British Style Bloggers

Reasons to become a festival chick

polkadotstripes — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:09:35 +0100

Guest post by Danni Slater

First of all, let me come clean... I’m a festival virgin. As much as I pine over television coverage of Florence rocking her socks off and perfectly undone fashionistas putting us all to shame, I have never got the opportunity (or rather, never had the guts) to don my festival frocks (my love for alliteration has turned me into an 80 year old woman apparently) and find my inner hippy. One simple factor has repelled any festivic motivation from me, and that’s camping. I’m an unashamedly clean-loving, tent-hating, camping sceptic and yet the idea of getting into the festival spirit is purely enticing. With this in mind, I’ve come up with five of the best reasons to become a festival chick and hey, maybe by the end I’ll have persuaded even myself to go next year...

1. Music

An obvious one really. I mean, what would a festival be without it other than a muddy, tent-clad field confettied with the occasional doughnut stand? Hmm... not exactly my idea of fun. Throw in some live artists though, and you’ve got yourself a party.

2. Celeb spotting

In light of my (recently proven) inability to cope with the sheer excitement of spying even the slightest celebrity, this may perhaps be only a personal favourite. Even so, everyone knows only the coolest names go to festivals, and they’re usually insanely fashionable; totally obliterating and creating fashion trends in one swift move. Admittedly though, I’d be the cool kid ready and poised with my point-and-click, trying desperately to be subtle and failing miserably. Ah well, I’d be prepared to risk my dignity for a snapshot of Alexa/Kate/Florence. Jeesh, I’m beginning to sound like a member of the paparazzi; perhaps I’m career-confused?!

3. Festival Chic

As someone who enjoys minimum input and maximum output (at least where fashion is concerned) I reckon the carefree festival style would suit me down to a tee. Let’s face it; most of us would welcome an excuse to look a little rough around the edges without the risk of facing questionable glances. Well this is our perfect opportunity. Smudged eyeliner? That’s so Alexa daahling. Fraying shorts? Jameela Jamil rocks it. Bed head? Just don the trilby and BAM...you’re a festival fashionista my friend.

4. The ever elusive wristband

We’ve all come across them before; the cool kids with twenty three festival bands wrapped around their arm, looking positively exhausted yet tanned, satisfied and exceedingly mellow. They’ve refused to take off their colour-faded, wilting bracelets because, well, they just look too darn cool. Secretly, I long to be one of those infamous festival frolickers. Sauntering on without a care in the world whilst constantly reminding myself of the rad summer I just had, maan. What’s more, I’ve got the evidence to prove it right there on my wrist. I don’t know what it is about those grimy armbands that’s captivated me; perhaps it’s that childish rascality of wanting the free gift more than the thing itself. Whatever the reason, it’s a sure conversation starter and I might just be able to wangle myself [a short, but meaningful] cool-kid status for once in my life.

5. Living free and easy

Let’s face it, we’ve all dreamt of being that girl with flowers in her hair, running bare-footed through meadows (or is that just me?) and although festivals are renowned for their muddied reputation (literally and metaphorically speaking) there’s something quite appealing about the idea of enjoying few days of outdoorsy bliss. I’m definitely not condoning camping here; I can think of nothing worse than being stuck inside what is essentially a cleverly re-assembled parachute, but the other aspects of being outdoors seem rather freeing. Seriously, you can pretty much wear anything, approach anyone, and dance in any way you see fit. Which, in my case would resemble having a fit. That opportunity to truly let go is something you just can’t get from being stuck at an indoor arena (sorry NEC, you just don’t make the cut) and it seems that the fresh air does wonders for ridding you of those constraining inhibitions. So for anyone who’s fortunate enough to be going to a festival this year, promise me just one thing. Dance like no-one’s watching; I’ll love you for it.

(Not) Getting Down and Dirty at Festivals

polkadotstripes — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 21:24:35 +0100

Natasha's Column

Firstly – thank you to Rachel who is posting this on my behalf. When you read this I shall be somewhere very hot and very sunny and with no internet access so Rachel is kindly posting for me :)

I have a confession to make. I don’t really do camping, not usually anyway. But for the camping phobic amongst us, the best of the festivals have all kinds of solutions to this dilemma. Let me present to you the fashionably fabulous guide to festivals!

The big one in the festival calendar – Glastonbury has a huge range of tent alternatives. For the green and clean option, there is MyHab which is kind of like a tent but altogether nicer. It comes complete with lockable box and comfy double bed, plus as it is raised off the ground you aren’t going to find yourself floating across the field if the weather turns nasty. If you are after something more luxurious, then take a look at the Yurts. Again technically, it is still camping – complete with the whole shared toilets and showers but you get complimentary champagne! With double beds, throws, rugs, lanterns and fairy lights you can cosy up post partying and relax ready for the next day. I think this looks like the prettiest non camping option! These are also available at a few other festivals so check yours to see.

Resembling something like a playhouse are the Podpads, which are making an appearance at loads of festivals this year, including Bestival, Leeds and Creamfields. Podpads are designed to stand up to the worst of British weather. Whilst these are something different to camping, it’s not quite the ultimate in festival luxury. They look kind of fun but essentially it is just a playhouse with beds in it.

