So rain and mud has become somewhat of an expectation at British festivals now. Glastonbury is a renowned mud fest; the Grand Prix at Silverstone is infamous for its shots of ANYTHING stuck in mud and even V Festival required an emergency supply of waterproofs last year! We spend all year dreaming of bikinis, white dresses, sandals, rolling around in the grass, topping up the tan, drinking cider and the only splashes of water coming from the crashing of rolling waves; then Summer comes around and it's intermittent sunshine, splashing in puddles, hoods up, huddling together, hiding under binbags/plastic carrier bags/granny headscarves. If anything takes the glamour out of festival fashion it's the rain. Can anyone master that oh so desired bohemian babe look whilst dressed in head to toe waterproofs?!
So I'm going to concentrate on practical outerwear in this festival post. But remember, that at festivals being drenched and splattered in mud actually gives you that cool factor; you're the one so eager to dance away to Annie Mac you're willing to get drenched head to toe even when she's sensibly dressed in fleeces and leathers! You're that nonchalant and up for a laugh you're the one starting the mud fight, wading in the puddles and falling about everywhere. It's the one time where the more messed up your outfit the more effortlessly chic you look, and the higher your street credentials are! So embrace the elements! Don't cry when someone slides into you and knocks you face first into a field of mud - laugh! Don't whinge when the skies are opening and you're only wearing hotpants and a crop top - do a rain dance! The dirtier you are at the end of the day the more respect you'll get! Just put the shades on, topknot it up and have the time of your life!
The first bad news is that with our English rain those lustworthy Coachella styled ponchos and waistcoats just don't cut it, we don't have balmy evenings, we have hail stones! I learnt my lesson after Creamfields, where armed with a Pacha holdall filled with aztec print, crochet and denim when the storm hit I was left to resort to a Swedish Mafia hoodie and leggings as the only practical outerwear - luckily by this point I was so drunk I didn't care! But I do remember that hoodies are surprisingly warm and water resistant in showers - and that hood that you swore you would never actually wear up becomes your best friend! Plus they're great for layering and colourblocking. Forever 21 have some really affordable options in at the moment (NEED the aztec print one), then there's the old faithful American Apparel's with some amazing colour options or you could always opt for a band/festival hoodie.
My festival favourite at the moment is the Barbour quilted jacket, lightweight, water resistant and on trend the quilted jacket combines that outdoorsy feel to a festival outfit, whilst maintaining a stylised look. They're not too hot nor too cold and are the perfect length to flatter a pair of denim shorts. With the increasing number of festivals held on farms this year such as Beacons or Lounge On The Farm the Barbour is becoming a go to; and doesn't look out of place for city festivals such as Evolution or ADE. The high street also have some similar, slightly cheaper options available at the moment such as this gorgeous camel coloured version from Topshop and this brown option from River Island. Whilst the price seems a little hefty I think its worth it for the wearability even once festival season is over. Mine's already accompanied me from everything to days at the Lakes to snowball fights!
The option I'm loving the most at the moment are these cute little raincoats from Asos for a Paddington Bear influenced look. They couldn't combat the rain any better and just look so adorable. Another option I love for festivals is a lightweight mac a la this Cath Kidston style. I couldn't find any on Topshop's site at the moment but I picked one up from their stores last year for Rockness that is perfect. They're lightweight and easy to roll up so you don't even mind carrying them around in your bag all day for those 'just in case' moments! With hoods and water resistance they're great for just slipping on over an outfit so the rain doesn't stop you. Although they're definitely not the warmest, so either layer up or beg for a boys sweater for ultimate festival comfort!
