Few things can beat the lawless energy found at a music festival — dancing manically in a field to your favourite band, forgetting what time it is, or the fact you used to brush your hair — where your only requirement is to have fun.
This year, our collective craving for the f-word has reached giddy heights, with tickets for Glastonbury (kicking off June 21) selling out in just an hour after going on sale last November (despite the price surge). And, according to a recent survey, one in five people is planning on attending a festival rather than splashing out on a holiday this year.
The summer tradition isn’t just about the music, the fashion parade is its own headline act
Though the summer tradition isn’t just about the music. As anyone who has pored over pictures in the past would attest: the fashion parade is its own headline act. Think Alexa Chung during Indie Sleaze’s reign, the A-list boots made for stomping around muddy grounds in (Hunters, of course), or Kate Moss’s chicly dishevelled Glasto looks over the years. Whether in the thick of the action or simply sad scrolling through an endless stream of Instagram posts, it’s hard to miss.
However, we’re not denying the debate the genre has sparked over the years, warranting festival-fashion fatigue. Flower crowns? ‘Zany’ tie-dye T-shirts you bought in a 2am ASOS panic? Outfits that scream ‘fancy-dress party’? Clichés should be avoided. But where on Earth, I hear you ask, to begin? Preparation is key, to avoid the aforementioned sartorial faux pas. And with party meccas, from Glastonbury to Reading, lasting days, a little wardrobe foresight goes a long way.
Read on for the ultimate, expert-approved, festival fashion trends to know this summer.
Crochetcore
Call it the Daisy Jones and the Six effect, the 1970s are firmly back in fashion (yet again). On the Spring 2023 runways, crochet dresses were inescapable, with Chloé, Carolina Herrera, and Ulla Johnson dressing models in stunning hand-crocheted dresses.
According to Google Trends, a Woodstock-worthy crochet set is this year’s top five trending festival looks. Which begs the question: will crochet ever not be ‘in’ at a festival? Ultimately, its enduring appeal is down to its versatility and hint of romance. Stylish, yes, but also practically speaking brilliant, thanks to its holey design. Perfect for sweaty, dance-induced occasions.
Although celebrity summer street style has been awash with crochet —little beige dresses and fringed crop tops in earthy tones (think: Vanessa Hudgens at every single Coachella or Rihanna’s custom-made crochet dress from Barbadian designer Shanice Taylor), this year it’s all about giving the kitschy knit a colourful spin.
“The vibrancy of the mood-boosting crochet and psychedelic palette is a perfect way to elevate your outfit for festival fun and beach alike,” says Libby Page, market director at Net-a-Porter, adding that Missoni’s one-shoulder ruched metallic crochet-knit mini dress (£530) and Cult Gaia’s sato-beaded fringed crochet-knit cover-up are perfect examples of the trend.
“Rather than a dress, we’re reaching for it in colourful co-ord form instead,” agrees Victora Prew, founder of fashion-rental platform Hurr. “We’re big believers in independent designers and practitioners of slow fashion, the idea that something is handmade makes it all the more unique and crochet is such an example of this.”
STAUD
Psychedelic cotton-crochet mini dress, £213, matchesfashion.com
GANNI
Striped organic-cotton crochet bucket hat, £115, matchesfashion.com
CRO-CHE
Beaded butterfly dress in turquoise, £302, cro-che.com
Sunset shades
If you’re anything like me, your camera roll is likely 90 per cent pictures of the sky looking pretty. So it’s perhaps no surprise designers are taking cues from the dreamy colour palettes found in tropical sunsets. On the catwalk ombre reds, yellows, and oranges have been dominating the collections of Ferragamo, Etro, and Courrèges (to name a few), with A-listers Gigi Hadid and Zendaya already embracing the sensual style on the red carpet.
“This is my personal favourite this season,” says celebrity stylist Aga Dziedzic, who was behind AJ Tracey’s look at the Pyramid stage and all of Arlo Parks festival ensembles last year.
“It’s very romantic and reminds me of hot summer nights and London skies — definitely a great choice for any festival look.”
Her brand of choice to nail the look? JW Anderson, of course, with the designer imprinting a sunset onto gorgeous catsuits and breathable mesh tops.
“Sunset shades are so fun for festivals as you can wear them into the night and still see,” agrees stylist Emma Lane. “They add a bit of extra chic to a look, effortless but fun. Also, a great way to spice up a block-coloured look.”
JW Anderson
Long-sleeve sunset underpinning top, £139, www.endclothing.com
Courrèges
Lingerie second-skin long dress, £752, www.courreges.com
NA-KD
One-shoulder mini mesh dress, £29.95, na-kd.com
Y2K Glastonbury Cosplay
Kate Moss’s 2005 Glastonbury look is still on everybody’s mood board (see above) — after all, it was largely credited for coining the term “festival fashion”. You know the outfit we’re talking about: the gold tunic dresses, low-slung suede belt, and muddy Hunter rain boots. If it’s not Moss, then it’s Alexa Chung, who also reinvented the category in the mid-noughties, with her penchant for trench coats and itty-bitty denim shorts. Or Sienna Miller, who channelled her luxe Noughties bohemian vibe into a slouchy slip dress and a suede bag ensemble.
Even though the word timeless is thrown around a lot these days, these festival outfits fundamentally can be described thus, inspiring hundreds of thousands of videos on TikTok of Gen Z creators recreating them.
