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Help. Festival Season is here. How would you dress?

Anonymous

Last year we attended a variety of area festivals and I wished that I had some festival garb but do not have a clue where to begin. Festival season has already started with Frozen Dead Guy Days and the Oatmeal Festival. Soon it will be Tulips, Fairies and Elves.
My observations were that most adult women wore garb that shows lots of skin and added wings and sparkle. At my age, I do not want to show skin or wear fairy wings. I need ideas suitable for a 70+. DH will wear jeans and a button-down shirt, possibly a jacket.
Please throw some ideas my way.

Dressing

44 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Joy, when are the festivals? Boho comes to mind.

Kathie

Veteran

What about accessories that celebrate the idea behind the festival? A tulip print scarf? Or perhaps a hat that's slightly outrageous? I had to look up the Frozen Dead Guy Days- that's about the best back story for a festival that I've ever heard.

bridgie

Veteran

Joy, you have made my day and so early. I know, I know, it is even earlier for you. 10:15am this part of the country.

Like Kathie, I looked up Frozen Dead Guy Days.

You absolutely crack me up. You are among the most interesting and entertaining people who post here, and of course I mean this in a good way. I have no suggestions and anything I came up with could not hold a candle to what you will come up with.

Keep us posted.

cindysmith

Veteran

Dude, I want to go to frozen dead guy days!

Seriously, though, when I hear festival I think boho. Angie did a blog post about boho light
https://youlookfab.com/2017/08.....boho-lite/
if you're not into full blown boho, it's got some good ideas.

I also like Kathie's suggestion of maybe doing a little bit of thematic dressing. I saw that sort of thing a lot in Louisiana, where people wore Mardi Grad stuff during the parades, crawfish themed accessories during the "mudbug madness" festival; the "juneteenth" festival saw a lot of tribal African outfits and craftsmanship. I saw a lot of traditional garb at the Chickasaw Nation annual gathering (which is pretty much a festival with a wee bit of tribe politics/business thrown in). Simple Americana attire (think preppy, boho lite, western inspired, etc) would also work well for festivals and outdoor events IMO.

I'm with you. At 48, I don't really want to dress as a "sexy fairy" or whatever for festivals or any other reason. Ultimately, I would suggest comfort comfort comfort above all else; lots of walking, eating, shopping at the vendors, face painting, etc can get tiring, so stay comfortable!

Diana

Veteran

I'd probably go for something a bit boho with cowboy boots (or actually I'd wear moto boots but same idea).

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Ice Blue with silver jewelry definitely for Frozen Dead Guys

I think color is an easy way to dress slightly for an event. Recently we went to an earth oriented festival and I made live greenery adornments for our sun hats and we wore green and tan clothing and some nature inspired jewelry - simple, but it did the trick.

Hats are always easier to decorate than a full outfit (to me at least).

If it's a general festival I agree boho lite is usually the way to go.

Sara L.

Veteran

I like the suggestions of a theme with hats, scarves, or color. That seems like it would be fun without being completely over the top.

Synne

Veteran

Poncho and wellingtons spring to mind as the ultimate festival attire. Love the story behind Frozen Dead Guy Days!

Bonnie

Veteran

I haven't been to many festivals but I think they are mostly outdoors. I would start with an appropriate hat and shoes (cowboy, boho, etc.).

Anonymous

Thank you for your ideas. I can see that it would be wise to start with hat and footwear.
Angie, this area is rich in all sorts of festivals that are fun. They usually go from early spring to late fall, and I am not even thinking of the beer and hard cider festivals. We go to some in the mountains like The Highland Games, and Elk Festivals near Estes Park, various art festivals, Pet A Truck with DGS, Peach Festival, etc. Outfits would have to be tweaked for weather.
Keep those ideas coming. I want to form a capsule to pull from. DH hates boho, but a few times a year should be ok. Somewhere I have a hand-crocheted shawl. I like the idea of using natural stuff and accessories to give appropriate character to regular clothes ( jeans and tee or sweater).

Anonymous

Hi Joy. I had friends that used to attend these types of festivals. They had a "costume capsule." It was fabulous to behold, but pricey. And, of course, you could only wear it for the single event. I remember lots of floor length dresses/skirts with defined waists. Really rich fabrics (velvets, embroidered, rich colors). You could take these parameters and make it work for you.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Joy - Just in case you are interested, I used long shoelaces (color could be matched to hat/outfit) to attach branches of flowers/leaves to our hats since most of my hats have the leather type thin strap to keep the hat on in the wind. I strung them through the same holes so it made an easy temporary solution without messing up the hat. I just sort of braided the rest of the long shoelace and let it hang for more decoration.

I'm not much into costumes so this type of small adornment is perfect to me.

Thistle

Veteran

I have nothing for you as I haven't been to a festival in almost 20 years.

