Style Scenario: Dressing For A Summer Music Festival

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. With Coachella in the books and Sasquatch!, Bonnaroo, and other music festivals fast approaching, we turned to style contributor & festival fan Christian to provide the following style scenario. If you’re attending one, be prepared to deal with the sun & heat. You’ll develop a whole new appreciation for water too. Keep the clothing light and simple.

The Shirt: Uniqlo x Michael Bastian Polo – $22.90 – A great looking, lightweight shirt that works well in the summer weather. Your shirt not weighing you down is going to be essential, but your shoulders will also be protected from the sun burn. Don’t forget the sunblock though, and if you burn easily (or, even if you don’t) don’t forget your chest where that Johnny-Collar opens up. Otherwise, if you’re pale, you’ll have a nice, stinging, sore triangle on your sternum.

The Dome Piece: Goorin Bros Straw Fedora – $50.00 – You could of course go with a standard baseball cap, but you can add that extra bit of “Hey… I have the Sexy” to your outfit with a nice looking straw fedora (that, and your ears will get a bit of protection too). Bill on this hat is large enough to shield your eyes from the sun and the style is simple enough that even those who don’t like fedoras can probably pull it off.

The Shorts: J.Crew Factory 7″ Rivington Short – $29.75 w/ SALE30 – I like shorts. REAL shorts. Not those strange cargo shorts that hover 5 inches above your ankles. Those are just short pants. I like my shorts to hit the thigh and no more. Ventilate that which testiculates and bless the other festival goers with with your beautiful thighs. Several colors and lots of sizes available.

The Hydrator:  Camelbak -$36.99 – Pick up a Camelbak and avoid all of the hassle of holding bottles. Highly recommended. Not a very heavy item to wear even when filled up and though it may not be #menswear cool, dehydration isn’t either.

The Oil Reducer: Murad Oil Control Mattifier – $26.00. – During the heat, my forehead gets so greased up that you’d think it was the oil rig’s stunt double in There Will Be Blood. See Joe’s previous post and review on the Mattifier. There are less expensive versions out there, but this one goes on easy, soaks up quick, and lasts long.

The Shoes: Naturally with lava weather like this, you’re going to think that it’s a good idea to wear sandals or rivieras . However, with thousands and thousands of people standing in close proximity to you and dancing to Pharell’s Happy, your feet will more than likely get stomped to bits, or burned to blisters by the sun. Got two suggestions to select from, both with their own reasons:

• Nike Free Run 5.0 EXT – $84.99: So you’re going to want a little bit of protection along with a light and airy shoe and something that you won’t mind getting dirty. I have personal experience with Free Runners and these were the first things that came to mind.  Wind blowing through these things like they aint even there. Lighter than tissues and comfortable as hell. You’ll be standing for hours and these will definitely help.  Only downside is that these won’t really go with your outfit at all, but if you’re going with this idea then you’re more concerned about comfort and not style.

• Sperry Top Siders – $50-$100: These actually have some style. Sturdier and most (not all) find boat shoes to be comfortable. Sperry’s were practically made for this season. And, umm… docks & boats and stuff. They don’t breathe nearly as much as the Free Runners and could have your feet feeling hotter than desired. Of course, you can also throw some Dr. Scholl’s in there.

The Watch: Timex Weekender – $28.94 – Primarily to keep your phone from dying. Gotta know when your next shows going to be right? Don’t need anything fancy. Something cheap and durable will do the trick just fine.