When you hear the words "Glastonbury", "festival" or "main stage", it's likely that a certain picture immediately comes to mind. Mud? Yes. Heaving crowds? Yes. If you're fashion-minded, you'll also be thinking of the classic festival outfit: kaftan, denim shorts, wellies and of course, plenty of hair accessories. But for those of us tired of fringing, lycra and body glitter, there are plenty of fashionable alternatives that meet the dress code and still channel that free-spirited energy.
Depending on the festival, different aesthetics will speak to the crowds. Download and Reading or Leeds attendees are likely to be spotted in chokers, corsets and flannel shirts. Coachella's bohemian desert girls will feel at home in floaty dresses over micro shorts, and those lucky enough to travel abroad for beachfront dance festivals will probably feel most comfortable in bikinis, slides and stacked jewellery. However, 2024 offers up some new options for those who haven't yet found their tribe.
Every year, regardless of location, there are certain factors to consider when putting together the perfect festival outfit. Yes, the vibe is always important, but we also have to consider temperature, comfort and longevity (no one wants to be undressing impractical layers in a portaloo cabin). Having conducted a quick straw poll, it's clear that if team Who What Wear UK have learnt anything about festival dressing from our years of experience, it's that the easier the outfit, the better (and you might be best saving fancy dress for something indoors).
After all, the best outfits are the ones that wouldn't look out of place on any other day during summer; think Kate Moss' minidress and waist belt, Sienna Miller's spaghetti strap minidress or Alexa Chung's cotton dress and Barbour jacket. For long days spent standing for hours (and often ankle-deep in dirt), sparkly crop tops and feather capes will only serve you for so long, and in the words of our assistant social media editor Annie Wheatland-Clinch, "Timeless combos won't ever tire."
So, with Coachella wrapped up for another year but plenty of British festivals about to get underway over the coming months, we searched through socials, runway looks and street style pictures to put together an edit of the seven festival-fashion trends we're confident are about to dominate in 2024. Hint: there are no flower crowns or themed trends.
1. Biker Jackets and Moto Boots
Style Notes: Wellies are still one of the most practical footwear styles you can choose for a muddy festival, but should you be looking for something just as durable but with a little more flair, last winter's moto boots are sticking around for festival season. These tough leather boots go just as well with pretty dresses as distressed denim, but you'll often find them paired with an oversized biker jacket when the weather is cooler—it's the perfect throw-on-and-go layer.
Shop Biker Jackets and Moto Boots:
AllSaints knows a thing or two about leather jackets.
A luxe suede option (just check the forecast first).
Knee-high boots pair so well with miniskirts and dresses.
These come in two different colours, but the khaki is already nearly out of stock.
2. Slogan Tees
Style Notes: Perhaps it was the return of Y2K favourites like Juicy Couture and Von Dutch, maybe it was the Challengers "I Told Ya" tee or it could even be the "Olivia Rodrigo effect", but we're spotting slogan tees all over social media—a strong indicator that they could be about to appear at festivals too. Don't believe us? Urban Outfitters is stocking those French Connection tees from the '90s and '00s again, and then there's the now iconic Victoria Beckham "My Dad Had a Rolls-Royce" merch. 2024 is all about saying it loud and proud, and what better way to make a statement than by declaring it on your chest?
Shop Slogan Tees:
A cult classic in the making.
Just add denim shorts and tall boots.
Joanie has a tee for every personality (and preference).
Coquette meets cool girl.
3. Lace and Satin
Style Notes: From Courtney Love's affinity for slip dresses to Florence Welch's penchant for ethereal chiffon and lace, the contrast between pretty fabrics and rock and roll sleaze goes back decades. No wonder then that some of the best festival outfits feature the kind of romantic styles you'd expect to see on a dressier summer evening. White lace and camping might not be a sensible combination, but it is perfect for day festivals that are more "glam" than grime.
Shop Lace and Satin:
Just so pretty.
You'll wear this throughout spring, summer and likely autumn too.
Toughen up a light dress with a heavy biker.
This would look so cool with a baseball cap.
4. Statement Sunnies
Style Notes: If there's one accessory that has the power to turn any outfit from good to great, it's a pair of bold sunglasses. There's no need to overthink outfit planning when a simple top and skirt can be elevated with stand-out sunnies (but more on layering basics later). Take a cursory scroll through the throwback pics of festival-fashion icons and you'll find a pair of sunglasses front and centre. 2024's releases are all about supersized frames and sculptural shapes.
Shop Statement Sunglasses:
The colour clash is so cool.
2000s nostalgia, eat your heart out.
Proof that not all of the best Jacquemus accessories are bags.
Cute as a button.
5. Tracksuit Pants and Football Shirts
Style Notes: Looking for a trend that prioritises comfort and cool? Gen Z is relying on sports-coded tracksuits and kits that can be styled up into fresh-off-the-pitch looks that combine high and low pieces. Football shirts with designer bags, trackie bottoms with suede blazers, shorts with, well… just about anything. If it's nylon and has a logo, it's a win.
Shop Tracksuit Bottoms and Football Shirts:
The original and still the best.
Black is so versatile.
Even designers are in on sport-centric styling.
Now this is a team we want to play for.
Complete the look with ribbed tube socks like O Pioneers' tongue-in-cheek pair.
6. '90s Basics
Style Notes: You don't need to buy an entirely new wardrobe to nod to some of 2024's biggest festival-fashion trends, as one of the most popular is all about stripping looks back to basics. Taking pointers from the '90s, tank tops, vests, boxy tees and both mini and maxi tube skirts are the chicest way to do festival season fashionably, and it's likely you've already got everything you need. Unlike athleisure and bikercore, this look relies on clean minimalism, but you can always take things up a notch with a graphic shoe à la Chrystelle Eriksberger, pictured above.
Shop '90s Basics:
A Who What Wear UK favourite.
You can wear this to the office too.
This comes in six different colours, so we'd grab one of each.
Klayd has minimalist staples down to a T.
7. Cowboycore
Style Notes: Okay, so this is a themed trend, but we would be remiss to not acknowledge the sudden success of cowboycore after the social media movement undoubtedly championed by Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter. There might not be any flower crowns at festivals this year, but you're likely to see a cowboy hat or two. For those who aren't ready to don a Texan tuxedo quite yet, you can nod to cowboycore the grown-up way with billowing blouses, distressed denim and of course, a festival favourite—cowboy boots.
Shop Cowboycore:
A strong contender for accessory of the year.
You'll get so much wear out of this pretty, breezy blouse.
The perfect denim jacket. Thank you, Agolde.
The influencer boot of choice.
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