When dressing for music festivals, function over facade

If you book them, they will come. — Spirit of Jim Morrison, Wayne’s World 2 (1993)

MANILA, Philippines - The bands that you know and love are all booked, and are definitely coming to this year’s awesomeIhavetogotonomatterwhat fest. You’ve made your music playlists, titled Laneway 2012, Coachella 2012, and Fuji Rock, with a parenthesized “hopefully” just to remind you of the importance of being frugal this lunar new year and to make sure that the event you’re going to later has an open bar, lest you have to cough up some valuable festival fund bucks.

Plane tickets, visas, IDs, cash, festival tickets, vitamin C, toothbrush, deo, cologne/perfume, sunscreen, water container: all check. That was the easy part. Now it’s time to pack your clothes. Panic and excitement, what to wear, you can finally sport your favorite band tee — all thoughts rush in. I want to look different, I want to look like this person or that person, and the most intense and gnawing one of all, I want to look COOL. It shouldn’t be that hard, you quickly remind yourself. You remember spotting a store last week that had “FESTIVAL” in big bold letters hung above some fairly decent clothes that could work. Still, your highly principled eco-friendly, fair-trade, street-credited and scene-selected self can’t just settle for the bittersweet taste of over-the-counter culture recent brands have been serving up. If you’re not really in the mood to go thrifting or to Recto to look for hard-to-find band shirts (original and bootleg alike) or are tired of trying to catch up with the next trends that you don’t really like or have decided look a little silly on you, one can try the functional and existent wardrobe route. This way sounds a little boring and uninspired, but trust me: this will do you good. Read on and you’ll find out how to achieve the right amount of personal expression, flair and comfort and still have enough room in that suitcase for the necessities to get you through your festival in style.

Start with ample consideration of your festival’s climate, whether you'll be expecting California Sun or November Rain. Check the weather report for the fest’s possible curveballs. If clouds look suspicious, pack an essential light raincoat or jacket. The banked sigh of relief will greatly outweigh the “hassle” when it starts pouring. If the weather’s agreeable, pack some sunscreen. Think of it as your first layer of clothing, and never forget to wear some.

Slim Shady

Sunglasses to block out the 13 hours of sunlight, or look semi-put together after the nocturnal adventures you've had, or your anxiously sleepless night of waiting to see your favorite group perform.

Lighter clothing

The sun being out can make for good pictures considering you’ve given consideration to the heat. Wear lighter clothing that can help you breathe, and can be worn for at least half a day. Make sure your idea of lighter clothing also isn’t NSFW (not safe for work); there have been arrests at many a festival. Think less polyester and more cotton, less wool and more linen. T-shirts are the go-to item for this sort of occasion. Also a general rule is that light-colored fabrics are ideal since they reflect light and heat. But don’t forget to still bring a jacket or light cardigan or something that you can cover yourself up with when the sun goes down and the temperature drops.

Little Boots

Prepare for mud or uneven terrain for not all music fests are lucky enough to be set in such lush, tropical, and comfortable surroundings as Malasimbo. If you’re going all out and have worked up enough courage to take on the Glastonbury, bring some rubber boots/rainboots, or if those don’t sit well, go for more fashionably correct albeit same-thing-just-a-higher price-tag “Wellies,” short for Wellington boots, available in every color and pattern imaginable. Be like Kate Moss and shell out a pretty penny for some British royalty-appointed Hunter boots; dressing appropriately would have never looked so cute. Covered quirky shoes that support your ankles while enjoying yourself will do as well. I am pretty sure that nobody wants to get a sprain come game day.

Trend Cleanup

When you start referring to your ensemble as “structural vintage Americana with a cowboy sheer throwback feel with a mustachioed and leathered irony,” or simply can’t reply within a minute because you’re thinking of some witty or snarky cryptic reply to sound cool, then perhaps you need to take a moment and remember the main reason why you came to watch some bands is really that! If you’re comfortable with looking relevant this month, then by all means wear your new digs. But if you’re too busy enjoying music to be bucking the new trends, then wear your old threads. You’ll feel comfortable and enjoy yourself more, and if you get sick of the shirt you’re wearing, you can buy memorabilia/band tees at the merch booth. It’s kind of like having either an “I Survived” swag or just subtle bragging rights.

You’ve worked hard to get your tickets, stayed up late to buy them online/justified buying from a scalper, made time in your schedule/work, coordinated with friends, calculated Eastern Standard Time/Pacific Time and have a currency converter bookmarked on your browser. You’re committed and want the whole thing to go off without a hitch. Stick to basics, essentials and an effortless attitude when it comes to dressing. That way, you can focus on how this is going to be your best fest yet.