn. For £67, this zebra print design from ASOS is a no brainer.
Buy now £67.00, ASOS
Amy Lynn Mimi disc sequin embellished mini dress in rainbow
Paint yourself in rainbow hues with Amy Lynn’s disco-ready mini. Covered in coloured sequin discs, it comes in sizes 8 - 12 and features crossback straps for added ventilation.
Buy now £109.00, ASOS
Free People CeliaB Peridot Dress
You can’t go wrong with a floral maxi dress - especially when the florals in question are a colourful 70s inspired print.
To get the look for less, Nobody’s Child has a great range of similar options, too.
Buy now £548.00, Free People
Cro-Che Beaded Butterfly Dress - Pink
For festival season and beyond, Cro-Che is the brand you need on your radar. In a soft pastel pink, this dress takes crochet with its boho sentiments and gives it a nostalgic 90s feel with beaded butterflies that have been sewn by hand. The piece comes alive during the day when the light reflects on the 3D design and makes it shimmer.
Buy now £302.00, Cro-Che
Shoes
Merrell Women's Moab Speed GORE-TEX
Lightweight and comfortable to wear straight out of the box, Merrell is the go-to footwear when you’re really clocking up the miles. This pair are designed to support your feet on ever-changing terrain and with added traction and stability to make it feel like you’re walking on air, even when you’re well past the 10k steps mark.
Buy now £135.00, Merrell
Adidas Gazelle 85 Shoes
Retro-style Adidas are this summer’s hot footwear topic, so we’re sure they’ll be doing the festival rounds. With countless colours available, perhaps choose them after your outfits to make sure you invest in the hue that works best with your palette.
Buy now £100.00, Adidas
Dr Martens Audrick Nappa Leather Platform Chelsea Boots
DMs are ideal for festival fashion. Full of attitude, they’ll grunge up even the most feminine of looks. Just make sure to break them in beforehand or keep a pack of Compead in your bum bag to avoid blisters.
Buy now £199.00, Dr Martens
Crocs Classic Mega Crush Clogs Juice
If you can’t be extra at a festival, then when can you? These Crocs follow suit in the brand’s signature style - they’re lauded for their ultra-comfortable credentials and ugly-cool aesthetic that will certainly turn heads in the crowd. Even better, they’ll give you some extra height, too.
Buy now £75.00, Crocs
Ariat Delilah Western Boot
Spotted on the spring/summer 23 runways at Celine, Prada and Dries Van Noten, cowboy boots have become a summer must have - especially for festival season. Go back to the style’s roots with equestrian brand Ariat. The American label are also the official sponsors of Professional Bull Riders - it doesn’t get more cowboy than that.
Buy now £135.00, Ariat
Teva Midform Infinity Vegan In Black
Utility - but make it strappy. Teva’s classic velcro sandals have been given a fashion-forward makeover that’s ideal for trekking around a festival site in gorpy style.
Buy now £60.00, Teva
Hunter Original Short Wellington Boots - Navy
A Glastonbury necessity, you won’t have to look hard at Worthy Farm to spot a pair of these cult classic boots trudging their way through the mud.
Hunters have long been a favourite of celebrities, with everyone from Princess Diana, to Kate Moss opting for a pair – and it’s clear to see why. The wellies are hard wearing, quick drying and extremely comfortable.
They come in a range of colours (from blush pink and yellow to black), lengths (short, mid-calf and tall), and textures including matte and glossy, which in turn affects their price. These are boots that will stand the test of time.
Buy now £125.00, John Lewis
Accessories
Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag
The most versatile bag on the market, Uniqlo’s viral crossbody is an everyday staple. Not only that, but it is the ultimate choice for festivals as it can store everything but the kitchen sink with ease and will let you go hands-free with its adjustable strap design.
Buy now £14.90, Uniqlo
Rains Box Bag Micro
Not a fan of bum bags? Feat not as this futuristic micro bag courtesy of Rains is a stylish yet practical crossbody for all your wavey rave essentials.
Buy now £65.00, Rains
Weekday Catch Sunglasses
We’re obsessed with Weekday’s unisex range of sunglasses - especially the colourful styles and rave shade silhouettes. From wrap-around designs to statement lenses, the brand has an affordable pair of sunglasses for all festival-goers.
Buy now £10.00, Weekday
Fiorucci Morning Rise Embroidered Cap Multi
Fiorucci’s multicoloured cap will pep up even the simplest of outfits.
Buy now £40.00, Fiorucci
Ganni Embroidered Crocheted Organic Cotton Bucket Hat
Barbicore etners the realms of the bucket hat with Ganni’s fun and flirty offering. This adorable crochet bucket hat is a great pop of colour if opting for a monochrome festival look.
