Your Cart is Empty
Free Shipping & Exchanges over $299
SHOP NOW- NEW & FEATURED
- WOMENS
- MENS
- HOME GOODS
- ACCESSORIES
- SALE
- BLOG
- ABOUT
- Rewards
- REFERRALS
- Login
- Wishlist (0)
JUMP TO: FESTIVAL HISTORY | FESTIVAL FASHION | ACCESSORIES | RECYCLED CLOTHING
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, Let's Party!” - Robin Williams
March is the reminder every year that soon there will be flowers, longer days, and outdoor adventures. It’s been a long winter hibernating indoors for this little lady and I will be the first one in line at the grand welcoming party for Spring. And if watching, smelling, and feeling nature put on its own spectacular show isn’t enough to entertain you and you need more of a traditional party, then I’m here to remind you that Spring also marks the commencement of FESTIVAL SEASON!
Every Spring, thousands of festivals around the world hold celebrations, allowing communities to honor cultural traditions, customs, and heritage. Festivals date back thousands of years and play an important role in shaping the closeness of communities. People come together to listen to music, watch dance and performance art, discover emerging artists, taste new foods and rejoice in experiencing life and each other. There is literally a festival for EVERYTHING. Anything that celebrates something can be considered a festival. While I just completed this sentence, another festival was born. Heck, even me cleaning my room could be considered a festival. All I’d have to do is invite a few friends over to watch the very rare occasion of me actually putting away the clothes on my bed, serve a few snacks, play some music from my Spotify and BAM, another festival is born!
Let’s be honest, festivals are also an opportunity to let your freak flag fly. I mean after all, I do work for SpiritHoods and we are all about allowing your wild side to shine brightly. Fashion should be fun and transform the way you interact with the world and the way it interacts back with you. We believe in creating clothes that help you feel playful and spontaneous and allow you to create memorable experiences wherever you go. Have you ever worn our clothing out and NOT had someone come up to you? Yes, I know...obviously it’s because you’re a naturally enchanting human and everyone just gravitates towards you, BUT we also like to think we play a little part in helping you spark some of that magnetism. And what better way to do that, then to dress the part at your favorite festival this year?!
Now all my ladies out there, continue reading because this blog is fun and informative, BUT FOR MY MEN, I’m gonna need you to listen up! Get out your pencil and notebook and pay close attention. This blog is for you. We’re gonna talk about everything related to men’s festival fashion and help you stand out wherever your adventures take you. And for all my gurrrls, check out my blog, The Best Festival Fashion for Women.
This is your chance to celebrate the uniqueness that is you. To express yourself in a way that you don’t get to in your regular daily 9-5 life. To step into your full expression of individuality no matter what that looks like and means to you. We’re here to help you start planning your festival looks. And we take festival looks very seriously.
But first, let’s start with a little history lesson, shall we?
The first known music festival dates back to the late 6th century BC. The Pythian Games, a precursor of the Olympics, were held every four years at the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi, Greece. They were dedicated to the god Apollo, who was believed to have slain Python, a mythical serpent. And even though these events were competitive in nature, during the games, people celebrated with music, food, and dance. Gatherers would wear garments made from colorful fabrics and adorn their robes in symbolic motifs.
Venetian Carnivals date back as early as the 1300’s and are still a big part of European culture. Every year for thousands of years, people gather in Venice, Italy on the day of Epiphany (Twelfth Night) and celebrate until the start of Lent. These carnivals are famous for their Masquerade Balls, mask wearing, and elaborate costumes. Historically, the mask would allow people from all walks of life to participate in the festivals anonymously. They provided a sense of freedom and liberation and gave people permission to express themselves more freely than they might have in their everyday lives. It was kinda the Burning Man of its time.
Many high courts would hold large balls and host elaborate musical events and theatrical performances, giving the townspeople an opportunity to dress their best at these important social gatherings. Their clothes would be adorned in ribbons and embellishments, symbolizing status and wealth.
The development of classical music brought forth the emergence of musical festivals that showcased orchestral and operatic performances. Many festivals like the Bayreuth Festival in Germany and the Salzburg Festival in Austria are still going on, attracting audiences from around the world.
