Festival season is upon us! If things go well with the vaccine and all restrictions are lifted on the 21st June, big gatherings will be allowed again. Already some of the big festivals have been postponed, such as Leeds & Reading and Creamfields, in preparation for the relaxation of restrictions. Online stores are preparing their festival lines. All is looking up. However, attending big festivals pose more issues than you'd originally think, such as the environmental and financial impact the outfits alone cost. With the rising trend of creative arts like knitting, crocheting and embroidery, DIY outfits might be on the rise for festivals too.
The Negatives of Festival Wear
Our current generation is facing issues of throwaway culture and fast-fashion, which can be seen in all aspects of life. Even in festival life! When you look up 'festival outfits', the first things that pop up are Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing. These kinds of stores are well known for their low quality clothing, often being able to be worn only a few times if lucky. Buying clothing made of synthetic fabrics contributes to the high amounts of plastic waste littering the world. The micro-plastics that come off these cheap items make up 35% of all microplastics that enter our oceans every year!
Another big issue we face when thinking about what to wear to a festival is the cost. Despite most festival clothing being only wearable for a handful of times, they are often expensive. A recent report claims that single-use festival outfits account for approximately $307 million per year! Although it doesn't seem so at first, with items averaging around £15-£20 each, it mounts up. You can end up accidentally spending £60-£70 on some mesh trousers, a crop top, a mesh top and shoes without even realising it. And that would only be one outfit! When factoring in the social media pressure to never be seen in the same outfit twice, it becomes an expensive issue. Festivals like Glastonbury and Leeds Fest are expensive enough without having to dish out for expensive outfits to get ruined.
Benefits of DIY Festival Outfits
Despite social media and big retail stores telling us that buying new outfits is best, there are alternatives. One thing you can do is DIY your own outfits! Throughout the multiple lockdowns, many decided to try their hand at skills like knitting, crocheting and painting. Now's your chance to use these skills. Whether it's creating your own facemarks to crocheting your own crop top, it will help. You will be single-handedly reducing the amount of waste, plastic pollution and consumerism.
One brilliantly simple DIY outfit idea for your next festival is editing what you already have. Do you have any old t-shirts wasting away in the back of your wardrobe? How about cutting it into a crop top? Do you have any old jeans that you were thinking of throwing away? Why not try cutting them into some shorts? With this simple DIY outfit you will be spending absolutely nothing whilst gaining a one-of-a-kind outfit. Say goodbye to the horror of seeing someone wear the same outfit as you!
Another idea for a unique festival item is to learn how to crochet. There are many things you can create by learning basic crochet skills, such as tops, bucket hats and all kinds of accessories. Although this would cost more than the previous option, you could actually gain money learning this skill. After festival season is over, you could sell crochet items online on websites like Etsy.
Go and Explore!
The beauty of Do-It-Yourself fashion outfits is that it is purely personal. Making your own outfits shows your own personality and style. You can show off your skills whilst also remaining fashion conscious. As well as this, you'll be giving an old outfit another shot at life for free. Plus, you will definitely not be accused of wearing the same outfit twice! If you need any inspiration, the best place to go is Pinterest.
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