Choosing the perfect outfit for a rave or festival doesn’t have to be stressful nor expensive. In fact, you probably already have something in your closet or drawers. If a trip to the nearest store is a must-have, then here is a list of apparel and accessory ideas to help map out what to buy and how to budget your spending well.

 

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What To Consider When Picking Your Summer Rave Festival Outfit – Comfort, Individuality, & Convenience

 

Sneakers – The OG shoe for any festival

A choice you can never go wrong with. Sneakers come in all shapes and sizes that will definitely go with any outfit of your choosing. And if you’re not one to care about shoes matching your rave outfit, then sneakers are a good choice to have if you’re someone that just wants to go for the “comfort-over-style” route.

Converse, Nikes, Reeboks, and Vans can all be great not only for their classic styles and their options of high-tops and low-tops, but their multi-color choice makes it easier to match the pair to any outfit, and any patterned outfit. So yes, if you want to wear pink converse with black leather pants, then go for it.

 

Boots — A festival’s fashion default

Also a versatile choice, and are considered one of the main staples of rave fashion — especially, Doc Martens, cow boots, ankle boots, and platform/colorful boots. It wouldn’t be a Coachella or EDM festival without a pair of cowgirl/boy boots here and there.

One thing to note is that depending on the location of the festival, boots of any variation may not be suitable for outdoor locations, especially festivals that take place in hotter climates. Although, for festivals that are near or on a beach, boots can be a good option as opposed to sneakers when it comes to protecting ankles/legs against the sand.

 

Slip-ons

Although open-toed shoes are debatable to wear at a festival they can be great for comfort, especially if you know that you’re not going to be doing a lot of dancing, or if the festival you’re attending is taking place on the beach or on a cruise.

If you know that dancing is going to be on your radar, then be sure to opt for gladiator sandals due to their lace and tie that can add support around your ankles and sometimes even can wrap up to your knee.

If dancing and platforms shoes start to become an issue of comfortability, there’s no harm in whipping out a pair of flats to add more flat leveling to your balance and heels. Overall, flats and slides can be a great shoe choice if you know that you’re spending multiple nights on the festival grounds.

Clothing — Hone Your Creative Side

Ah yes, attire — an area that raves and EDM festivals people love to go hard on, simply because of the endless autonomy that it gives an individual. Clothing can be a great way to express your inner techno soul — and just for that fact alone is why recommending clothing for a festival is kind of hard to pin down; individuality does not go into a one-size-fits-all box. What can be said though, is that you should wear what you feel most comfortable in. If you know that you’re going to be doing a lot of shuffling and jiving then these could be some right fits for you. On the other hand, if you know that you’re more of a spectator or chillax-er, then these could be some fits to check out for. We are even liking the idea of board shorts as an essential outfit item, because you don’t quite get the same diversity of design with regular shorts. You can find some of the best men’s swim trunks via Swim Outlet.

 

Accessories

An outfit isn’t complete without some bling or headgear — makeup could even be considered an accessory to your rave look as well. The amazing thing about accessories is that they don’t have to break the bank — in fact, it would probably be best not to roll up with a $4,000+ Cartier bracelet. Honestly, you could save a lot of money by either making your own festive accessories or going to your local 5 below (or any dollar store) and snagging some $1-3 rings, bracelets, earrings, and cheaper makeup (because buying cheaper makeup that will be dusted with dirt and sweat can be a better financial option than bringing an expensive makeup pallet/foundation).

Useful knick-knacks

A rave look isn’t complete without some form of useful knick-knacks, and that can be in any form. Because in the midst of raving out to Carl Craig or Charlotte de Witte, at some point you’re going to be grabbing for any of these appliances below to get you through the whole day.

Of course, these are just a few general suggestions that cover the basics. You can always improvise your “must-have kit” with whatever you see fit, but be sure you always look at a festival’s guidelines about what is acceptable to bring or not to bring on the festival grounds.

 

28 Best Rave Summer Festival Outfits

Ok, so now you’ve got a general idea of how to pick and prepare your ultimate rave outfit, let’s piece everything together so you can truly get that Tumblr inspo on how your outfit can look. With festivals taking place all through summer, these outfits could aid in revving up your mental (summer) rave wardrobe.

Sparkles and rhinestones galore

Cue Rihanna‘s “Shine bright like a diamond” — Glitter and rhinestones can always tie any piece together, and they can make the ultimate statement for any electronic music festival. In this picture, there are six ways that you can rock glitter/rhinestones into various pieces — hats, halter tops, boots, makeup, jewelry…etc.

