Simply the fest
Festival style has come a long way from the 1970s to today, says PRUDENCE WADE
The first Glastonbury Festival was held in 1970, the day after Jimi Hendrix died.
Only 1,500 people were in attendance, and the entrance fee was £1. The last festival was held in 2019, with 203,000 music lovers decamping to Somerset, paying £248 for a ticket.
After a break due to the pandemic, Glastonbury returns next week, with Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar in the headlining slots.
Some things have stayed the same since the first festival – such as getting burned at the first hint of sunshine and having mud up to your armpits.
But festival style has changed dramatically since 1970...
THE 1970S...
A lot of festival fashion in the Seventies was a hangover from the flower power, hippie styles popular in the late Sixties. Woodstock was in 1969, and that really set the tone for festival fashion that followed – think long, floaty dresses, flowing hair and a whole lot of flower crowns.
THE 1980S...
Glastonbury grew at great speed in the Eighties. In 1981, 18,000 people were in attendance, and this number rocketed to 65,000 by 1989. The festival was drawing in big-name performers – including Elvis
Costello, Van Morrison and The Smiths. Festival style wasn’t that different from what you would have seen on the streets: T-shirts, casual trousers, and slouchy shirts and blazers.
THE 1990S...
Nineties festival styles were all about grunge glamour – think low-waisted trousers, bikini tops, simple vests and the occasional bucket hat.
THE 2000S...
Sienna Miller’s Noughties boho look set the tone for much of what we term festival style these days. Those not dressing like Sienna were stealing Kate Moss’ style, rocking up to the festival in denim hotpants, waistcoats and the obligatory Hunter wellies.
THE 2010S...
Festival fashion became a whole lot more fun in the 2010s, with bright colours and clashing prints reigning supreme.
It became less about following trends, and more about wearing something more outlandish than you would normally.
THIS YEAR...
Sequins, shorts, tie dye, Lycra, maxi dresses, mini dresses... festivals like Glastonbury are seen as places where you can express yourself – so it doesn’t really matter what you wear.
Just slap on some sunscreen and don’t forget your rain mac.
Nigel Mansell will be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed every day of the event which starts on June 23 and runs until Sunday 26. Mansell, right, will take to the hill in his 1992 championshipwinning Williams F1 car, as well as
Lotus and Ferrari F1 cars from his career.