this "festivals as fashion show" thing gives me the Rage

[dirtyface]

i am a music lover and as a teenager / early 20 something i used to go to festivals every summer

think the PROPER festivals, donington, ozzfest, reading festival etc. a fashion show they were Not. it was actually about the bands and music and just having a proper good time and not really giving a shit what you were wearing as long as you were reasonably comfortable. apart from maybe if you wore a t-shirt of your favourite band. not designer brands, a face full of make up, and artfully dishevelled "festival hair"

but "nowadays" its just soooooo cool to be "seen" at festivals. it doesn't seem to be about the music anymore. it seems to be more about posing. this whole "festival as fashion show" bandwagon thing only came about in the last 5 or 10 years. and now ever summer, every vacuous shitty womens mag is saturated with "festival fashion" articles and what celeb twats like kate moss are wearing at glastonbury. as if the paps will be snapping you every 5 minutes in your generic hunter wellies and ray bans.

bugs the shit out of me (but as i said i am an old gimmer of 33 who doesn't go to them anymore anyway so what do i know :o )

[HairyGrotter]

I'll do that at Reading this year! I might be pleasantly surprised (I hope!)

[squalorvictoria]

Totally agree OP!

All these starlets you see in "festival fashions" with perfect boho hair and toting designer bags aren't really participating in festivals, just prancing around the VIP area at Glastonbury. It's this kind of thing the women's magazines latch onto, not the REALITY which is hair caked in Batiste because you can't wash, wellies and a Kag In A Bag

[PatsyAndEddy]

I did get someone a good one whilst wearing a keith richards top. Middle aged man set off on a rant about teeny boppers in stones clothes. Turns out I've seem them live twice (pre glasto) to his none! I wiped the floor with him on general knowledge of the rolling stones. Was a good way to spend half an hour in the pub and I earnt a free pint!

[WireCat]

Op yanbu!

It's utterly shite!

[Tanith]

Did Reading and Glastonbury years ago - can't afford it now and I don't sit easy with the style these days.

Op, get yourself down to Beautiful Days in Honiton next year (sold out this). Much better atmosphere, imo.

[StuntGirl]

I don't think it's news that music and fashion have a relationship with each other. Sonisphere is just as style conscious as Coachella - just with a different 'tribe'

Exactly.

www.mitchclem.com/nothingnice/126/

(Oh how I wish this was a proper forum with proper image links...)

[WireCat]

I can't fire the big festivals anymore. Makes me feel a bit sad sometimes if I'm honest!

[londone17]

Yanbu op! Or am I just getting old lol?!

[KatyTheCleaningLady]

If you guys want to see some... interesting... festival fashion, Google images of The Gathering of the Juggalos.

[LynetteScavo]

Yes, but if you did go, you'd know they aren't actually like that.

Just like London, New York and LA aren't actually swarming with thin fashionable people, just ordinary people, going about their own thing.

(Notice I missed out Paris there)

But then, there will always be those with their pretty dresses and blow dried hair, where ever you go.

[StuntGirl]

Ahhhh Katy I was a Juggalette once...no make up though

[StuntGirl]

Oh god I can't believe I just admitted that haha. Luckily no one will really know what we're on about!

[Itsmymove]

I was at a festival this very weekend and was just saying how 10/15 years ago us girls would take weeks planning our outfits/hats/jewellery!

I'm now 34 and opened the wardrobe, grabbed obligatory denim cut offs and off i went (and probably felt more confident in myself than I did back then!)

Now lying in bed and can still here the music for T in the Park ten miles up the road!!!

[dirtyface]

ha !! @ gathering of the juggalo's

i remember that band, had NO idea they were still around

[ZillionChocolate]

HairyGrotter, perhaps this is the t shirt for you? Far more practical than play/jump/cat suits which seem to be recommended even though they're completely unsuitable for festival toilets, even back stage ones.

[musicposy]

I'm going to a festival next week with DH and my two teens. I won't see my younger teen for dust (she's 13) as all her friends are going.
However, going seems to require buying cheap tutus and packing onesies. I'm not sure why as I'm an old gimmer! I will just be in my normal scruffy clothes.

[DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper]

Yeah, I hate to say it, but you're on the periphery now, it's the next generation's turn, and you are the old gimmer.

I mean this nicely, I am older than you.

But that's life. You're not in your twenties anymore, and you're not supposed to 'get' 20-somethings, because you're not one.

If you're not careful, you'll end up sounding like someone's Mum, bemoaning the youth, and the fact that it's not like it was in your day.

It's mind-boggling how very short one's peak, prime-of-life years are. You blink and they're over. At 39, I am not part of it any more, and it does make me sad if I dwell on it.

But I'm damned if I'm going to go on about how rubbish young people are, and how they're doing it all wrong. Because all that does it utterly confirm how deeply out of touch I am.

[SHarri13]

I'm with you a bit OP, festivals ate fashinable now, people who wouldn't have dreamed of going 5 years ago are loving them now. But there's loads more of them, more music styles etc.

I quite fancy secret garden party but I'm not sure I'd come with the aftermath.

[SHarri13]

*are fashionable.

[JRmumma]

I think the whole essence of festivals has changed. I attended about 2 a year from 18 years old for about 10 years but stopped going a few years ago as they just aren't the same anymore. They now seem to be full of the sort of people id rather avoid, those who are there to be seen etc. That's fine, but its not me so ive bowed out.

I also font think you can say you've 'been' to a festival if you aren't camping for the duration. That's a big part of the experience.

[BitOfAFatCowReally]

It's a bit sad that people consider themselves too old to go to festivals just because they're in their thirties. Or forties. Or fifties! Etc. Etc. Touch wood, we've all got a good few years in us yet and we are allowed to have fun.

[bakingaddict]

I made the mistake of being at Westfield this weekend. Lots of young girls with denim cut-offs and flowers in their hair for the Wireless concert

Thing is most festivals are frequented by vast numbers of young people and young people seem to be very tribal in nature. I guess they have yet to develop a real sense of self-confidence so will wear whatever their friends wear or copy celebrities in crappy mags

[ARealDame]

Thanks for original post, interesting thread.

I am in my 50s and going to my first music festival soon, lol!

It does sound like festivals are more mainstream, and numerous! When I was young, there were very few music festivals. Certainly, it was a tiny minority that went to them in the 80s - and no-one that I ever knew.

Though DonDraper does have a point, I still think its OK to comment on the impact of negative things, including increased commercialism. Noticing developments, both positive and negative, are inevitable. But good to dwell on the positives too?

And nice idea to find smaller, more alternative, family-friendly festivals?

[dirtyface]

yeah thats what i mean sharri - they have become fashionable, i think thats what irritates me :o

and i think that a lot go just because of that. not all, but lots i bet

[happyyonisleepyyoni]

I'm going to my first festival for 20 years this weekend with DH, two tweenagers and a toddler. Can't wait!! Unfortunately, I still look 40 even in "festival fashion".

One thing that has not changed is that there is always someone moaning that things aren't what they used to be in the good old days!