What are the essential items to pack for a British music festival?

The most important items for a British festival include waterproof footwear like wellies or hiking boots, a reliable waterproof jacket, a comfortable backpack, and layers for cold evenings. We also recommend a versatile hip bag to keep your essentials safe and your hands free.

Which footwear is best for festivals in wet weather?

For muddy or wet conditions, waterproof wellington boots or sturdy hiking boots are the best choice. Brands like Barbour and Hunter offer excellent protection, while Hanwag provides the support needed if you are on your feet all day across uneven ground.

Are trainers suitable for wearing at a festival?

Trainers are ideal for dry weather and city-based festivals. Lightweight and breathable models, such as Veja trainers, provide all-day comfort. However, we suggest checking the weather forecast and switching to boots if rain is expected to avoid damp feet.

How can I stay cool and comfortable during a summer festival?

We recommend wearing breathable cotton T-shirts, shorts made from durable fabrics, and a wide-brimmed hat or cap to protect your head from the sun. For footwear, supportive sandals like Birkenstocks are a great option for keeping your feet cool while walking between stages.

What is the best way to carry essentials like a phone and wallet at a festival?

A hip bag or small crossbody bag is the most practical choice. These allow you to keep your valuables secure and close to your body while leaving your hands free for other activities. Look for durable, weather-resistant materials to protect your items.

Light Show and Crowd at Outdoor Summer Festival

Festival Season Clothing and Accessories

June 24, 2015

(Updated March 2026)

Festival Season is here again! Festivals – mud, sun, rain, porta loos and hosepipe showers - not the place for your favourite suitcase and Italian leather shoes.

This guide highlights a few useful pieces that work well for summer events, from practical bags to lightweight outerwear and comfortable footwear. If you are browsing more widely, the men’s clothing collection and accessories collection are good places to start.

1. The bag

Fjällräven rucksacks and bags suited to festival packing, travel and day use. — A practical festival bag needs enough space for essentials without becoming awkward once it is filled.

Comfort, durability and space matter most when choosing a backpack for a festival weekend. If you tend to pack heavily, a larger rucksack from the Fjällräven backpacks collection makes sense, especially if it includes a proper carry system, useful pocket layout and weather protection. If you prefer to travel lighter, the Fjällräven Kånken bags collection offers simpler options that are easy to carry and well suited to shorter festival days.

For clothing that packs small and wears easily in warmer weather, Gramicci clothing is also relevant, especially for practical summer layers and easier-moving shorts.

2. The outer layer

Fjällräven ponchos and Greenland jackets for changeable festival weather. — Festival outerwear needs to deal with showers and wind without taking up too much room in your bag.

Umbrellas are rarely the easiest answer at a festival, so a lightweight outer layer is often a better choice. A simple poncho is useful for quick protection and is easy to pack away, while something from the Fjällräven jackets collection gives you a more substantial option if you expect cooler evenings, wind or changeable weather.

The Greenland Jacket remains a practical example of this kind of festival outerwear: lightweight enough to carry, durable enough for rougher wear and easy to layer over simpler summer clothing.

3. Shoes

Festival-ready footwear including wellington boots and practical outdoor shoes for wet conditions. — Festival footwear needs to cope with mud, rain and long periods on your feet.

Wherever you are heading, mud and wet ground are usually part of the picture, so practical footwear matters. For wetter conditions, the men’s Wellington boots collection and women’s Wellington boots collection are the most relevant starting points.

If you want something lighter for drier weather, summer footwear can still work well around a campsite or on warmer days. Options from the Novesta collection suit a more casual festival setup, while Birkenstock footwear is a useful campsite option when you want something easy to slip on after a day in boots.

Festival dressing is usually less about packing more and more about packing sensibly. A practical bag, one reliable outer layer and the right footwear will usually do more for your weekend than overcomplicating things with extra gear.