“When it comes to festivals, the 00s revival really comes into its own, with plentiful iconic street style references from seasons past,” agrees Prew. “Think ruffle-hem mini dresses (we love Fanci Club right now) and Concho belts like Sienna Miller at Glasto circa 2004.”
And, with style icon PinkPantheress and French label Marine Serre’s AW23 collection both obsessed with the Concho belt right now, as well as Sienna Miller’s signature boho-chic style renaissance, it’s never been a better time to pay homage to the festival demi-gods.
Motel Rocks
Sachin minidress in gold chain, £49, motelrocks.com
Urban Outfitters
UL large concho belt, £36, urbanoutfitters.com
See by Chloé
Joan mini textured-leather and suede shoulder bag, £320, net-a-porter.com
Hunter
Original short wellies, £92, flannels.com
Supercharged sunnies
Coachella. Love it or hate it, marks festival season’s official kick-off (albeit across the pond in a Californian desert). And with Charli XCX posing up a storm in her bubble Off-White Volcanite sunglasses and Rosalía taking to the stage in a vast pair of Rick Owens’ Kriesters at the event last month, big, buggy sunglasses that cover a third of your face have been officially appointed 2023’s must-have festival accessory.
It makes sense why everyone is drawn to supersized, XXXL statement shades. They’re the perfect disguise for a two-day hangover, and harder to lose on the dancefloor than slim, Matrix-style ones.
“We’ve seen the oversized sunglasses category this season grow by 55 per cent,” agrees Page, pointing specifically to Balenciaga’s cat-eye printed acetate sunglasses in bright pink and Dior’s Pacific M1U viser shades.
Rick Owens
Black Kriester sunglasses, £660, ssense.com
Ganni x Ace & Tate
Trixie in bubblegum pink, £210, aceandtate.com
ASOS DESIGN
Oversized bug wrap sunglasses, £15, asos.com
Holzweiler
Tom Frame brown mix, £235, holzweileroslo.com
Bottega Veneta
Rubber sunglasses, £470, flannels.com
Disco cowgirl
“This summer, we’re predicting festival outfits to be a continuation of the incredible tour looks we’ve been seeing recently — fans have been going all out and we expect this to continue over the various summer events,” says Natalie Dickson, head of Women’s Luxury at Flannels.
And, as anybody with an internet connection would attest, Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour is the defining cultural outing this summer, with the hashtag “Renaissance tour outfit ideas” garnering more than four billion views so far. The majority of attendees have been experimenting with a variation of the “disco cowgirl” trend: think chrome cowboy hats, rhinestone denim shorts, and mirrored slip dresses.
“I am loving the disco cowgirl trend, it’s the perfect combo of glam and casual,” says Lane. “A sliver of cowboy boots is such a fun way to dress up your festival — they go with so many colours; my favourite way to style them is with denim shorts and body or a crochet dress.”
If you don’t want your ensemble to feel too costumey, Dziedzic recommends sourcing original vintage boots and accessories from Portobello Road or pieces by denim IT-brand Y/Project.
All Saints
Kacey metallic leather cowboots, £289, allsaints.com
Y/Project
Cowboy-cuff straight-leg organic jeans, £350, matchesfashion.com
ASOS LUXE
Denim shorts with rips & diamante trim in blue, £42, asos.com
Naked ambition
Naked dressing has been inescapable this past year, from Rihanna in a mesh-and-leather Alaïa dress or Lady Gaga in a sheer-panelled Versace gown on the Oscars 2023 red carpet, to Irina Shayk in a completely sheer dress at this year’s Cannes.
This festival season is no different. For those who braved the trend (granted, winter is not the best time to experiment with such a lack of fabric), the devil-may-care nature of festivals makes it the opportune place to try it.
“Searches for ‘sheer’ have increased by 53 per cent this season, with tops, dresses, and shirts being our top searched product varieties, embracing the trend in a subtle and chic way,” agrees Page.
What’s more? You can easily layer these pieces over bright crochet bikini tops or metallic slip dresses — et voila!
Jacquemus
Sognu striped sheer jersey dress, £247, matchesfashion.com
Mango
Mesh dress with bead detailing, £119, shop.mango.com
ASOS
Sleeveless macrame studded mini dress with fringed hem, £68, asos.com
Miaou
Billie graphic-print woven maxi dress, £270, selfridges.com
Barbiecore
Ever since Greta Gerwig announced her epic feminist retelling of Barbie, the colour has been awash on runways, red carpets, and Instagram fit pics. Last year, Valentino’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli even dedicated his entire A/W collection to hot pink in collaboration with Pantone ahead of their 2023 colour of the year (Viva Magenta). The shade has a high approval rating from the A-list, too, from Florence Pugh, and Zendaya to Lizzo.
With the hashtag now boasting more than 361 million views on TikTok, and Margot Robbie’s take on the iconic Fifties doll finally coming to cinemas this July, ’tis the summer for peak Barbiecore mania.
“I’ve been obsessed with hot pink since the Valentino September ’22 show, so I’m excited this trend continues,” says Dziedzic. “One of my favourite brands that does great pieces and accessories in a Barbiecore-inspired fashion is Abra Now. With their oversized necklaces and earrings with shiny catsuits you are going to be the coolest-looking Barbie at any festival.”
Abra
Spike-embellished shoulder bag, £696, farfetch.com
Arket
Satin mini skirt, £41, www.arket.com
ASOS