With the rise of Jazz and contemporary rock music, came the music festivals that are more reminiscent of the ones that we see today. The most iconic of this time was Woodstock. In 1969 from August 15-18, over 400,000 people attended this famous music festival that took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York. The lineup of musicians featured Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Grateful Dead and many others. Woodstock is still considered the most pivotal moment in music history and was a symbol of rebellion. The attendees rejected mainstream fashion norms and opted for tie dye, bell bottoms, fringe vests and other bohemian-inspired garments. And alas, the hippie aesthetic was born.
We live in the time of festivals! What a great time to be alive. If you miss one festival, no worries! Just go to the next! And if you miss that one, who cares? There’s another one coming up! There’s Coachella, Burning Man, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Afropunk, Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival, Lightning in a Bottle, PRIDE, and hundreds more. And in our world today, dressing for them has become just as important as the festival itself. If not more so. We all know of the influencers that hire a team of stylists, photographers, and videographers, then drive to Black Rock desert, capture their coveted social media pictures, tag Burning Man in their feeds and then turn around, never having stepped a foot in the festival.
Okay men, let’s talk about what you’re gonna wear to all the festivals that you may or may NOT actually attend. Let’s get you ready for dancing the day/night away or simply just to take a photo for instagram so you can tell everyone that you were there. Either way, you still want to look good. It's your chance to flex on every level.
And nothing is sexier than a person wearing whatever makes them feel the most confident. You have to feel good about what you put on, because when you do, that just radiates out into the world. Festival season is a time where you get to experiment and have fun with style. You can push the boundaries and step out of your comfort zone. I have guy friends that will create full blown costumes and characters for their festival outings.
The important thing to remember is that THERE ARE NO RULES. Embrace your inner wild side and let your imagination take you literally anywhere. I’m just here to throw out some suggestions, but I’m always a fan of people being true to themselves. We are all unique and I love celebrating that uniqueness and watching it show up and color the world fun. Cause otherwise, what’s the point, right???
I’m a woman. And I love men. Now I think my non-boyfriend boyfriend (NBB) is THE hottest human I have ever seen in my life, BUT I can still appreciate other men. And obviously this goes without saying, if you’re a dickwad, it doesn’t matter how hot you are, nothing is more attractive than a great personality and a beautiful heart. Because to me, the best thing you can wear is a smile. I know. I know. It’s corny but it's true. I’ve never been a fan of the baditude. I’m a sucker for kindness. Again, not to brag or anything, but my NBB has beautiful insides as well as outsides.
Having said all that, I’m here as a woman to help all you men pick out your festival looks for this year.
And of course, I need to stay true to myself and my values, so I’m gonna walk you through some sustainable and ethical choices for festival wear. Let’s go!
This time of year every brand is dispensing festival-focused capsule collections and shopping edits. But we’re gonna stay away from fast fashion. Sure it’s cheaper. You can find shirts for as little as $3, but most likely they will end up in a landfill somewhere. I want to guide you through festival shopping that’s not only gonna make you look fantastic, but will also be great for the planet as well. AND you won’t look like everyone else. Cause you know EVERYONE is going to be shopping on Amazon or SHEIN. Sorry fast fashion! I just can't get onboard! So let’s support smaller businesses that are doing great things for Mother Earth. And that are going to make you stand out from everyone else.
Now I can’t write about festival wear and not mention SpiritHoods, that would be like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the jelly. Can’t be done Bob. We have so many great options to choose from, like a whole slew of great leggings in every color and pattern. Our leggings are perfect for layering, wearing with or without shirts, and are guaranteed to make your Johnson worthy of a second glance. Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Am I the only one that checks it out?
Our hoods are where all the magic started. SpiritHoods didn’t always have awesome faux fur coats and sequined kimono robes. Once Upon A Time, there was the story of a few lonely little hoods born at Burning Man. BEFORE SpiritHoods was a thing, there was a group of friends wearing their own creations for fun and EVERYONE and their mother (okay maybe not their mother cuz its Burning Man) started wanting them. And then a bunch of other things happened…and yada yada yada here we are today! It’s almost like you have to have a SpiritHood just because of its cute lil’ origin story. Right? I mean, cuz who doesn’t love a cute lil’ origin story? Even the way you got here on planet Earth is a cute lil’ origin story. Just ask your parents. Never mind. Don’t ask them. I made that mistake and had to hear every last detail. Which involved a convertible and a cocktail and a bunch of other things that I’m trying to forget and now I’m scarred for life.
And for those overnight festivals in the desert when the weather drops, I love our faux fur coats with ears. Oh and if you don’t know this already, SpiritHoods gives 10% of its net profits to saving endangered species and their habitats. How’s that for doing good for the planet?
