Music was my first love, long before I fell for fashion so with Coachella, the massive celebrity attracting festival in Indio, CA (9th-18th Oct, 2020) on the calendar and only a 2 hour drive from LA where the days are warm, the nights freezing and the guest list Hollywood, getting your festival styling just right can be a challenge. Even here in the UK we always hope for glorious sunshine for the festival season but invariably have to deal with changeable and sometimes inclement weather.
For me festival styling is all about combining practicality & comfort with cool and my top tip is layer, layer and more layering. Like Miley Cyrus I like to keep a rock chick vibe going with a leather jacket never far away, Alex Chung pays homage to Arctic Monkeys with her Converse and leggings and Ashley Olsen teams a ¾ legging with plaid (tartan) shirt knotted at the waist and slides. Tori Spelling shows plus size can boho chic up leggings with her furry gilet and fringe bag and Kylie Jenner shows us simply how good a plain over size sweater can look with leggings.
My essential festival styling list, taking you across the Atlantic from Coachella to Glastonbury includes,
1. wellies, wherever you are in the world wellies work even with shorts or a shift dress when the sun comes out
2. a big cosy jumper for layering up whether you are in the desert or a field
3. a gilet or waistcoat is a perfect layering piece for warm or cool
4. the PBL, perfect black leggings of course
5. a hat, always creates a unique style edge and doubles up to protect you from the sun
6. a big bag, you need to keep your stuff close and fringing, feathers or beading adds more a Navajo feel
7. plaid shirt, again great for layering and easily tied around the waist if you get too hot from all that dancing
8. long vests & vintage tees from festival days gone by are easy to layer & are a great way to express your music taste – I love my old Stones' tour t shirts
9. Shorts are so festival festive but if your legs are too white, too fat or too old to go bare legs; leggings underneath is the solution
Whenever privacy, changing and washing facilities are limited and sweating is likely from lots of walking and dancing, a cotton legging works way better than an active wear type exercise or yoga pant. The perfect black leggings can literally take you from day to night, even doubling up as your pyjamas and super soft luxurious cotton stays cool in the heat and insulates in the cold – a festival result.