How To Get Dressed For A Concert
[ 5 February 2008 ]
[Guest post by Audrey]
On this side of the planet, we’re currently in the pinnacle of summer: great heat, long days and of course, that sense that you should never be sitting still. There’s a million things going on to take advantage of the extra sunlight and the fact you’re not freezing — and with it has come the usual slew of summer music festivals to go to. I just spent some time with the crew from Big Day Out and of course one of the main attractions of working there for the day is the parade of fashion which walks back and forth for the duration of the day.
There’s such a wide gap between types of guys in the crowds at these places. Concerts really are partly about the music and partly about the fashion these days. It becomes really evident though who the males are who’ve adapted to this side of things, who are the ones being sensible, and who are the jock guys who’re just there to get drunk, forget to apply sunscreen, get even drunker, and grab some young girl in the mosh pit.
It’s tricky to plan an outfit for a concert, and these all-day-and-all-night festivals are even worse. The weather could change, and they’re usually held in places nowhere near where you live. You need to be prepared but carefree. Sensible but crazy. Free as a bird, but ready for anything, just in case something happens. So here’s some tips from someone who’s been doing this since Adam was a lad, a true connoisseur of music festivals. (Yes, I mean me.)
Being prepared
Do you remember the Man Bag you and I packed last week? Well it’s time to break it out again, only this is going to be a slightly mutated version. The first thing you need to understand is that you cannot wear or take anything to a festival that you actually like and cherish. I’m not saying to turn up in your worst, smelliest, dirtiest, should-be-used-as-a-rag-to-wash-the-car teeshirt. But you shouldn’t be wearing your brand new, shiny white sneakers and your super expensive shoulder bag to a festival. There’s a 93.7% chance* your stuff’s going to get ruined. And you can’t argue with maths.
- Percentage totally made up just to prove my point.
Get to your local Army Refuse store and grab one of those canvas shoulder bags. They’re only about ten dollars, so if you lose it or it gets covered in mud or scribbled on by some drunk girls armed with an array of pens, you won’t be broken hearted. In it goes sunscreen, your wallet (again, grab a simple cheap one if you don’t want your usual wallet potentially lost), ID, camera, roll-on deodorant, a scrunched up long sleeve top or scarf, disposable plastic poncho (Army Surplus or one of those bargain stores should stock them), sunglasses (not your favourite expensive ones!), and of course a map of the venue and performance times. All of this should easily fit inside, and you can sling it over your shoulder, leaving your arms free to wave your cigarette lighter in the air for all the power ballads of the day.
If anyone has other ideas of essential things to carry around at a festival — leave a comment and let us know!
Being comfortable
I know it’s tempting to have some fun and go crazy at these concerts and get some sort of costume or funny mask or a fifteen kilogram tin of body paint and matching coloured thong — but I guarantee, anyone who’s decided to be one of those ‘funny’ people is probably regretting it somewhere around noon, when the paint is mixing with his sweat and running down his legs. Or when the heat inside the big furry teddy bear suit is causing dehydration and hallucinations.
Besides, these are the guys that don’t ever score passes to the after-party. There’s dress codes at those things, you know.
Simple is always the safest bet for the day, and no matter what social clique you’re pledging allegiance to, I’m sure there’s a comfortable version of your group’s uniform to get you through the day.
Make sure you go for comfortable, sturdy sneakers. You’ll be on your feet the entire day, and if you play your cards right, you’ll be on your feet for most of the night too as the parties continue on. Bonus points for tying your shoe laces really, really tight, tucking your laces inside your shoes or just opting for slip ons. It’s not a good idea to wear flip-flops or sandals to a festival. Obviously, they’re leaving your feet prone to attack from other people’s feet and the sun, plus they’re easy to lose and that’ll leave you barefoot for the rest of the day. And besides — nobody can dance properly in flip-flops!