If you head to Wakestock, for the ultimate in boutique hotel meets festival experience you can get “The Kabin”. No, we’re not talking Coronation Street’s cafe. This option gives you flat screen tv, download movies, fridge and underfloor heating. This is great for glamorous rock goddesses who want the ultimate festival experience. The VIP package also gives festival goers better toilet and shower facilities and VIP lounge, plus a goody bag. Sounds perfect!

So there you have it. Festivals don’t necessarily mean wrestling with a tent or trying to find a pitch that doesn’t resemble a mud bath. That said the VIP festival experience doesn’t come cheap either but if it means clean hot showers and cosy beds, maybe it is actually worth it?

Embrace the mud

polkadotstripes — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:13:50 +0100

Guest post by Annie Owen

Where does one start? Let me give you some figures...there are said to be over 500 UK festivals and approximately 3 million of us who will go to a festival, and I have been to a grand total of...one. So I’m no festival pro, I can’t tell you the ins and outs, the best camping spots or where the hidden toilets are that always have loo roll in! Instead I’m going to talk about why I think everyone should go to at least one festival in their lifetime and why I don’t really see the need for all the hype about having the ‘perfect festival wardrobe.’

It is true that festivals aren’t for everyone; many of us do appreciate being able to have a shower everyday and not having to share a toilet with possibly 1000 other people! However it is a truly great experience.

Firstly, for many, festivals involve something most people love... a road trip! Getting a few excited individuals cramped into one small space is enough to make anyone get a bit hyper. You find yourself taking photos of the most obscure things. For example, taking photos of random road signs to show the progress of your journey, the poor soul who broke down and is now sat on the side of the motorway, or simply the levels of alcohol you’ve managed to stuff into your car and still get it to drive off. On route to the festival you no longer seem to worry about traffic jams, as you start to realise that everyone in the surrounding cars are probably going to the same place as you. So naturally, you start to check out the others in the cars to suss out any hotties attending the festival.

As soon as the car is parked, whoever was driving grabs a can of whatever is going as quickly as possible to make up for lost time, and then that’s it, you’ve arrived.

The level of excitement in the air is huge and everyone is in a major party spirit, sure alcohol may have some association with this, but generally the mood will be positive. And I think, put simply, the sheer mass of people in one space all fired up to stand in a field is what impresses me.

It’s not glamorous and it’s not exclusive but it is something that so many people now want to be a part of. So there are VIP sections and ‘pay as you go’ posh showers, but, honestly how many people use those? I think it is really quite interesting how so many magazines and websites devote so much time in telling you how to ‘stay looking good’ at a festival when it is the one time that people really don’t care! If you smell, or you have mud all over your face, people really won’t look at you disapprovingly, in fact they may respect you more!

There are always the select few, not just the celebs... that manage to look stunning all the time, but generally this is the time when we as humans can go back to a primitive roots and get our hands dirty and not worry about it.

You may feel rough as hell by the end of it but you’ll know it was worth it! So to all of you going to festivals this year, don’t spend hours working out what outfits to wear and spend hundreds of pounds on new clothes (that quite possibly will get ruined) look at what you’ve already got, mix and match, make sure you’ve got something warm and cosy for the chilly nights and you’re away! The only thing I would advise you invest in if you don’t already have some, is wellys!

Taken from ‘Grazia’ – Must have festival footwear, personally couldn’t think of anything worse to wear on my feet to walk into a portaloo! Definitely a good bit of PR work here! Practical level...0.

Escape the dodgy portaloos!

polkadotstripes — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:26:28 +0100

Guest post by Naomi Thorne

The confession that I am about to make is probably going to lose me quite a few friends, but I’m going to do it anyway: at the age of twenty-two and a half, I have never been, nor ever want to go to a music festival. I love live music, and the idea of getting to see so many of my favourite acts in just one weekend is an appealing one, but the accommodation arrangements have always left something to be desired. I’ve never really been a camper, and the recent trend for somewhat high-end accommodation at such events is sure to leave a sizable dent in the pocket. The legendarily disgusting portaloos alone are enough to put me off, although it doesn’t help that I am a self-confessed clean freak. Mind you, a part of me thinks I might be right to be frightened, if the story of the girl who fell down the toilet at last year’s Leeds festival is anything to go by.

HERE

This got me thinking; there are loads of festivals that happen every summer in the UK that don’t require a tent, stinking toilet facilities and a crate of lager, why not give them some credit too? Given that essential festival style forms such an integral part of the summer look in Britain, I thought it was only fair to show you a few more possible opportunities to break out that new maxi or those denim shorts.

Henley Royal Regatta – June 30th-July 4th

Held in Henley-on-Thames every year, this first occasion ventures slightly out of the festival field and into the sporting event paddock, but deserves a mention for its excellent sartorial credentials. From natty rowing blazers to tea-dresses with wellies (normally essential for the less-than-perfect summer weather), Henley provides ample opportunity to show off your best preppy get-up. At the same time, there’s plenty of boat racing to get excited about and normally Pimms aplenty!

