Leeds Festival: Avoiding the Fashion Fads

Leeds Festival is not for the faint-hearted. I've been several times and revelled in its anarchic and primal hedonism. I've had my tent set on fire, my belongings graffitied with indecipherable strings of letters which could only have been inspired by banned substances, and witnessed fights which are reminiscent of Gladiatorial contests. I even inadvertently contributed to the frenzy one year by mistakenly boiling half a litre of vodka for a friend's Pot Noodle (in my defence the vodka was in a plastic water bottle).

What all of this means is that when it comes to festival fashion, Leeds Fest is in a category of its own. Like the music, your wardrobe must be cool, eclectic and not an adulation of populist trends. If you genuinely like Hunter wellies then wear them, but they're not an unwritten entry requirement like at V Festival and T in the Park. Leeds is about looking good without losing yourself in the hysteria of festival fads.

Deichmann - £15

First and foremost are the basics: wellies and raincoats. It will rain, it will get muddy, and you will fall over. My tactic for wellies is buying cheap ones that I throw away on the Monday afternoon when I get home. 

ASOS - £18

ASOS - £18

Pretty wellies always get compliments (as oppose to the knowing nod that Hunters garner) so go as bright as you like! 

When thinking about raincoats, I'd rather stay dry and look good underneath for when the rain stops. So listen to your Mum and take that Regatta waterproof coat you've had since your were 15, you'll thank her once the rain begins! 

Regatta Waterproof - £20 

Now that the formalities are finished, let's focus on the main event: 

• Avoid skirts that are susceptible to a gust of wind and embrace shorts (you want to be able to dance/maintain some dignity when you slip in the mud). 
• Pack t-shirts and long-sleeved checked shirts (great for colder nights). 
• Leave the nostalgic old gig/festival tops to people over 40. 
• Forget anything crocheted/fringed/cropped: you're not a clone. 
• Accessorise to the max: jewellery, hairbands, glow bands, face paint.

Festival fashion is about exaggerating the quirks of your normal individual style, don't feel pressured to morph into what fast fashion has dictated to be 21st century festival attire. Here are some pieces which I'll be heading into the chaos of Leeds Fest with:

Striped knit top - Dorothy Perkins, Floral shorts - Miss Selfridge, Checked shirt - H&M, Wellies - As above,
V-neck top - H&M, Striped shorts - Topshop, Bomber jacket - The Hut, Socks - ASOS