Buy now £54.81, Net-A-Porter
Collusion Unisex Open Weave Festival Glitter Beanie
Available in lime and lilac, this lightweight beanie is a playful reimagining of flapper-style headpieces with a festival-ready twist. Ideal for cooler festival days.
Buy now £5.50, ASOS
A.P.C. X Liberty Marlon Bucket Hat
While bucket hats are most often associated with the 90s, they’re most certainly a 2023 festival staple. A.P.C.’s collab with Liberty is perfect for those who are into the silhouette without the ravey aesthetic.
Buy now £63.00, END.
Monica Vinader Freedom Beaded Gemstone Necklace adjustable 43-46cm/17-18'
Beaded necklaces are a great way to add a pop of colour with minimal effort required - and they’ll work with nearly every festival look.
Buy now £150.00, Selfridges
Orelia Pearl and Molten Teardrop Three Row Necklace
You probably don’t want to take your sentimental jewellery to a festival at risk of loosing it - and a great place to find quality budget-friendly pieces is Orelia. We love the cute pre-layered sets - especially when they involve both pearls and gold-tone metal.
Buy now £35.00, John Lewis
Wet N Wild Fantasy Maker Gem Face Mask Goddess Glam
A few strategically positioned face gems are all you need to help you stand out from the festival crowd. Plus this design comes with pieces that will hide tired eyes wonderfully.
Stop these gems becoming one-hit-wonder accessories by applying a little eyelash glue to use them again.
Buy now £4.69, Boots
Best clothing for day festivals
In general, the same rules apply when shopping for a day festival. The more frivolous, the better. Yet, day festivals are sadly over in the flash of an eye, so it’s often worth investing in pieces you’ll keep forever rather than opting for something disposable.
Whether shopping high street or high fashion, consider when you can re-wear a day festival outfit before purchase. That way, you can infuse your capsule wardrobe with flair-filled garments for seasons to come.
Jaded London Fantasy Top
Sparkle the night away in Jaded’s one-shoulder top featuring a dreamy graphic print, pastel hues and a sequin finish. Paired with a micro skirt or cargo pants, the festival-ready piece is sure to attract attention.
Buy now £52.00, Jaded London
BDG Vintage Grunge Longline Boyfriend Shorts
Love them or hate them, jorts have made a comeback. The divisive denim trousers ooze cool-girl confidence with their baggy silhouette, faded finish and boyish charm.
Buy now £45.00, Urban Outfitters
Chopova Lowena Purple Ski Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Invest in this Chopova Lowena top and it will work wonders for your wardrobe. The long sleeve, crafted by the punkish Brit design duo, will instantly jazz up a plain pair of jeans with its kaleidoscopic print.
Buy now £150.00, SSENSE
Siedres Dania Floral-print Trousers
Indulge in fairycore fantasy with Siedres’ boho floral trousers. They feature intricate blooms, a sunset colour scheme and a twee lettuce hem. Get them dirty and they can be popped on a cold wash for new, colourful outings.
Buy now £150.00, Selfridges
Topshop Sequin Midi Dress
If you are ever in need of festival inspo, simply head to Topshop. The iconic brand is brimming with add-to-bag pieces, and our eye fell on this glittered beach dress. It comes in a stunning shade of pistachio and can be worn for festivals, holidays, beach parties and if you’re brave enough, a day out in East London.
Buy now £42.00, ASOS
Monki Transparent Button-up Shirt
Not only does this shirt scream Acne Studios, but it comes in two tempting shades. Be a vision in lace with Monki’s whimsical sheer blouse, which can be layered over a bralette and paired with the teeniest of Y2K micro skirts for the full, flirtatious effect.
Buy now £40.00, Monki
& Other Stories Floral Appliqué Crochet Dress
The most romantic number on the list, & Other Stories’ dreamy crochet mini dress will see you through to the end of summer. It’s versatile (beach, birthday party and bougie coffee date-friendly) and features a wildly on-trend corsage-studded neckline.
Buy now £95.00, & Other Stories
Pull & Bear Printed Waistcoat
Embrace boho chic with Pull & Bear’s tie-front waistcoat with pretty latticework. The monochrome throw-on is a breezy, lightweight option for balmy summer nights partying stageside.
Buy now £22.99, Pull & Bear
Tach Lenu Crocheted Cotton Cardigan
If you’re at a day festival, you’ll want to make the most of it. Stay out late and wrap up warm with Tach’s beautifully crafted Lenu cardigan, which was locally made in Uruguay. Merging rainbow, pastel and neutral shades, the zip-up jacket is a snug, statement piece with oodles of fun.
Buy now £171.00, Coggles
