The sun is shining down on your shoulders, warming you and your friends as you sit on a blanket in the grass. You sway back and forth with an ice-cold beer in hand to the beats of your favorite band playing live 100 feet in front of you. The perfect weather. The perfect backdrop. The perfect group of friends and your favorite outfit. But to say this is a perfect moment would be an understatement.
For music lovers, attending a music festival is equivalent to a Disneyland trip as a child. For those with a love of fashion, it’s better than that. Some begin planning outfits months ahead of time. Part of the excitement comes from being able to wear pieces that might not cut it on a sunny day on campus.
Linnea Haas — an art student and a seasonal employee at Free People — has been to Outside Lands, Bumbershoot and What the Festival once and Sasquatch four times. She said she loves that the fashion at these festivals is wild and creative.
“People feel free to wear whatever they want,” Haas said. “(And they) really express themselves through what they wear.”
Music festival fashion can almost be considered its own style. When festival season hits in late April, you’ll find sections in clothing stores dedicated to these trends, including Urban Outfitters, Free People, Nasty Gal, ASOS and Forever 21. You might also want to check out some blogs such as Free People’s fashion blog or Travel Hymns — a music festival blog.
Haas said she noticed the same basic festival style at each one she attended — which includes trends like flower crowns, high-waisted shorts, bralettes and body paint. However, Haas said the differences lie mostly in the location.
“What I noticed was different between Sasquatch and Outside Lands was that Sasquatch had more of a bohemian, laid back and wild style, while Outside Lands had an edgier, sophisticated and more layered style because it takes place in the city,” Haas said. “Some of it has to do with the weather — Outside Lands was much colder than Sasquatch, so people pile on the layers.”
The type of music at the festival can also dictate what people wear. If it’s a country music festival, you’ll see cowboy boots and hats. If the festival is in the city, you’ll spot band t-shirts and sneakers. At an electronic music fest, you’ll swim in a sea of neon, fishnets, tutus and bare skin. The most popular music festivals cover a wide variety of genres.
These are where you’ll see most of the general festival fashion trends, including tasseled bags, colorful sundresses, unique sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats and anything else that is a bit more adventurous than day-to-day summer wear.
When planning your outfits, think about how public the festival is. If it takes place in the city, where you might leave the festival grounds for a bit to go back to your hotel, it’s likely you’re going to be walking alongside the people who live and work in that city. You may not want to be hanging out in your bustier when they’re in professional work attire.
If your festival takes place in the great outdoors, where everyone is dressed similarly and your campground is just a 10 minute walk away, you’re golden. A festival in the city won’t pose the same threats to your clothing as a dusty or muddy festival might.
You’ll also want to find out how easily you’ll be able to go back and forth to your campsite. A few years back, Sasquatch forbade people from coming and going to their campsite throughout the day. Therefore, everyone had to pack their bags full of not only food, but layers of clothing as well because the temperature would typically plunge down from around the ’70s to the ’40s or ’50s. Due to that, you would either be freezing or forced to go back to your campsite and miss the rest of the performances.
While planning for an upcoming music festival or two, check out this guide to help you through the process of packing your bags.
Coachella // Coachella Valley, Calif. // April 11-13 and 18-20
The weather in the Coachella Valley next month is expected to rise to high 80s and low 90s, while dropping down around 50s at night, according to weather.com. This weather is pretty typical for this area.
Sasquatch! Music Festival // The Gorge Amphitheater, Quincy, Wash. // May 23-25
Memorial Day weekend, the weather in the Gorge is warm during the day but cold at night. Since it’s the Pacific Northwest, you should prepare for rain.
What the Festival // White River Canyon, Ore. // June 19-20
According to those who attended the festival last year, the weather at White River Canyon is similar to desert weather, reaching 80s during the day, but dropping down to 50s at night. It can also be rainy sometimes, so prepare for that as well.
Electric Daisy Carnival // Las Vegas, Nev. // June 20-22
Nevada weather, especially during the summer, beats them all in terms of heat. Day temperatures have been known to rise up to 100 degrees or more, and at night it continues to stay warm in the low 70s, according to weatherchannel.com. This is pretty ideal for the fashion scene at electronic dance music festivals such as this one, but make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and water.
Paradiso // The Gorge Amphitheater, Quincy, Wash. // June 27-28
The weather at the Gorge Amphitheater during summer is nothing short of perfect during the day. Temperatures linger in the mid 70s, typically warmer than Seattle, according to the festival’s website. At night the temperature can drop quite a bit, so an additional layer of clothing is advised.
Lollapalooza // Grant Park, Chicago, Ill. // Aug. 1-3
The summer weather here is typically hot and humid, but it’s not unusual for it to randomly start pouring down rain either. “Chicago weather is incredibly temperamental during the summer months. Because conditions can be so erratic, you’ll want to ensure you dress appropriately – don’t be fooled by cloudy or rainy conditions,” Travel Hymns blogger Tyler Thursby wrote in a post.
Outside Lands // Golden Gate Park, San Fransisco, Calif. // Aug. 8-10
“The average high during Outside Lands is just under 70s. The average low only dropping down to somewhere in the mid 50s. Make sure you bring an extra layer, especially if you’re the sit down and view it all in type,” said Thursby in a blog post.
Willamette Country Music Festival // Brownsville, Ore. // Aug. 15-17
The average high during August in Brownsville is in the low 80s, while the average low is in the upper 40s, so definitely prepare with an extra layer for night performances and camping.
MusicFestNW // Waterfront Park, Portland, Ore. // Aug. 16-17
Portland weather is similar to Eugene, only a bit colder and more rainy at times. The temperature lingers in the upper 70s in August, but often drops down to the 50s or 60s at night. Prepare for rain just in case.
Bumbershoot // Seattle, Wash. // Aug. 30-Sept. 1
Seattle’s summer weather averages at 75 degrees during the day, and around 57 degrees at night, according to the weatherchannel.com. And be sure to prepare for unexpected rain.
Kaleidoscope // Mt. Hood, Ore. // Sept. 19-21
The average high for this area during late summer is in the upper 70s, while the low is in the mid 50s. So be sure to prepare for the drop in temperature by carrying an extra layer of clothing with you. Also a precautionary rain jacket wouldn’t hurt.
Follow Andrea Harvey on Twitter @andrearharvey