If you’re looking to recreate your favorite SciFi’s like Mad Max or Dune, then you’re gonna love Psylo. They are completely transparent about their ethical and sustainable practices. Plus their clothes just look REALLY REALLY cool. It’s like why look like literally EVERYONE else at a festival, when you could look like a badass Tom Hardy? I so badly want to put on their Sultan Robe by Shokraneh and then a beastie claw ring on every finger and then dance in the dunes under the desert sky. Like why can’t I do that right now? WHY? I don’t ask for much.
How can you not love a clothing company that actually lets you search for ethically sourced slow fashion by festival? They have collections for Coachella, Burning Man, Bush Doof, and EDC. And if that isn’t enough, they even have collections for rainy, summer, winter, and urban festivals. They are ORGANIZED. And I LOVE IT! The founder and designer, Lauryn’s creations are vibrant and whimsical, just like it states on their website, “Wearing a piece by Love Khaos is wearing a piece of art—uniquely crafted with love, creativity and excitement to suit your wildest fashion fantasies.” They even do custom orders, ensuring that NO ONE else will have your festival outfit. You are free to be 100% you, guaranteed.
If you’re looking for bright and extremely vibrant joggers, look no further. Seriously. They use recycled water bottles and eco- safe dyes which actually create the most vibrant and clear prints that you could only possibly dream of. Don’t believe me, check them out. Even when I dreamt that I was riding a unicorn in space and gave the finger to Rainbow Dash My Little Pony and Barbie (true story) my dream wasn’t as vivid as these men’s pants.
Okay…it’s time to take it down a notch and get in touch with your inner self. Close your eyes and breathe into your root chakra and exhale slowly to a count of eight. I didn’t say to open your eyes yet. Keep them shut! Once more, breathe into your heart chakra and exhale fully. Now, open up your eyes and search through Ajjaya’s festival clothing made from hemp. I didn’t say smoke it! I said search through it! Come on people (insert eye roll here). Give me a second while I breathe again. Ahhhhh….there it is. Inner F*$%in’ peace. I just love scrolling through their site. Not only do they have beautiful garments made from ethically sourced sustainable materials, and chemical free dyes, but just looking at all their clothes makes me feel calmer.
Valo designs is more than just beautiful clothing made from ethically sourced fabrics and sustainable practices, but their mission statement is a reminder to continue being the awesome humans that I know you all are. They call themselves “Warriors of Light” and have built a company based on some pretty evolved principles like courage, empathy, sharing and receiving, and radical self expression. They even have their own festival line. I pretty much ONLY want to be called a “Warrior of light.” In Fact, I’m going to wear Valo's hooded long sleeve post apocalyptic cardigan bamboo vest and then ask everyone at work to only address me as Madame Warrior Of Light.
Clothes aren’t the only thing that you need to think about when planning your festival outfits. Accessories help pull the whole look together. I found a few special companies that are doing really cool things for the planet and for their communities AND their products are amazing and will look great with anything that you decide to wear.
Don’t EAT your apples! WEAR them! Come on, get with the program. Jeeeshhhh. Your feet deserve to be dressed in ethical style as well as your limbs and torso. It’s those feet of yours that are gonna be what gets you around the playa, grassy fields, or concrete during your next festival excursion. You better be ready to treat them just as well as the rest of your body. And what better way to do that, then with a bio-based leather alternative made from appleskins? This Italian company uses the mushy pulp waste recovered from the fruit juice industry that would otherwise be thrown out and they make these awesome boots.
Drop a peacebomb. Literally.
During the Vietnam War 250 million bombs were dropped in Laos and 80 million failed to detonate. The awesome people at Article 22 are working hard to employ locals and clear UXO (unexploded ordnance) from land. By purchasing jewelry from them, you help make that happen. I love the alchemists working at this company and taking shrapnel and transforming it into something beautiful. They have a great collection of men’s jewelry that will pair well with any of your festival outfits. Plus think of the cool stories you’ll get to tell people when they compliment the peacebomb around your neck.
