Festival fashion has always had a distinctive look- whether this be head to toe in glitter or tie dye co-ords. And whilst these looks are spectacular, they can be very damaging to the environment. This is down to the mentality of one-wear of outfits.
However, many celebrities like Lily Allen and Margot Robbie in past years have shown how to build Glastonbury outfits from stable basics, that will save your bank!
Why is this mentality a problem?
This ‘wear-one’ mindset can cause a lot of problems in regard to the environment and the economy. On average, 37kg of clothes are thrown away per person in the USA, going to landfill. Festival fashion makes up a large section of this as often the clothes are not sustainable, or suitable for everyday wear.
It should also be noted, that often customers purchase something to wear to a festival with the mentality of it getting thrown away. On top of this, throughout the years, the trends have changed significantly. For example, in 2018 the focus was on glitter and sparkles, but the year after the trend was on harnesses.
This in itself contributes to throw away culture as the trends are ever changing, and festival fashion is often not considered to be wearable everyday. This then generates a lot of waste.
This mentality prevents people from buying build-able basics for their festival wear, as they do not want to miss the latest trends or be dubbed unfashionable. Therefore, instead of purchasing items that can be worn time again, and that last, often they fall into the trap of buying cheap, one use outfits.
How do we fix this?
This problem has a simple fix: simply choose something that will last. Even if you use something that you already have and recycle it into a new outfit, you will still be helping to reduce the amount of waste festival fashion generates.
Or if you do have to purchase something new, make sure you do your research. You could shop at brands that are good for the environment, by using recycled materials, or just purchase something that you are able to wear again. This means that the item can be dressed up or down for any occasion and can become a staple in your wardrobe.
Celebrity fashion looks:
Many celebrities themselves have dropped the glitter rags and neon paint, and have swapped to sustainable fashion and comfort. This section will explore how you can shop and dress sustainably just like the celebrities, just in time for festival season.
Lily Allen:
Singer Lily Allen has never been shy in her outfit choices over the years, and nothing changed at Glastonbury in 2009. Allen chose a blonde wig, skinny black jeans and a black top for her main outfit. On top of this, she accompanied her outfit with a glittering silver glittery shawl and black Hunter Wellington boots.
This is a prime example of sustainable fashion, as jeans and a plain top are basics in everyone’s wardrobe. By adding the glittery shawl it made a simple everyday outfit feel more festival and vibrant. Also, since the shawl was silver, it meant that it could be added to many other outfits without anyone turning a head.
Margot Robbie:
In 2013, Margot Robbie joined Cara Delevingne and friends in a very basic but fashionable outfit at Glastonbury. Following in Lily Allen’s footsteps, the actress chose a Fila brand Mickey Mouse long sleeved shirt, which she paired with Fila black leggings and a pair of black Hunter wellington boots.
Although this appears to be a standard everyday outfit, Robbie chose some bright yellow lens sunglasses to make the look pop. This is a sustainable outfit, but also one that she could mix and match with other pre-existing items, meaning there will be very little waste.
Dua Lipa:
At the 2019 Glastonbury festival, Dua wore many different outfits, but what was so special was the fact that all of her outfits were simple. Whilst remaining ‘on trend’ Dua wore a combination of dresses and jean outfits, but with some of the outfits she wore the same boots.
The thing that makes the singer's outfits so special was the re-usability of the items. Although she may have bought the items specifically for the festival, all of the items were things that have potential to be worn again, and not just for one event.
All in all, the one lesson to take from festival fashion is look before you shop! Many of us have things in our wardrobes we can modify or reuse to make a killer festival outfit. But if this is not the case do not panic!
Be sure to do your research before purchasing anything, and make sure it is something you will wear again, to not only save your money in the future but also our planet.
Comments