Even better, manipulating glitter/rhinestones onto a wardrobe or any parts of the body is a feasible process that doesn’t have to break the bank…unless you want it to — you can’t go wong with some decked-out rhinestoned, dance-boots.

 

Effortless color combos

Simple colors are the way to go if you’re not into loud pieces such as glitter, rhinestones, holographic pieces, rainbow pieces…etc. The best part about simple colors is that you can pattern them like the example fit below — black (hat), green (top), black (pants), green/black (shoes), and a black bag. And of course, you can always do you this pattern with your own colors. Here are also some popular color combos that are popular in 2022; Pink-purple, blue-brown, pink-black, red-white, blue-white, and orange-blue.

It should also be noted that colors can range in pastels or in vibrant, saturated colors — for example, a pink-purple combo in pastels will be very different and soft, as opposed to a pink-purple combo that is very saturated and bright.

 

Patterns & Prints

On the opposite spectrum of simple colors, going bold with patterns and prints is a great way to express your inner rave-soul at a festival. The fun thing about patterns and prints is that you can match them with just about anything, and no one will really judge how “loud” your outfit is — because that’s the whole point of a festival, to be loud, colorful, and carefree.

And of course, men can rock patterns and prints too.

 

Black & Bold

If colors, patterns, and prints aren’t your style, or if you can’t pin down what to wear, you can never go wrong with wearing black-on-black. Not only is black a versatile shade that can go with anything, but it can turn any effortless piece of clothing into a futuristic one. Black clothing can be your blank canvas to match anything.

One thing to note, however, is that if you’re going to a festival that has a hotter climate, be wary that your black-on-black piece could make you hotter since darker clothing absorbs sunlight instead of reflecting it as lighter clothing does.

 

Y2K Aesthetic

Short for the “Year 2000” is a fashion aesthetic that is a hot commodity presently. Bikini-like crop tops paired with pants (either hi-waisted or low-waisted) are perfect for any electronic music festival. Y2k fashion is primarily bright in colors (popularly pink, blue, purple, yellow, and green) which is the epitome of an electronic music festival.

For Y2K fashion, crop tops and pants (popularly jeans, sweatpants, and cargo pants) can be a simple and cheap way to make your comfortable outfit a hot statement at any festival. Even better, for the festivals that take place on a beach or cruise, you can easily swap out the long pants for swimwear bottoms if you’re wearing a bikini-like crop top. Overall, this nostalgic and colorful look doesn’t have to break the bank.

 

Comfort Meets Style

When the sun goes down, it’s true that the rave times at a festival don’t stop, but let’s be honest — at this point, you’re starting to feel that dreaded fatigue seeping into your platform boots. If you’re trying to figure out how style and comfort can mesh together, here are a few looks that you can emulate if not in the evening on the campgrounds, then all day.

In fact, the best thing about wearing minimal outfits is that you can pair them with statement pieces (e..g, bejeweled makeup, hats, fanny-packs, jewelry, shades, colorful hair,…etc.) — all of which can still bring chic style to your look.

 

Belle of The Ball & King of Them All

But this time the ball is a two-week festival. If dressing up in frills and laces mixed with a rave flare is your cup of tea, then these style options could be right up your alley. At the end of the day, a festival is all about making you feel like you are the main character and that your creative autonomy matters.

Besides, you’re spending heaps amount of money on attending and preparing for a festival, so I believe it’s well-deserved to dress like a powerful and magical monarch for two weeks. Yes…it’s definitely well-deserved.

 

It’s Up To You

Fashion is truly subjective, and for an electronic music event, the rules are up to you on how you want to make your fashion statement. It’s apparent however that most people take pride in showcasing their unique, bold, and colorful side — because let’s be honest, an event where you can express your “wild” side is something that most people are going to partake in.

Overall, try to utilize thrift stores and dollar stores, and if you can, borrow pieces from others, because at the end of the day, you won’t be at the festival forever. If you are going to be buying new clothes on a budget, try to find pieces that you can wear most of the year and not just for a short period of time.

6AM Apparel + Accessories

No matter your go-to style for a rave or festival, we definitely got you covered for all your house and techno needs. And, to find more SIX AM content, be sure to check out our news, music, and events pages to stay up-to-date on what’s trending within the industry.