If it’s an outdoor festival, consider jeans instead of shorts, as nothing protects your skin from the sun better than fabric — and I know how easy it is to forget to re-apply your sunscreen. Consider a collared shirt for the same reason, as it’ll protect your neck from getting burnt.
If you do go for shorts and a tee, remember to put sunscreen on regularly. Wear something clever or in fashion if you must, but above all wear something that you’re comfortable in. Tight ringer tees are awful when you’re sweating on a dance-floor. Scoop necks leave you vulnerable for farmer-tan (trust me on that one). It’s all about planning ahead before the show, so you’re in a good position to go crazy and not care for the rest of the day.
Hats are important. Baseball or trucker caps are practical to make sure you can see the band when the sun’s setting but by mid-afternoon you’ll have blisters on your neck and ears from Mr Sun. Accessories for guys are so in at the moment, so shop around. Cowboy hats, fedoras, trilbies, sombreros — all of these were around at Big Day Out, with maximum style points for all guys wearing them.
Avoiding the cardinal sin
I’m actually interested on people’s opinion on this one, ‘cause in my opinion this is the one thing you can do to be guaranteed you look like a complete dork at a concert:
Never, ever, under any circumstances, wear a shirt of the band you’re there to see!
If you buy merch at a show and decide to chuck it on because you’re too lazy to carry it, alright you have an excuse and I’ll only tease you a little bit. But those people who wear band shirts to the band’s show just bug me. You’ve bought a ticket, you’re at the show, you’re screaming the lyrics to every song along with the vocalist. We all get it: you’re a fan. Wearing a Muse shirt to a Muse gig just shows a complete lack of imagination and tact in dressing yourself.
Old tour teeshirts won’t be scoring you points with anyone. People standing behind you aren’t impressed you’ve seen the band on their 1997 tour — if anything, they’ll just assume you’re one of those ‘I liked them before they were cool’ dudes.
Why not wear a shirt of another band you like? If anything maybe you’ll strike up a conversation with a cute girl who likes that band too, and already that’s two things you have in common.
Dressing your insides
External appearances aside, it’s time to check your attitude. Friends of mine are actually proud of the fact they start Big Day Out day with beer for breakfast, but seem to complain every year that they were so wasted by mid-afternoon that they can’t remember seeing the headline act they were so excited about.
This year, there were record numbers of fights, arrests and people ejected from the venue, my manager got called a c**t by a guy who was trying to sneak into the backstage area, and by the end of the day the laneway area behind the tent we were working in reeked of pee because dozens of guys thought it was better to just flop it out and take a leak behind some bins instead of taking the dozen or so steps to the men’s bathroom. These are the guys who make me embarrassed to be part of the male race. Even worse is the fact that these are the guys complaining that girls don’t want to be involved with them. C’mon guys, is it any wonder?!
Everyone deserves the right to a good time, no matter who they’re there to see or who they happen to be with. So just stop and think. And pace yourself, for crying out loud. I’m in no way saying you have to be a prude — gosh, I ended up more than just a little tipsy by the time I eventually stumbled home. But you shouldn’t be having fun at the expense of other’s comfort, or your own dignity.
Extra For Experts:
Dressing For Music Festivals is Gala’s take on the subject for women.
2threads has great galleries from festivals worth checking out.
Bang On customizable teeshirts! Doesn’t get any more perfect.
Your Scene Sucks is Rob Dobi’s tongue-in-cheek look at the kinds of kids you’ll probably encounter out at the shows.
Hyper-love & bunny kisses,
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I was at a nightwish concert last week (a metal band) and i was suprised to see a number of gals wearing skirts. I mean, surely they know there is going to be moshing!! I saw about 4 girls wearing stilletoes as well, it was mad!
You forgot to say to pack your water bottle! Beer isn’t very hydrating, and with the heat water is your best bet to avoid the awful thing they call heat stroke!
Its not a sin to stick a pin of the band you are seeing on your bag though, if it is tiny.
that picture is amazing. i pretty much want to be him.
also, very excellent advice.
