Festival Fashion – Download style

In just one week time I’ll be frantically packing for Download Festival, praying for dry weather, and wondering whether I really need 6 pairs of boots for 3 days (obviously the answer is yes).

Last year at this time I was having a mini (read major) meltdown because I’d never been to a festival before. Well, not on the scale of Download. I’d been to a one day dance festival back in the day, and a local folk festival. I also had tickets to V Festival one year, but sold them the night before because it had been raining for 3 days and I couldn’t stand the idea of mud (and we weren’t even camping) Download is massive compared to any of those things; just the thought of the size of it made my head explode. And I knew that cancelling was not an option.

Of course my main concern was what to wear. With the chance of rain being ever present in the UK, even in high summer, I needed to be prepared for everything. Such was my naivety that I even enquired of festival going friends whether I could wear sandals if the weather was good (yes, if you want your feet trampled and covered in beer/food/general festival ickiness, was the answer).

At one point I had 16 (yes sixteen) pairs of wellies in my flat, trying to decide which pair I liked best, fitted best, suited my style best. I bought a waterproof poncho. I overthought the whole thing to the point where I didn’t actually enjoy the lead up.

And then it was sunny. Sunny as in warm sunny. Sunny as in denim shorts and sleeveless tops sunny. It was glorious! I wore denim cut offs and vests and shades. Only on the last day did I need my poncho for 10 minutes. Fingers crossed for more of the same!

Because I don’t do camping (I mean, just why?!) I have the luxury of being able to take oodles and oodles of stuff, stack the car up and clutter our hotel room – hurrah! It also means I should be covered for all eventualities should the weather go from one extreme to the other (double hurrah! No-one needs a wet, cold and under-prepared me on their hands – I reckon I can out-bawl even the loudest of bands if I’m not happy). Plus, should the worst come to the worst and I fall over in mud, I have a whole clean set of clothes for the following day(s).

None of this “camping is all part of the experience” for me. Forget it.

Here’s a selection of what I’ll be taking this year.

Biker wellies – Asda (last year)

FB_IMG_1433358954017

Side split maxi dress with leopard print cross (H&M)

H&M maxi top dress

High waisted black denim shorts (H&M)Black denim shorts

Feather headdress (ebay)

Feather headdress

Black and white stripe top (H&M)

Black and white stripe top

Waterproof poncho (Amazon)

Waterproof poncho

Fringed skirt (H&M)

H&M fringed skirt

Tartan trousers (New Look)

Tartan trousers

Grey draped vest (H&M)

Grey draped top

C’est la Vie t-shirt (Dorothy Perkins)

Cest La Vie tee

Black leather jacket (Tesco F&F) and berry fedora (H&M)

Download festival outfit

Denim playsuit (Tesco F&F) and blue denim shorts (Matalan)

Download festival outfit

Obviously there’ll also be the usual staples of black skinnies, leather look leggings, over shirts, maybe a baggy jumper or two (depending on weather forecast). Perhaps kimonos if it’s not going to be too cold at night (although if I take a big enough bag I can have a costume change). Loads of jewellery. The good thing is I can just pack EVERYTHING! And I fully intend to!