Half the battle and the fun of festivals is the prep beforehand. Whether you’ve to factor in an Irish drenching or a foreign scorching there are a few festival essentials that cannot be overlooked. They are the electric to your picnic and the sea to your sessions, so may you take note and take with.
The Bum Bag
Okay, hear me out – once you go bum bag you’ll never go back. Trust me. Clip this bad boy around your waist, and you may as well be a walking safe. Far more secure than a shoulder bag or backpack, the bum bag also leaves your hands free allowing for maximum fist pumping and arm-ography. Get yourself a bum bag that does both and make a fashion statement with a colourful Aztec print or sequin number. You’ll never let it leave your side… literally.
A Funky Raincoat
Here in Ireland, rain is almost a festival guarantee, but overseas thundery showers are also a threat! Thanks to the gods of fashion, those hard plastic raincoats we wore as junior infants are now as fabulous as fur was back in the day. Probably the most practical fashion trend to ever grace this emerald isle, you’ll be a waterproof mud-shield and good as new with a spray of Mr Sheen.
A Pair of Sunglasses for Each Day
If your festival is Irish – you’ll probably get all the elements thrown at you within the first hour. The most versatile object for this eventuality is a pair of sunnies. A shield against unexpected sun, a handy windscreen for intermittent showers, worn on the head they make the greatest headpiece known to man, and popped on at an indoor rave make you a hard core shape-thrower – you cannot go wrong! Why a pair for each day you say? Whether you drop them, snap them, sell them, donate them, trade them or just throw them at the stage – I dare you to come home with the same pair.
Tie Dye
Get the playlist on, the basin out and let the art attack begin – tie dye is the only way to complete your festival wardrobe. Buy your dyes, dissolve them in water, wrap a few elastics around your whites and dip and dunk. You’ll feel like Monet when you see the finished product and it’ll be straight up on Instagram faster than you can say Valencia.
Glitter – lots and lots of glitter
If you wear nothing else – wear glitter. Every colour, everywhere. The glittery scalp trick is a personal favourite and leaves a fun glittery residue for weeks afterwards no matter how hard you scrub. You’ll never rid it from your bags, shoes or bedroom either but it will all be worth it. It’s like playschool art without rules. I mean, who even needs the festival at all?
-By Aisling Bonner
Image from Retro-Flame.
