How to dress for X Fest

Garms


20,000 people, a delicious line up and a load of sunshine.

This June, X Fest is set to be one of the biggest music festivals ever hosted in Cardiff. And what better way to celebrate the end of exams than with a huge piss-up in the park?

Having your ticket sorted is one thing but if you’re turning up in your frumpy jumpers and faded t-shirts your summer debut isn’t going to be very spectacular.

Luckily, we can assist your wardrobe dilemmas with some top essentials for this huge, huge weekend.

SUNGLASSES

Oh, the humble raver shades.

Because who wants to spend the weekend squinting into the sunlight?

Whack a pair of these bad boys on and no one’ll be able to see your eyes rolling back in your head, or your mascara dribbling down your face for that matter.

STUDENT BUDGET RATING: 9/10 – Primark hosts a range of cheap yet suave sunglasses and eBay’s always a treat for an under a fiver find.

ESSENTIALS RATING: 10/10 – Come rain or shine sunglasses are a must at any festival.

RAIN MAC/PONCHO

Speaking of rain, the delights of Cardiff’s weather-scene mean it’s probably going to rain at some point over the course of X Fest weekend.

Looking like you’re dressed in a giant plastic bag (or actually wearing a plastic bag) is a sexy and sure way to keep yourself moderately dry before sweating enough to make you want to rip three layers off and slide around in a muddy puddle.

If you want to hit up X Fest with slightly more style, a pac a mac is a light and funky way to fend off the showers.

STUDENT BUDGET RATING: 10/10 – Whether you actually wear a bin bag or decide to go for the more chic pac a mac, the prices are generally low so the last dregs of your loan won’t be wasted.

ESSENTIALS RATING: 2/10 – Because I’m not your Mum so if you want to be a Soaked Sandra that’s up to you.

FUNKY JACKET

The game changer. The garm of all garms.

They’re ugly, they’re bold but hell they’re the epitome of festival fashion.

If you never had the balls to wear one of these in your everyday life, X Fest is the perfect time to sport one.

Blues, greens, purples, yellows and every other colour you could ever think of thrown rather ungracefully onto one piece of clothing to create a masterpiece.

So get yourself down to Blue Honey or Hobo’s to secure your very own wavey little piece of heaven.

STUDENT BUDGET RATING: 6/10 – Although these little gems can be costly (£15-£30) the looks of approval you’ll get from fellow messy revellers will be priceless.

ESSENTIALS RATING: 7/10 – Not everyone can work the Mr. Motivator look, and in all fairness some people want to avoid looking like a numpty.

HEAD GEAR

What better way to hide your sweaty fringe than with a snazzy hat?

(Or for the more elegant of you readers out there, a way to glam up your outfit.)

You can’t go wrong with a bit of classic accessorising and in true festival style, anything goes. These are our favourites:

The classic bucket hat

The quaint daisy chain

Little hippy bugger

The beach-style floppy hat

Wow what a sophisticated and stylish festival goer

And last but not least, the all out weird ones.

STUDENT BUDGET RATING: 7/10 – Prices can range from £5 charity shop steals to a more weighty £30 depending on how much cash you’re willing to splash.

ESSENTIALS RATING: 6/10 – Because at the end of the day not everyone’s trying to hide how fucked they are.

SHORT SHORTS

It’s customary to strip off in the UK when the sun shows itself so why not fully embrace it and get a pair of your finest short shorts on.

Girls love ’em and in recent years these naughty little leg revealers have broken into the male fashion market.

Acceptable? Why not.

STUDENT BUDGET RATING: 7/10 

ESSENTIALS RATING: 5/10 – Although a wonderful choice, not everyone wants to grace X Fest with their butt cheeks.

WELLIES

A bit like your sunglasses, wellies are a must have for this weekend.

No point in dirtying up your box fresh trainers and getting stuck in the mud now is there.

Coming in all shapes, sizes, colours and patterns there’s something out there for all you little Cardiff dwellers.

You might look like you’re walking round like you’ve shit yourself as they do become a slight challenge after a few bevvies but hey ho, you win some and you lose some.

STUDENT BUDGET RATING: 8/10 – Most of you will probably already own a pair of wellies (and they’re most likely Hunters, you posh bastards) but if not it’s another eBay shout where you can find a funky fresh pair for under £15.

ESSENTIALS RATING: 10/10 

BUM BAG/BACKPACK

Bumbags do hold other stuff too, duh.

Taking a backpack or bumbag to X Fest will save you a lot of hassle when it comes to keeping hold of your valuables.

Your drink, camera, phone and any other paraphernalia you wish to cling on to will be right where you need it.

Plus last year they took the festival world by storm and became one of the icons of the fashion scene.

So get picking your pennies, people of the ‘diff: X Fest is coming.

But be quick as they’ll be gone before you can say “pass me the vodka”.