Okay, this is one of the coolest companies I came across while doing my research for this blog. And if you’re going away to a festival for the weekend, you’re gonna need a bag to carry all your clothes in. And I think these bags are just the right fit. Since 2005, Elvis and Kreese have been rescuing firehouses from the London Fire Brigade that were too damaged to repair and would have otherwise ended up in a landfill somewhere. Instead, these hoses get a second chance at life by getting to be a luxury lifestyle accessory. YASSSS! AND the company donates 50% of profits back to charity. Oh! And if you have $1,290,912.00 they will donate ONE MILLION DOLLARS to charity and you get this really beautiful bag.
And watch the"Elvis & Kreese from the beginning" video on their website. I was crying within 8 seconds. Never before did I love retired fire hoses as much as I do now. Like I want to marry one. I know, I know. But objectophilia is a real thing! Sorry NBB! But since you won’t commit, a girl has to move on. And I think this strong, resilient, and handsome retired fire hose is just the thing I’ve been looking for!
Kova by Sascha makes some incredible one of a kind 3D printed crowns and headpieces. She even rents them out monthly if that helps with your budget. Her origin story is really cool about how her view on fashion and changing the world was influenced by her Burning Man trip in 2011. It was on that trip that she knew she wanted to ease her CO2 footprint on the world and make it a better and kinder place. And anyone who wants to do that, deserves a place in this lil’ ladies' blog. So F yeah Sascha! Keep doing what you’re doing and making the world a more artistic and beautiful place. Plus, can you imagine how cool you'd look wearing this crown at a festival?
And since we're speaking about crowns...Headspace is another great company that makes unique handmade and ethically sourced headpieces. They are known for their unisex crowns made from recycled materials like vegan leather. They also have a recycling discount program. Send them old costume jewelry that they can use for future crown pieces and will give you a discount of 15% off.
And for those of you that want to look like a handsome elf man that was born in the deep forest, then look to Jen Griffin Studios to make those dreams come true. Her shop on Etsy is full of handmade whimsical designs that will leave you looking like Woodland Royalty.
Okay the sun is gonna most likely be shining down when you’re at peak festival hours. And since I can’t guarantee you’re gonna wear your sunscreen, I’m gonna have to be a bit of a momma bear here and push for you to wear a hat. And I LOVE the designs by G&L Positive Goods. Their trucker hats look like pieces that just came out of a museum. Like legit gorgeous paintings. Their hats are made from sustainable and recyclable materials in the USA and they give back 3% of profits to social and environmental causes. And for every hat you buy, they will plant a tree. How could you NOT want to buy a tree, I mean hat from them?
I pretty much agree with what it states on their box, “your forehead is about to look awesome.” Storied hats use only sustainable fabrics and make their hats in ethical facilities and are Fair Trade Certified™ because they care about workers. I love this hat and its colors, and think it's perfect for Spring. And it reminds me of a hat that my babysitter wore in the 80’s and he was quite the looker. I’m just sayin’!
And don’t forget about your eyes!
I love this company for several reasons. First, the sunglasses are so cool and the prices are fantastic. You’re getting beautifully crafted glasses for a great price. Second, they handcraft their products from sustainable materials including sustainably-sourced wood, biodegradable cotton-based acetate, and recycled aluminum. And third, they were on Shark Tank, just like SpiritHoods! And Fourth (and most importantly), they have a “Do good initiative” where they give back to humans in all sorts of ways, including making health and vision initiatives a priority for underprivileged people. Some of these initiatives include hosting health screenings, sponsoring cataract, club foot, and cleft lip surgeries and providing glasses to those in need. Oh and did you notice how I started that sentence with “Some of these initiatives?” That’s because they do even MORE than that. Just go to their website and check them out. Order a pair of sunglasses for your festival and then read all about how your purchase is going to be put to great use.
And if purchasing new clothing is not your thing, might I suggest putting together your festival looks from some awesome online resale stores. All of which I have been known to use and can’t say enough positive things about.
Grailed has some great vintage concert t-shirts and I have bought one too many from them on my late night shopping sprees. Just click above and the link will take you straight to their "festival wear" options. You're welcome.
Beyond Retro is another great go to place for retro jackets and T-shirts and all the basics you’ll need for weekend getaways.
And if the festival that you're attending is The Running of the Nudes in Pamplona, Spain, then disregard everything I just wrote. Get out there and help PETA raise awareness against the cruelty of bullfighting. And what better way to do that then in what you were born in. Absolutely nothing. It will be the cheapest festival you go to.
We love to see you in your SpirtHoods! Tag us on all your socials @Spirithoods so we can see how great you look in your festival wear.