I also am stupid because men don’t wear tights. Generally.
haha completley agree with the no band shirts rule although when i went to muse not too many people were wearing there shirts same with kings of leon but my god at my cheamical romance it was like it was an unspoken rule and the amount of stares me and my mate got was hilarious especially scince i was wearing a straw hat and she was rocking a gold number
I bloody LOVE that pic!
Now I am going back to read your article.
xx
Argh! Improper dressing for concerts is one of my pet hates! Thanks Audrey! You are making my world a much nicer place to be.
Toilet paper is rarely provided at festivals in Ireland so I usually have at least three small packs of tissues, one pack of wet wipes and hand sanitizer in my bag also.
Ear plugs and asprin. If your going to be standing near the stage I recommened these! You cant really talk about all of the great bands youve seen if your half deaf.
Oh and charge you phone/get some credit the night be for, its not much fun walking around alone.
My next trip on the circut is soundwave and I am wearing a skirt but paired with really long converse boots cos they arent too hot and save my feet. I
I found that my outfit for this year’s BDO wasn’t too stressful: plain black t-shirt, leopard denim Lip Service miniskirt over black tights and entirely black Chucks.
Oh, and big black glasses with hair tied back. I could dance, didn’t overheat and the only place I had to worry about sunscreen was on my face, arms and neck areas. Easy!
I’ll second (or third…whatever we’re up to in the comments) the band t-shirt thing. Mind you – at the Alice Cooper concert I did get rather charmed by a little kid with Alice-style eyemake-up on – possibly the only diehard “LOOK AT ME, I’M A FAN!” person I didn’t roll my eyes at.
A bottle of water, wet-wipes and paracetamol are also essential to take. At the Carling Festival last year I wore a loose-fitting tee with cropped jeans and Ray Banns, and took a pashmina (not my best one!) to wrap around my shoulders when it got cooler in the evening. I also recommend wearing contact lenses instead of glasses.
“There’s a 93.7% chance* your stuff’s going to get ruined. And you can’t argue with maths.
* Percentage totally made up just to prove my point.”
You are brilliant. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Hee
yes yes yes! i completely agree with you about wearing a band t-shirt of the band that you are seeing. my argument is the exact same as yours. finally someone else who shares my view!
this article was really good, i argee with everything you said.
YOUR manager – oh la la! I’m impressed.
I was at a rock concert recently, and it was all about the ROCK, and it was an evening gig so a bit different to BDO, but anyway.
POCKETS. Essential. I wore jeans (unusual for me) so I could stash my tickets, cash, phone and hairtie. I knew a bag would completely inhibit my ability to jump up and down singing with my hands in the air for two and a half hours straight. I wore a singlet so I could easily throw my band t-shirt on once I’d bought it. YES, I wore a band t-shirt. I freely admit I am not even remotely cool :-D And I had a long-sleeve hoodie tied around my waist because I knew it would be cold once the jumping around was over. Practical was winning out over cute on the night, but I did have the makeup and the earrings . . .
WATER BOTTLE!! it’s possibly the most important thing you’ll bring!
haha, it’s true about the band shirt thing. and if you buy one there, put it in your bag :p
and seriously i was at a show the other night and there were two girls in skirts and stilettos! why would you do that?! hahaha
i would also advise bringing sharpies [for autographs, that cute girl’s phone number]
however i actually advise againsttt slip-ons, because they are actually quite easy to use. trustt me. someone steps on the back of your foot in a mosh pit or something, it slides off, you can’t find it anymore or risk getting trampled. i lost both my shoes at bamboozle 06 and it sucked. i would suggest that some kind of high tops tied really tied would be the best bet.
and i’m with anne-marie on the substitute toilet paper :p and water too.
okay i’m done. enjoy the shows of the season ! :]
I agree with you on the not-wearing-a-bands-shirt-to-their-own-show thing. Mostly I agree because it’s much more socially optimal to wear another band’s shirt. That way if you meet someone at the show who also likes the band on your shirt…you know you have 2 bands in common!
