WORDS BY KATIE HILL
The great Australian musical festival: not only a transcendent cultural experience and chance to discover your new favourite band, it’s also the perfect opportunity to push your style boundaries. Australian music festivals have been a non-stop fashion parade since 1972 when the legendary Sunbury Pop Festival kicked off the scene, and this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival was no different. Here we break down the festival’s key trends...
90s Mania
The 90s are still trending high and the decade’s key style signatures — bucket hats, silk shirts and oversized streetwear — were all in attendance. Given the 90s were also known for windbreakers, sweaters and ugly sneakers, the trend is possibly one of the most practical for the upcoming wintertime festivals. Look to the Wu-Tang Clan and TLC for your style inspiration and check out Palm Angels and Heron Preston for their modern interpretations of classic 90s trends.
Woodstock Vibes
Curiously, many of the old school headline acts are still setting the tone for festival outfits today. Consider Jimi Hendrix performing on the Woodstock stage in 1969 and ticking all the festival fashion boxes: well-worn denim jeans, a fringed white leather jacket and a heavily embellished guitar strap that could just as easily come attached to a Fendi or Valentino handbag. For something a little more Janis Joplin, try a romantic tiered dress (see Zimmermann and Chloé) and chunky western style footwear. In the words of the woman herself, “You know you got it, child, if it makes you feel good”.
Fluorescent Adolescent
A new mantra for all the ravers: If you ain’t glowin’, you ain’t goin’. Electronic dance music festival Stereosonic was the home of the wildest rave looks, but since its sad demise, it’s all up to this year’s Ultra Australia in Melbourne. Promising to be an even bigger and better celebration of EDM, we suspect ultraviolet colours will still be on the agenda - look to Balenciaga’s latest collection for neon pinks and yellows (the speed sneakers are a must) and Moschino for the brightest, boldest prints.
Prepared for Adventure
As the old adage goes, ‘Fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ - something to bear in mind when organising your trip to the more rural festivals like Wide Open Space near Alice Springs and Earthcore in Victoria. Think loose linen trousers and patchwork shirts via Stone Island and DSQUARED2 - both brands’ latest collections have nailed the adventurer look with a palette of sandy colours and safari-inspired style. Elsewhere, Yeezy’s Season 6 Desert Rat boots were essentially made for stomping around the outback in.
Not Just There for the Music
Now that festivals aren’t just about music and excessive drinking, events like Rabbits Eat Lettuce in Byron Bay and New South Wales’ Lost Paradise are about art, workshops and yoga too. This is the opportunity to pull out all the activewear stops: from Adidas to Australia’s own The UPSIDE, the best new sportswear combines high-performance design with festival-ready style. Namaste.