The Festival Fashion Style Guide

Festival fashion options and must haves to make your your time their even more awesome.
Heading to Bonnaroo, Coachella, LOLLAPALOOZA, Austin City Limits, Life is Beautiful or the plethora of other amazing ones?
Well no matter which one you will have a great time, but what the hell are you going to wear?
Before I learned how to style and dress I would always look around at events and varies places and ooo and awww at
the girls that looked so cute and fashionable and frankly always felt that I could never be able to do that. I just had no fashion identity and struggled with it.
Being raised in a very strict one bonnet and a horse and buggy away from being Amish did not help either with my fashion dilemma.
I always felt that I never looked anything other than way below ordinary with no fashion what so ever. That fact
that I was a tomboy growing up may have been another factor as well. I can not really tell you nor pin point the moment where I actually changed and grew the confidence to attempt fashion. 

But once I did, there was no looking back.

It seemed at first none might care, but I did. To be honest with you, I know with all the worlds problems and goings on this seems so trivial but it really helped my self esteem
and confidence. Being dressed in what you feel good in is like putting on your armor as it offers protection and gives you strength and courage to face and conquer the days events or mass horde of festival going babes.

So lets talk options for your summer festival fun so it is a kick ass time with some great pics and memories to look back on.
One look you can not go wrong with and which has maintained a timeless fashion standard dating back to the Woodstock hippie days would be
the bohemian or boho look. Hippie never dies it as it is a part of many peoples natural energy and soul. Kimono cutoffs and a band tee, breezy and comfortable toss in a
flower crown or goddess headband or anything else that rocks your world and you're good to go.
Rock the hair accessories as its the one place you can not go wrong with being fun and summer and hopefully on your way to an outdoor festival . Here are some really awesome hair
accessories from flowers to feathers to butterfly head pieces and the hat which not only looks cute but protects your face so you do not get that leathery look when you hit 40.

Butterfly Headband Crown

Red Flower Crown

Ivory Flower Crown

Festival Floppy Hat

Festival Fashion Outfit

So we got the head gear down. Now my favorite part the clothing, I may be delusional and many fashion people out there may disagree because well this is only of course an option just like everything else out there is, but fringe will never f#$%^&* die! Long live the loving admiration for fringe and all that in encompasses. What all else is there you may ask? Well here you go from encyclopedia.com from one of our previous blogs " American fringe was an outgrowth of the hippie movement of the late 1960's, a youth movement that stressed the rejection of mainstream values and a relaxation of standards of morality and personal conduct. The movement had a huge impact on mainstream society. Young Americans of the era were keenly interested in civil rights. The political gains made by African Americans earlier in the decade had spurred interest in the plight  of other oppressed minority groups, including Native Americans. Wearing fringe became a way of showing sympathy for the native american cause"

Being of Cherokee Indian descent on my fathers side of the family tree could be a reason for my obsession or the fact that it is beautiful and stands for something could be it too. So why not rock the fringe it doesn't have to be leather if you are the animal rights lover vegan activist type there is a plethora of faux suede leather skirts and shawls. At this point if you can think of it somebody has probably made it, they got options out there. Also I have seen a lot of mini fringe skirts floating around as of late. Don't want dirty feet or your tootsies to get trampled? Ankle booties look pretty stellar with the maxi fringe skirt or the short mini ones. Not a fan of showing the mid drift get a high wasted one and pair with a crop top or go ahead and rock the mid drift the choice is yours.    

 

Maxi Fringe Festival Skirt Outfit

Mini Fringe Festival Skirt Outfit

From Cutoff Jeans To Tie Dye

Not a fan of the skirt idea cool no problem. For you the cut off jean short may be the way to go. Try the high waist look, it still rocks as it sits low rise. You probably already have a favorite pair in that dresser or closet somewhere. So now you can spend more money on the other parts of the outfit if you are out looking to buy for that summer detestation festivals of yours. What to pair with it? More than a  couple of options you cant go wrong with. One the band tee. It is a music festival after all so go grab your favorite band and wear it loudly and proudly. If that sucker is a bit boxy tie it in a knot in the front or back and accentuate the smallest part of your wist for comparable yet figure flattering look.

