What to wear & carry when going to a festival?

Guess what, here is another blogpost! Today I have something not-vintage, not-sewing and not-knitting to share. Past week visited Werchter Rock festival in Belgium. This is one of the bigger summer festivals in Europe, it has about 80.000 visitors each day. This year Pearl Jam, Arctic Monkeys, Metallica, Kings of Leon, Bastille performed among others. This was my second time there and I was better prepared than the first time. I thought it would be fun to share my tips and lists to what to take with you, in case you are planning to visit a festival during the summer months.

5 festival essentials to carry:

• sunscreen spay (UV-protection 50)
• foldable plastic bottle (like platyplus)
• mid-size messenger bag (water resistant)
• foldable picnic blanket with water resistant/plastified back
• sun hat

A foldable water bag is really handy, because most festivals don't allow you to take a plastic bottle with you. You simply can't avoid sitting on the ground, so a picnic blanket is a must! We used ours very well. It was a cheap one which can't be washed, so we just threw it away after the last day. A sun-hat and sunscreen is another thing you must take with you. A lot of people walk around like red lobsters after the first day and you certainly want to avoid that. A messenger bag which is big enough to put all your stuff in but not as large as a backpack. No need to worry about dirt and rinks if you carry one which is made of water resistant fabric or plastic.

5 things to wear:

• oversized band shirts/boho tunic
• (jeans) shorts 
• comfy jeans for colder days
• sneakers 
• one piece of 'statement' accessory (a necklace or bracelet)

Remember, a festival is not a fashion show. It is more important to wear clothes you feel comfortable in. I suggest to take one outfit for each day. The first time I took more shirts,  shorts and skirts with me and at the end of the day I didn't really knew what to wear. This time I prepared an outfit for each day, and took less stuff with me.
Oversized shirts are easy to wear if the weather is hot and they cover up any weight issues which makes you look more confident. A boho style tunic can be a good option. I took a pair of (age and figure-appropriate!) jeans shorts with me, which were comfortable to wear and also quite dirt resistant. No problem to sit on the ground and not too hot on a summer day. You see a lot of All Stars sneakers around, mine are cheap look-a-likes which ventilate well, and I can throw them in the washing machine (or in the dirt bin) after 4 days. An extra inner sole makes them more comfortable to wear all day long! Hiking boots can be an option because they are comfortable, but they don't ventilate well, so you don't want to wear them all day long.

5 things in your bag:
 

• sunglasses
• a rol of toilet paper
• earplugs with an acoustic filter ('partyplugs')
• colored lip balm (my fav is Palmers 'Cherry & dark chocolate')
• silicone bag for your keys and money

Sunglasses are essential! Even if there is enough toilet paper on the site I like to carry around my own. It can be handy to use for any other purpose like instead of napkins or to dip your blanket dry if anyone spills drink on it...

It is worth the money to invest in a pair of earpugs with an acoustic filter. This time I was happy to avoid the loud, ear-paining noise. Usually I don't wear a lot of make-up, just a bit of foundation, eye-shadow and a colored lip balm instead of a lipstick. Lipstick melt and get messy in hot weather, and since you drink and eat all the time, it is useless.

handy for rainy days:

• lightweight, hooded outdoor jacket 
• rainboots (no need for expensive ones!) 

My experience is that cheap plastic rain capes don't work! It is better to take a light weight, outdoor rain jacket which you can fold up and put in your bag or tie around your waist. This time we've had 2 rainy days and I was really happy with my rainboots! It was almost sad to see a lot of people walking around with soaking wet shoes or sinking to their ankles in the dirty mud. Remember, there is no need to invest in expensive Hunter rainboots, mine are cheap ones from the local farmer's market and are just fine!

5 big no's:

• (high) heels
• toe-slippers/flip-flops or anything barefoot
• mini skirts or dresses
• tight or short tops
• synthetic fabrics

It speaks for itself, you won't be able to walk around all days on heels. My experience is that the festival grounds can be dirty, people spill drinks or food, so I wouldn't wear anything barefoot like sandals or slippers. You won't be able to sit down elegantly in a mini skirt or dress. Tight or short tops aren't comfortable to wear all day long, just like synthetic fabrics.