But I will say, go comfortable. Which, you clearly already know.

Classically Casual

Veteran

Wow, who would have guessed Frozen Dead Guy Days has its own Pinterest page! Maybe doing various searches on Pinterest will provide some inspiration.

We go to various outdoor events in the summer that require sitting on the ground. That consideration plus sun protection influences what I wear, but I do like to be wearing something light hearted and fun.

How about some statement necklaces or earrings, appropriate to the theme? I think it could be really fun to devise a festival capsule with items appropriate for the various whacky themes. Scanning your environment as you go about your week for contenders, sort of like how some people think about holiday shopping all year.

I hope you’ll post what you find!

Ginger

Veteran

Maybe a silly question: What IS a festival? What is the festival season?

Anonymous

I think of festivals as celebrations of something. Usually they are out-of-doors so held when the weather will probably be comfortable, but sometimes the weather does not co-operate. Many people know the Ren-Fest, which is a huge festival celebrating the Renaissance period of history. Some other festivals celebrate an historical time. (Our town in Kansas had a Spinach Festival each year remembering when it was the Spinach capital of the world and spinach grown by local Belgian farmers was shipped everywhere).

Others celebrate an occasion or thing (like elk rutting and Pet-A-Truck), an event (like 4th of July parades and celebrations, or product or profession (like a craft beer or local food festival). Many celebrate heritage and customs like Highland Games, Irish Fest, Greek Festivals, etc. My college town had Svensk Hylingsfest to celebrate its Swedish heritage. Swedish guests often came, even the King of Sweden.

Most have some sort of music, food, booths that sell art or crafts, games, things for children. It is a carnival atmosphere.

Ginger

Veteran

Thanks, Joy. It sounds like a hold-all term for any kind of a public gathering. I'm still a little boggled at the thought of there being so many they have a season and separate wardrobe! Maybe I don't get out enough. (And if there were a festival season here, it would be split in 2 to avoid July and August.)

Anonymous

I was as clueless as Ginger, so thanks for the explanation!
I do hope you’ll share your outfits with us -and maybe some pics of the events themselves?
I can’t wait!!

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, you JUST HAVE to dress special for each one. I feel you should whiteout for Frozen Dead guys... and also maybe work a sugar skull somewhere in there somehow...

Carla

Veteran

You could start by collecting commemorative t-shirts from the events, or thrift other theme appropriate statement t-shirts. You could start with a simple one that promotes your town or state and work from there.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Festivals in the U K tend to be music but your type of festival seems a lot more varied .Like others above I ve googled a few and it loooks like you can wear what you like from conventional clothing to fancy dress/themed,so I guess it’s what you are Comfort table to wear,little nods to the theme in the form of hats and accessories as has been suggested seems a happy medium between full on dress up or regular clothes so get your creative hat on Joy!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Goodness.

As an introvert, I would be in hiding from a calendar like this!

But if I had to attend, I'd dress for the weather with little nods to the theme in the form of accessories. No sparkly costumes or fairy wings for me!

LaPed

Veteran

Okay, this is an element of American culture that I guess I've managed to avoid by sticking largely to the coasts... New England does have harvest season, the only time of the year when the weather is good enough for outdoor events -- I swear EVERY SINGLE THING one could want to do takes place in September around here -- apples, corn, marathons, walkathons, sheep, cows, music, art, lit fests, you name it...

I never "dress up" for these things -- I'm even a Halloween killjoy -- but I think my approach would be comfortable, walkable attire embellished with thematic accessories (graphic scarves? jewelry? temporary tattoos??).

The last time I went to a Renn Faire was in Las Vegas in early autumn; it was about 100 degrees and my mind was completely boggled by people who came in costume.

Windchime

Veteran

We Michiganders celebrate Tater Tots and Lumberjacks in festivals, among many other things, but Colorado’s Frozen Dead Guys Days takes the cake! White seems apropos for both Dead Guys and Oatmeal.

I hope you post your Festival outfits!

Jjsloane

Veteran

Can I come join you? It all sounds so fun! I think you should have fun with what you wear, but obviously respect weather and comfort levels. You always look so smart I'm sure you'll be great.

The Cat

Veteran

Nodding in agreement to what Suz said.

jussie

Veteran

Well, here we have a plethora of days at wineries with music, tulip festivals, and various music festivals, film festivals, spring fashion week, food and wine festival etc etc so yeah, I have seen the festival outfit thing. You need some bright coloured statement tops I believe, with funky jeans and shoes! Or a pretty floral dress! And a superb sunhat too. Even a floral kimono could be handy. Can't wait to see what you put together.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

I'm jealous about your Frozen Dead Guy Days--that sounds like a lot of fun!

Anonymous

Frozen Dead Guy days are a hoot, especially the casket races where the " dead guy" falls out. I love just brousing the shops of Nederland too.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/At.....orado.html

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