A Summer Confession

As you can maybe guess by the title of this post, I have a confession to make. Something that I never normally verbalise for fear of people thinking I am strange or slightly anti social, or that I just don’t like to let my hair down and have fun. Which brings me onto the confession… I don’t like festivals. I love summer, music, gigs, drinking cider in the sunshine, and even festival fashion. But put them all together and take me to a festival, and I just feel SO out of my own depth! Maybe it’s just my anxiety talking, but I’ve noticed as I get older I feel like I have less patience and more fear of uknown places, big rowdy groups of people and alcohol fuelled events.

My experience of festivals when I was younger is T in The Park 3 years in a row. The picture above was taken in 2005 at T, with a rather questionable choice of outfit (but we will chat more about festival fashion in a minute) So I’m definitely not a festival veteran, and Radio 1 Big Weekend in Glasgow last year was the first time I’ve attended a big music event like that since TITP in my late teens. A couple of days walking about in the mud feeling rather drunk was enough for me, and I was knackered even though I got to go home and sleep in my own bed each night rather than a tent. Maybe I’ve just not found the ‘right’ festival for me? I’m pretty easy going and low maintenance when it comes to camping, living out of a backpack, and only having basic amenities and supplies, so that’s certainly not whats stopping me from spending the weekend at a festival. I just can’t quite put my finger on what doesn’t appeal to me any more! I see some lovely blogger girls like Zoe and Amy going to lots of festivals and absolutely rocking it, and I wish I could take a leaf out of their book.

I had a right good giggle looking back on all of my old festival photos and seriously embarrassing outfit choices (I mean, what am I even doing with that belt?!) I only feel comfortable letting a few of them see the light of day, and I also envy how relaxed and care free 19 year old Ayden was! (wearing a bikini top as a bra in Scotland = absolutely no fucks given) In light of not wanting to seem like a negative nancy, I was hanging out with Ashley last week and she snapped some pictures of me wearing what I would probably wear to a festival now, exactly 10 years on from these photos at T.

Kimono – New Look

Playsuit – Wolf and Whistle

Belt – Primark (old)

Necklace – Factory 45 Glasgow

Ring – Bloody Mary Metal

Vans – Spartoo

Bumbag – New Look

I’d probably end up replacing the vans and tights with grey knee high socks and welly boots for when the terrain got muddy, and I’ve been on the hunt for a nice light raincoat to wear for this confusing summer we are having in Scotland. Something waterproof, and cute, and maybe sparkly (but not see through) Any ideas? I’d definitely add that onto this outfit too. Ashley was laughing at my bumbag as she said she hadn’t seen one in years! It’s going to be so handy when I go on holiday to Portugal next week. I’m away for 10 days so will try to squeeze another blog post in before I jet off.

How do you feel about festivals? Do I sound like a right moany old woman for saying that they give me the fear? Maybe by next Summer I can step out of my comfort zone and round up my pals to go to one. I love rock music as well as pop, so I’d be tempted by Download, or Reading/Leeds. Or maybe something a lot smaller and less busy, so that it’s not a complete baptism of fire!