In the UK, Glastonbury Festival is the biggest music festival, and in my opinion, the best as well! I have been going for years and now I’m lucky enough to live practically on its doorstep. If you haven’t been, it’s difficult to explain quite how fantastic, or to imagine how big it actually is. There are 150,000 tickets sold, the site takes up 1,100 acres and I’ve just counted 58 stages on the line-up! There are the main music stages, the dance village, the late night weirdness places, the kids’ field, the circus and theatre fields, but it’s the Greenfields where you’ll find the traditional vibes of the 1960s and 70s, and also where you’ll find the best handmade clothes. I’ll definitely be checking those out when I’m there.
However, whilst there is plenty of shopping to do at the festivals, it’s also good to be prepared before you go, so I’ve been busy scouring the internet for the best in festival wear. Essential number one for the summer of love look is the maxi dress. Ideally something light enough to pack and carry without taking too much space in your rucksack, and will embody the spirit of peace and love. This one by SLCSLC Fashion looks perfect to me.
The poncho. I love them! And they are so versatile. Fold in half and drape over your shoulders to stop them burning in the midday sun; roll it up to be a pillow in the tent; sit on it whilst watching bands to stop grass marks on the back of bare legs, and of course, wear for its purpose in the chilly evenings to keep you warm. (Also handily hides a belly after eating a festival burger!)
I could fill a whole post with pictures of fantastic handmade ponchos and shawls – there are so many to choose from. I do like applique though, so I finally picked this one by Malowane lnem to show you.
I can’t finish an article about festival clothing without mentioning the biggest essential of all: Wellies. Or wellington boots to give them their proper name. Readers from hotter climes may disregard this bit, however, for British festival-goers, these rubbery items of footwear are an absolute must. You may not need them, you may be one of the lucky few and experience a completely dry summer festival, but it is better to be safe than sorry; or you may end up like one of the several at Glastonbury ’97 with layers of bin bags tied round their ankles and up their legs – kept their feet dry yes, but their bottoms wet as they all slipped over in the mud.
Wellies aren’t really the easiest thing to make by hand, but you also don’t want to be in the same bog standard green boots as everyone else. More patterned ones are coming on the market, but in my experience they split really quickly. The perfect compromise is going for a normal, good quality pair of wellingtons that have been decorated. My kids painted swirls with glitter glue on theirs, but for some that are (arguably) more artistic, have a look at these by dianamhm.
