A polished festival outfit starts with comfortable, breathable basics in calm colours. Choose good jeans or light trousers with a fine-knit or cotton top. Bring a light cardigan for the evening and wear shoes you can stand and walk in all day. A small bag that closes well is practical. Choose fabrics that do not crease quickly and can take a knock. Keep it to one accent, such as colourful sunglasses or a piece of jewellery. That way you look just as good at the start of the afternoon as at midnight, without looking like you are in costume.
Not everyone wants glitter
Festivals have their own aesthetic: lots of colour, glitter, striking hats and clothing you never wear otherwise. That is fun if you like it, but many visitors simply want to look polished and like themselves. Especially at the early festivals in spring, such as around Liberation Day, at city festivals and at music festivals with a slightly older audience, you see more and more people choosing calm, well-chosen clothing. The advantage: you are more comfortable, your outfit lasts longer and afterwards you can simply grab a bite to eat without everyone seeing where you have come from.
What a festival asks of your clothing
- Hours of standing and walking: shoes and trousers must be comfortable all day.
- Changing weather: in May it can be twenty degrees at three o'clock and ten at eleven. A shower is always possible.
- Crowds: expect spills, grass and lots of movement. Preferably do not wear anything you constantly have to be careful with.
- Little luggage: you do not want to walk around with a large bag. What you bring must be small and light.
For Women
Good jeans are the basis of almost every polished festival outfit. The Adelaide high-waist jeans in blue have a contour fit and a little elastane, so they keep their shape all day and move comfortably when you dance or sit on the grass. On top, a sleek, plain top works best. The Ophelia ribbed polo with quarter zip in white in lyocell looks fresh and sporty, and you can wear the zip open or closed, depending on the temperature.
For the evening you bring a light cardigan. The Veronique cardigan in light blue is fine-knit lyocell, weighs little and you can tie it around your waist when you do not need it by day. Combine with white sneakers or sturdy flat shoes, and a small crossbody bag.
For Men
Men perhaps have it even easier: a good polo and comfortable trousers make a complete festival outfit. The Atticus striped cotton polo in navy is a strong choice: navy hides stains, the stripe adds some playfulness and the cotton with a little elastane is comfortable all day. Wear it with the Vincent slim-fit trousers in khaki, which stay comfortable thanks to their elastane blend, even when you stand for a long time.
For the cooler hours, a polo with a quarter zip is ideal. The Edmund polo with quarter zip in olive green melange you put on over your first layer or wear instead of the cotton polo when it turns fresh. Olive green goes well with the green surroundings of many festival grounds and with khaki.
What to bring
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Light cardigan or polo with zip | For the evening, when it cools down |
| Small rain jacket or poncho | A shower is always possible in May |
| Sunglasses | Indispensable by day, and your only real accessory |
| Crossbody bag or belt bag | Hands free, belongings safe |
| Sunscreen | The spring sun burns too |
Shoes: the most important decision
You can have the most beautiful outfit, but if your feet hurt after three hours, your day is over. Choose shoes you have worn before; a festival is not the moment to break in new shoes. White sneakers are classic, but quickly get dirty on a field of grass. A darker sneaker or a sturdy leather shoe is more practical. Leave sandals and open shoes at home, because someone is guaranteed to step on your toes.
Day festival or multi-day
A day festival in the city calls for something different than a multi-day festival with camping. At a day festival you often come by public transport or bike and go home again at night. Your outfit must then look polished on the train and in the street too, and you must be able to carry a cardigan or coat with you all day. At a multi-day festival with an overnight stay, it is more about practical layers, clothing that dries quickly and a few clean basics for each day. Then bring a fresh top for each day and alternate trousers, so you are not walking around in the same thing all the time.
In both cases: test your outfit beforehand. Walk around in it for an afternoon, sit in it on a bench or the grass, and see whether everything still fits well. That way you avoid surprises at the moment when you actually just want to enjoy the music.
Colours that work
Choose colours that can take a knock. Navy, olive green, khaki and blue denim hide stains from grass, beer and dust. White is lovely, but limit it to your upper half, where it gets dirty least quickly. One accent is enough: brightly coloured sunglasses, a scarf or a piece of jewellery. That way your outfit stands out through calm rather than through busyness.
After the festival
Grass, sand and spilled drinks come with the territory. Treat stains as soon as possible: at home, first rinse them out with cold water before you wash. Wash your jeans inside out and let them air dry, so they keep their shape and colour. Fine-knit lyocell pieces, such as the Veronique cardigan, you wash on a delicate programme. You can read more about this material on our page about lyocell.
Discover more comfortable basics in our trousers for Women and chinos for Men, or be inspired by the City Life collection.
Shop the look
Adelaide: high-waist contour-fit jeans, blue
Ophelia: ribbed polo with quarter zip, white
Veronique: fine-knit lyocell cardigan, light blue
Atticus: striped cotton polo, navy
Vincent: slim-fit trousers, khaki
Edmund: fine-knit polo with quarter zip, olive green melange
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear white trousers to a festival?
Yes. Just keep in mind that stains can be more visible on white.
What do I wear to a festival if it starts to rain?
Choose a rain layer, shoes that suit mud or wet grass and clothing whose reaction to water you know. Also check the festival's site rules.
How do I keep my outfit polished all day?
Choose fabrics that do not crease quickly, such as knitwear and denim with some elastane, and bring an extra layer that you can swap when it cools down.