The Secret Garden Party – 22nd-25th July

Held in Cambridgeshire, this is arguably the most ‘typical’ festival listed in this guide, although even this one comes with a twist. Guided by eco principles, right down to encouraging guests to arrive by main roads so as not to disturb local residents, the theme for this year’s party is ‘Fact or fiction: dreams, invention and discovery, the twilight, the future’. Although the only accommodation available at the party is camping, luxury tents are available for the more discerning festival-goer, and with acts such as Gorillaz, Marina and the Diamonds and the Mercury Rev performing, it may well be worth it!

Bristol Harbour Festival – July 30th-August 1st

Before Banksy and Skins, Bristol made its name as one of the world’s most important trading ports, and this festival aims to celebrate Bristol’s rich maritime history as well as incorporating elements that bring it bang up to date. This year’s festival looks set to include an Eco Zone as well as the usual music and dancing, markets and food stalls. Of course, you mustn’t forget the boats. Over 225 attended last year’s event including Matthew, a replica of a Tudor merchant ship captained by John Cabot, one of Bristol’s most famous sons who actually discovered America before Columbus did!

Brecon Jazz Festival – 6th-8th August

Organised by the same people responsible for the Hay Literary Festival, Brecon Jazz brings the world of music to the otherwise sleepy town of Brecon in the Welsh mountains. Jamie Cullum cut his teeth and got the attention of the music industry here in 2003, and this year’s festival will see the arrival of other newcomers, who share the bill alongside the legendary Buena Vista Social Club and the Pee Wee Ellis Funk Ensemble. The surroundings are beautiful too, if you are something of an outdoorsy type!

Vintage at Goodwood – 13th-15th August 2010

‘Celebrating five decades of British cool’ is the tagline for this exciting exploration of all that is good in art, music, film, design and fashion. With plenty of places to stay nearby that do not involve sleeping under canvas and do involve an en-suite, and an ethos that any discerning BSB reader could happily live by, this is the ultimate fashionistas party. With vintage catwalk shows and shopping, hair and beauty salons, burlesque shows, classic British cinema AND music from the Noisettes and Paloma Faith (amongst others), I really do wonder whether just three days would be enough to take it all in! Alternatively visit their Twitter

After compiling this list I became painfully aware of how all the events I had chosen were in the south of the UK, and I had a pang of guilt towards my northern sisters (having lived in Leeds for the last three years, I feel like an honorary northerner at least). With this in mind, I would like to draw your attention to Efestivals, a very comprehensive site listing happenings all over the country, and would love to hear your suggestions via entry comments or Twitter for events you think are worthy of a shout!

Discovering the unknown

polkadotstripes — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:43:18 +0100

Admittedly I have never been to a big festival, for one thing I can't afford it and for another I hate camping and in turn it hates me. I did however go to the Newcastle Evolution Weekender last year- two days for twenty quid? yes please!

My music range is what I guess you would call eclectic, basically everything and anything, a diverse bunch that not many people like many of the same bands or singers as me. I've been to a lot of gigs, from tiny little pub gigs with 6 people in the place- including myself and my friend on the door, the promoter and singer- to huge arena tours but I have never missed a support act.

Who know's I could discover my new favourite, fall in love with a new song or if all else fails dance like a crazy with my friends becoming more and more excited for the main event. The most bizarre things can happen during a support act's set too. And I have witnessed some weirdly wonderfuls, a mosh pit during the Human league, Marina of Marina and the diamonds dancing and singing wildly to Gwen stefani whilst wearing a glittering black and silver cheerleading outfit and how could I forget Gary Go "chatting me up" during his set. I say chatting me up, me and my two friends were actually the only ones cheering him on and we were front row centre, he simply pointed to me twice and asked me How I was, what I was doing for christmas and where I lived. no biggie really *fans self*. This rule also applies to the lesser known bands, I urge you if you do shell out all that money for a ticket please atleast see some new bands.

An even bigger tip would be if you like one style of music head to a completely different genre's stage, broadening horizons! If you're a dance or electro girl go see someone like frankie and the heartstrings, bombay bicycle club or two door cinema club. Raving is still optional though glowsticks may be frowned upon, maybe take a checky scarf instead.

Alternatively if you like indie sounds head on down to the dance stage, be prepared for a big dose or raving with a side order of feel good vibes. Kissy Sellout, Annie Mac presents and little boots or her associated DJ group Lovin and Gambling are definately worth checking out.

Finally, on top of that, here are some tips

don't take yourself too seriously- who cares if you have sharpie marker on your arms? Its a festival about 2,000 others are in the same rain soaked muddy drunken boat- relax or you'll regret it!
Never think it won't rain- I learnt this at Dalby forest last year and dressed in 3/4's and a vest. Always have wellies and a waterproof coat ALWAYS.
Dress sensibly- A vintage maxi dress in a muddy field? Do you want to still be able to take this home after the weekend? I have three words for you. Primark, Matalan, Asda.
Never split up- ALWAYS have at least one friend with you, yes you might get front row but what fun is that without someone to have a laugh with?