What to Wear to a Summer Festival

In my wardrobe, I have fantastic outfits for every occasion. For example, ice cream tastes better when you’re wearing a colorful floral dress—so if your cone starts to wobble, the little stain blends in with style. But admit it, you don’t exactly expect me to rock a basic concert look.

I can already hear you saying: “It’s easy, just jeans and a T-shirt.” But why stick to the most predictable combo when you can really have fun with your outfit?

My obsession with the gig-look (a “gig” is the informal term for shows and concerts) probably started when I was a teenager, dreaming of being noticed in the crowd by my favorite artist and pulled up on stage. Now I’m mature enough not to scream in my friend’s ear, “They looked at meee!” — and I’ve actually come to enjoy putting together the perfect festival-season outfit.

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Fluid fabric top

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Cotton crepe cardigan

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Cotton crepe skirt

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Canvas shoulder bag

So, do you still think your outfit doesn’t matter when you go to a concert?

Like, for Primavera Sound in Porto, I’d go with a muslin blouse featuring a stand collar, lace, and pleated details, worn over bright pink jogging pants with an elastic waistband. At Rock en Seine in Paris, I picture myself in a cotton Oxford shirt dress cinched at the waist with a drawstring, sprinkled with tiny metallic dots. Could you get me a ticket for Sònar in Barcelona? I’d pack yellow poplin shorts, and instead of a simple T-shirt, I’d surprise everyone with a white pinstriped vest—a piece usually more office-ready, but reinterpreted super-cool and worn bare underneath. And then there’s Glastonbury, one of the biggest English festivals of all time.

You have to be prepared there—along with the obligatory rubber boots, thanks to likely rain, I recommend layering. I’d show off a long muslin dress with a slightly ’70s vibe print. And in my black canvas crossbody bag, I’d tuck a pair of super-dense denim jersey pants, so if it gets chilly in the evening, I can slip them under the dress. Oh, I almost forgot—I'm crazy about the Montreux Jazz Festival too. And there, surprise twist, yes, I do wear a white T-shirt, but I pair it with a rich chocolate-colored jacquard skirt and soften the look with a beige organza flower brooch.

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Cristina Manfredi: Who is the pen behind the Marina Rinaldi New Fashion Journal?

Originally from Biella and Milanese by choice, she is a fashion, lifestyle and society journalist with a vibrant, upbeat attitude. She worked as a journalist for Milano Finanza Fashion before moving to Vanity Fair, later resigning to focus on personal projects, including writing, tango, running, and spending time with her beloved cats. Today she is a contributor to Vanity Fair, L’Officiel, Marie Claire and the Style Magazine - Corriere della Sera.