Festival Savvy

To me, summer is about the festivals, the barbecues, the heat, the beach, the fun. But there is nothing worse than being unprepared for a festival. Believe me, I know. I've done the whole Oxegen charade, and it is safe to say that I wasn't as well prepared as I honestly would've liked. Now that I'm a bit older, and wiser , I thought I'd share my fashion and beauty tips with you as well as some general tips so that you can make your festival experience a happy one. :)

GENERAL

Try not to take your mobile phone with you or any other very valuable items that could get lost or stolen. It can only do more harm than good. I know you're probably thinking: "Aaah what if I get lost and can't find my friends and I need to ring them?", I hear ya, but chances are not all your friends will have their phones on them at all times, let alone hear it ringing amongst the crowds. If you really want to bring it, carry it in a ziplock bag to keep it safe from mud and rain and keep it in a safe place. Or make a small cute drawstring pouch to fit around your neck! Sounds daft, but I did this and kept all my valuables in it. I made it a long string one so it wasn't visible at all under my clothes. Find out how to make one HERE.

Bring loo roll, and lots of it! This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people take yours because you brought it! Also, keep it in a ziplock bag to prevent it becoming damp or muddy. (Ew.) Squash the cardboard bit inside the roll flat to save room in your bag. Portaloos at festivals are not always the nicest and loo roll is one thing you most definitely need!

If you've been at a festival before then you know how jealous you can get over the group of guys who were smart enough to bring those small foldy chairs with them. These are actually a really good idea to bring with you to sit on during the day when you're not listening to bands. Be the girl everyone else is jealous of this time!

Bring a few bin bags. These are great for sitting on if the grass is a bit damp (and you weren't one of the lucky few to bring a foldy chair with them), for temporarily patching a leak in your tent, and for cleaning up after yourself when it’s time to leave the festival site. Kudos for multipurpose items!

Baby wipes andhand sanitiser. You need these! The wipes are great because you most definitely WILL get muddy. The sanitiser.. Do not trust the portaloos!

Water and more water! Many festival goers are more concerned with the amount of drink they are able to carry in their rucksack, but you really need water with you. Fill large bottles!

Snacks. The food at festivals is very overpriced and alot of the time quite dodgy. The sandwiches from the Centra within our campsite was all I lived on for 3 days at Oxegen. Terrible really. Bring snacks in small sealed containers so they don't spill or leak, and remember there is no point bringing food that will get squashed in your bag or foods that have a short shelf life. Some good ones are crackers, rice cakes, hummus, pre-cooked meals which have been cooled and sealed in tupperware boxed such as pasta and rice with mixed veg, and cereal bars. Many people don't want to be bothered taking up valuable alcohol space in their bag with food from home, but it really is worth it if you don't want to be filled up on, excuse me, shit, for 4 days. :)


FASHION

Dresses and skirts are probably your best best for festivals, and they are comfy, and easy to whip on and off. Jeans are a no go. If they get wet you will spend the rest of the festival trying to get them dry

Wear your wellies! If there is a lot of mud, your gorgeous shoes will be ruined. Bring a few pairs of knee high socks to wear under your wellies if it is rainy or cold.

Bring a rain mac or poncho. This was a lifeaver for me. Don't assume the sun will shine for the whole weekend! More often than not it lashes, and you don't want to get soaked.

Bring a hat with a brim to keep any sun or rain off your face.

Don't forget a warm jumper to wear at night if it's a bit chilly, or if its cold or rains during the day.

Bring a headband and a few bobbins to whip your hair up into a pony or messy bun to hide the greasiness!

BEAUTY

Bring sunblock. Slather it on every morning and a few times throughout the day to avoid getting burnt.

Opt for messy or wavy curls on the morning before you leave the house. If it rains your perfectly straightened hair will transorm into a frizz mop! Not sexy. Waves look effortless and chic.

Bring dry shampoo. If you're not one of those people who is going to queue for an hour to wash her hair this is perfect.

Remember that a full face of makeup is not going to look perfect as you won't have the room or resources. Bring a small compact mirror and a few beauty staples, multiples if possible. Opt for a tinted moisturiser, mascara, blush and lippie. If you slick on a bold lip colour like bright red it'll look sexy but not as if you've made a HUGE effort. Win win.
You also don't want to be hoarding around tonnes of makeup. Heavy = effort.

PLANNING

You want to plan ahead and make out a list of things YOU think you'll need for the weekend. Be smart about it. You won't need a full sized shower gel and facewash or a phone charger!

Here's my checklist of festival essentials :


Tent
Sleeping Bag
Extra Blanket
Fold up Chair
Bin Bags
Loo Roll
Camera or disposables
Drawstring Pouch
Money
Water
Snacks
Hand Sanitiser
Baby Wipes/Face Wipes
Underwear
Jumper
Rain Mac
Few pairs of socks
Wellies
Suncream
Hat/Hairbands
Sunnies
Compact Mirror
Dry Shampoo
Miniature Toiletries - Shower gel, deodrant, toothpaste
Makeup Staples

And thats it! I think :) If you have any more festival essentials let me know! Let me know if you're going to one aswell! :)

Aoif x