What to Wear to Music Festivals (And What to Avoid—Seriously.)

1. Keep your nails on point (and season-appropriate).

Most music festivals go down in the summer, but for the few that are in the fall/winter, stick to darker colours like Essie’s Bordeaux. If you’re attending a summer festival, you can go one of two ways: a bright, memorable colour or an elegant, neutral shade. We like Trust Fund Beauty’s Sex Tape for the first, and Butter London’s Pink Ribbon for the second. No matter what colour you decide, make sure your nails are chip-free. Nothing says ratchet like a girl with only half her nails painted.

2. Keep your makeup neutral and light.

This should probably be common knowledge, but so many girls keep making the same mistake, so we feel the need to reiterate it here: if you load your face with makeup, you’ll look dirty in the bright summer sun. Even if you just like to even out your tone a bit, chances are it’ll come off showing a lot more than you intended, and will have people wondering what you’re really hiding under the layers of foundation. Avoid face makeup, except for an SPF moisturizer (tinted, if you’d like), and keep eye makeup to natural colours. Save the aggressive charcoal eyeshadow for the afterparty.

3. Flower crowns. They’re cool—we swear.

Think Tumblr: festival-edition. If you’re going for a low-key look, flower crowns will take you all the way from being a forgettable girl in a summer dress to being a full-fledged hippie. Also, they’re really cool. Anyone who can pull it off, must. Extra points if you have the long beach waves to complete the look.

4. Invest in sunglasses. If Crayola makes a marker to match the ones you have now, be worried.

Those glasses you bought—you know, the ones you thought made you look young and fun? They’re actually a dead giveaway that you’re probably not. For the sake of style, and so we don’t have to see so many highlighter sunglasses this year, stick to less flashy frame colours. If you really want to look good, invest in some good quality designer ones. The investment will be worth it, trust us.

5. Ditch kandi, and stick to some fashionable bracelets.

We know kandi’s a thing, and while it’s cool in moderation, don’t load your wrists with every shade of bead. Stick to a few fashionable bracelets, and pick a cohesive colour scheme that doesn’t clash with your nails. Also—we’re all for luxury, but chances are, you won’t make it back with all your bracelets still on your wrists. Keep the serious bling at home.

6. Sandals get sweaty, so consider sneakers.

Sandals, whether designer or random, will inevitably get sweaty. It’s fine while you’re there, but if you have any intention of taking them off, it’s just not fair to the people around you. Plus, you’ll probably look much cuter in sneakers. Hit up MatchesFashion.com for a curated designer sneaker collection, 99% of which receive the HBT stamp of approval. Avoid the heeled section—it’s only cute until you trip and fall.

7. Perfect the classy-yet-a-shitload-of-fun look.

For your outfit itself, keep it young and fun. Don’t shy away from the crop-tops and tight pieces you lust after, but try to keep it on the elegant side. Think Kardashian/Jenner-style, circa 2014. The appeal is undeniable, but the outfits are objectively less slutty than most girls you’d see at raves. Leave something to the imagination—it’ll pay off.

By: Alex Levy