The fall festival season is finally upon us! I’m a major fall fan, so this is kind of a big deal in my book. I love the brisk, yet sunny weather and all the fun and creative halloween activities that have been popping up on my Pinterest account for weeks. I’m also a huuuuge festival girl, so I love that there’s essentially an event every weekend within a few hour radius from where I live.
I already went to a local Octoberfest a few weeks ago, and this past weekend Richard and I hit up the Grape Festival. It was so much fun! There was great music, cute shops and A LOT of food. We tried buffalo wing pierogis, homemade soda, grape ice cream and classic kettle corn, just to name a few 🙂 Talk about an interesting weekend!
Though I love spending time outside during fall festivals, I’ve definitely struggled in the past with what to wear. Early fall is especially awkward, because the weather can be a bit all over the place. A chilly morning might turn into a sweltering afternoon, and a sunny afternoon might fade into a frigid evening!
So, for me, it’s all about looking the part, yet still finding ways to be functional. Here are a few of my tips:
1. Layering is great…if you want to carry around a sweater all day.
I’m not normally one to diss layering. In fact, I love it. It’s super practical in the winter months, and has totally saved my butt a few times. However, when I’m walking around a festival, the last thing I want to do is carry around a heavy (or even light) jacket. Of course you can always go back to the car blah, blah, blah, but I prefer to just dress light in the first place. The shirt I wore this weekend was perfect because it had long sleeves, but the material was fine. It kept me warm in the morning but did’t make me sweat come afternoon.
2. You don’t need a huge-a** bag.
Take it from an oversized hobo bag lover…you don’t need a huge-a** purse. As much as we all love big bags, they don’t make much sense at a festival. These events get crowded, and the last thing you want is somebody spilling beer on your Michael Kors tote. Yes, it’s convenient if you’re planning on purchasing some trinkets or other small items, but your unscathed designer bag will thank you later.
3. Footwear is SO important.
You’re going to be walking around for at least a few hours. Please wear comfortable footwear! And don’t think this means you can’t wear something cute. I’ve had these Lucky Brand booties for a few years now, and they’re my favorite trusty sidekick whenever I’m going somewhere that I know I’ll be doing a decent amount of walking. Sure, there’s a decent sized heel, but they’re broken in, and I’ve worn them long enough to know that they’re not going to give me any trouble. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on any part of the festival because you’re getting blisters!
4. Keep in mind: a big part of festivals is trying new food.
Okay, maybe (aka definitely) I’m weird, but I sometimes base what I’m going to wear on if/what I’m going to be eating. There’s no way in hell I’d be caught in a white dress (no matter how cute) if I was going to a spaghetti festival. Why risk ruining it? This light blue shirt was even a bit risky of a choice, especially for grape fest, but I knew the material would work well with a stain pen if I spilled. Call me crazy, but it’s definitely something I think about, because we’ve all ruined a few too-cute-to-be-true shirts at some point in our lives.
5. Know the area/festival.
Knowing the type of town and the nature of the festival you’re headed to is a great way to shape an outfit. For example, the town that I live in is pretty bohemian, so I’d totally try to work a bit of that into my look if I were going downtown for a festival. It’s a fun way to try new trends and a great way to get the full experience. It can also help you take more cohesive photos if you’re a fashion blogger!
What are your favorite fall festivals? Please spill — I’m always on the lookout for more!
Have a great day!
xx,
Holly