I would definitely have to agree on the ear plugs thing. I’d say they should be right up there with water bottles and sunscreen, because I’m sure in twenty years from now you don’t want you hottest accessory to be your slammin’ hearing aid.
If you think it’s somehow “uncool” or “ugly” to have earplugs, there’s plenty of hairstyles you can try to cover your ears, wear a wide brimmed hat or even ear muffs.
i don’t really get why its SO bad to wear a band t shirt at a gig! i think its just a really genuine sort of statement that theyre really excited to be at there and have probably been looking forward to it for ages! kinda dorky yes but also kinda cute. :)
Great article, but I don’t really agree with the not wearing the band shirt thing.
It doesn’t seem fair to look down on kids who wear band shirts to the band they’re seeing, or for anything they wear, for that matter! With, of course, the exception of high heels in the mosh – that’s just dangerous.
And what if you meet the band and have nothing for them to sign! The shirt could be signed…unless if you’re wearing another band’s shirt, that would be weird!
Anyway. I guess I’m not too cool to wear a band’s shirt to their concert ;>.
Great article! I’m always amazed at the getups certain girls wear to concerts…
I have to say that I actually do disagree with the band t-shirt thing. I really don’t get it. Who cares what you’re wearing!? If it’s a club show, it’ll be dark — nobody can read what your shirt says anyway — and if not, you should be more focused on who’s playing than on what your fellow moshers are wearing. But hey, this is an article about how to dress, after all, so…
I guess my opinion is that if you’re actively focusing on how you’re dressing, then don’t wear a t-shirt of the band you’re seeing; if you’re just dressing to be comfortable and the t-shirt happens to be of the same band, then go for it! And as always, judge not :)
no-water anti-bacterial handwash stuff is a must for your bag too at festivals!
AH i totally agree with never ever ever wearing the shirt of the band you’re watching. It is, however totally cool to wear a band that is similar, so has heaps of the same fans. Coz then it’s like, “obviously I like your music, but I’m too kool to be freaking out about it…”
“...Even worse is the fact that these are the guys complaining that girls don’t want to be involved with them. C’mon guys, is it any wonder?!”
hee. you are brilliant.
I TOTALLY disagree with the band t-shirt thing. At one point my boyfriend and I were with you on it. But that changed when I asked him “What do you think when people wear your shirts to your shows?”(He’s in a metal band). He said “It’s awesome! It really shows we have a bunch of dedicated fans!”. So that pretty much changed our opinion on it. If you really support the band then why not wear their merch and show it?
Oh and his band is www.myspace.com/inocula if you are interested. :)
I love the fact that there are so many people commenting with pros and cons for this ‘band teeshirt to the bands concert’ rule. If nothing else, I aim to get you all thinking and talking about stuff.
:)
xxx
i’m crushed those who wear costumes dont get invited to after parties! i usually co-ordinate something with my friends along those lines just so i dont have to decide on an outfit :) not over the top or slutty, just so i can pick friends in a crowd, and dont worry about wishing i’d worn something trendier!
To be honest, it seems that of late, people have been going to gigs without actually liking th band playing, which is a shame.
I don’t tend to pay much attention to people’s clothes at gigs, and people who feel that it is wrong to wear a bands t-shirt to their gig just irritate me. If you’re indifferent to them, fine, I agree, but there is nothing wrong with showing off your taste! It’s elitism gone too far. It shows that you truly like the band, and when I have gone to gigs wearing a bands t-shirt, members of said band have approached me after the gig for a chat.
Yes, I must have looked like a nerd at an Art Brut gig with my Art Brut top and my constant blabber on how great they are and irritating all those behind me with my dancing and screaming, but gigs are supposed to be fun, not a fashion statement.
Woah, I wrote a lot.
I think its OK to wear band tee’s to their gigs… why not??
Sometimes its even cooler if you dress like them: take Muse again as an example – Dom dedicated Invincible to a fan because she dressed as spiderman (like he does)