Don't laugh at this one I swear it is a good idea, but tie dye. Yes indeed that thing you did when you where a kid. Yup that is the one.Etsy had these super cute halter modern looking tie dye crop tops and I believe there was also a super cute tie die bodysuit as well. Don't hate on me I know I am the devils spawn for shopping on forever 21 but they had a cute one too. Then the good old crop top from a boho lacy one bra-let style to a free flowing tank top style. Or the super popular but yet amazing option the bodysuit their everywhere and they show off your curves and give that fierce coverage you may desire. I am currently on a mission of collecting a closet full of those beauts. Put on a light breezy kimono and call it a festival fashion history day in the making and don't forget the head gear and sun glasses, I wont get all motherly on you and remind you of the sunscreen either......      

The Tie Dye Bodysuit

Cutoffs and Crop Top

Bodysuit & Cutoffs Outfit

More Festival Fashion Options

Now another fabulous option is the wrap skirt and maxi dress. You can not get much more quiescently boho than those two. There is also the romper thing if you have been graced with a body to rock those. I am not a fan just because I don't like the way they look on myself, but everyone else seems to look super hot and cute in them so rock it if you can and love them they are very festively.

Now back to the wrap skirt and maxi dress Lulus.com has so many super cute ones for the maxi dress or you can also never go wrong with a Free People one, a bit pricey but typically well worth it.

I am more of a quantity over quality buyer which is no doubt probably not a good thing but I like options for my every mood and feeling. From dark and dreary to edgy and bold to free spirit and hippie easy breezy I like an abundance of choices. So I will usually shop for a gently used one one eBay or what not so I can a buy a bunch of other ones for the summer.

The deep plunge maxi dresses are great it gives a beautiful blank canvas to rock a gorgeous neck piece, from a boho layered chain to a terrarium moss filled necklace or a bold leather rocker type piece.

The wrap skirt looks great with a crop top or bodysuit just be careful if it is a breezy day or you will be uncomfortably holding your skirt all day so you don't pull a Marilyn Monroe in the 7 year itch.

I chose to pair my wrap skirt with a faux leather bodysuit with a sheer back so as not to die from heat stroke due to the non-breathable nature of faux leather. For the deep v plunge boho dress I wish I could go bra-less but having had a baby, wait hold that thought. I am not going to lie to you all I could never go with out a bra unless that shit is tight as hell to hold those suckers up so I put a halter lace bra-let with it so the back appears bra-less but you have the help and coverage up front if you need it more power to you if you can set your babies free. 

The Plaid dress was a Free People eBay score.  

The Deep Plunge Maxi Dress

The Boho Wrap Skirt

The Free People Plaid Dress

For the Wacky Bold Daring Festival Goer

Now this is for the attention grabber bold daring one of the festival going clan, or possibly a Burning Man. If you wear it to Burning Man I would assume you would fit right in and blend well. Everywhere else you would stick out. We are not called The Odd Portrait for nothing so why the hell not throw this in right?

Our consideration of attempting Burning Man for our first year ever spawned the creation of these looks and wears. The feather Mohawk it is big it is bold and being slightly bias may I say beautiful.

Festivals are fun they are artsy it is all about creativity and the enjoyment of that. Why not go bold go daring have fun with it is named festival root word festive for a reason. This is the time this is the place to let your freak flag bold wacky artsy fashion free. Glue some shit to your face put those flowers in your hair like you just don't care. It is party dance till your feet bleed and your a practically deaf and sun burnt time yup that is right folks it is the summer festival time. Go big go bold go be free..

So here are some of our funky creations for that festival goer..... Go on Pinterest if you like this stuff you will love it if that is your thing...   

The Bold Bad Ass Rocker Feather Mo-hawk

The Bad Ass Boho Hippie Rocker

The Unicorn Moss Feather Mo-Hawk

The Iconic Festival Floppy Hat