Summer Festival Capsule Wardrobe + Style With a Smile Link Up

Festival season will soon be here and that means paying close attention to the weather and packing accordingly. It can be difficult to cover all bases, especially in the UK where the summer weather can be a bit of a lottery. You’ll want to take hardworking, durable and comfortable pieces that are also stylish. Denim is always a good place to start.

Unless it’s scorching hot, you can’t go wrong with jeans. Whether you prefer barrel, balloon, wide or straight leg, pair them with a graphic tee for an effortlessly stylish look. I usually favour barrel jeans, but I’m trying a baggy fit here. They’re from River Island, where I buy most of my jeans. They come up slightly big – I’m wearing my usual size 10, but I think I could have got away with an 8. Still, it’s always better to have a bit of extra room for comfort. I’ve added a really old belt for both function and style (remember I was saying in my last post about not wearing belts often!).

The classic pairing of jeans and a T-shirt form the solid foundation for a summer festival capsule wardrobe

This T-shirt has a vintage look that’s perfect for a festival. It’s super soft and fits just right, not too baggy, not too snug. The classic pairing of jeans and a T-shirt form the solid foundation for a summer festival capsule wardrobe. For my main daytime outfit, I’ve layered a fab fringed suedette vest over it, which matches my hat – very important when it’s sunny…or raining! I love the Western vibe of this outfit mixed with the modern cut of the jeans.

If there’s a chill in the air, a more substantial extra layer is required. A denim jacket is an infinitely useful wardrobe addition, especially one in a looser style like this. It fits more like a shacket, but it’s thick enough to keep me warm on a cool evening. The dark patterned denim elevates it, making it super versatile. The key to wearing double denim is to pair two different shades (I deliberately chose jeans in a lighter wash). The deep pockets are really handy for keeping my phone and sunglasses in. I’ve rolled the sleeves up slightly to balance out the proportions of the looser fit jacket and jeans to avoid looking “swamped”. The nude pink crossbody bag also helps to draw the eye down by creating a vertical line. It’s the perfect size – big enough to hold all my essentials without being weighed down.

For a more dressed up look I’ve turned to denim again. I chose this midi dress because it strikes just the right balance between utility and style. The stretch denim makes it really comfortable, while holding its structure to create a flattering shape. I’ve belted it to give it even more shape, but it looks great without it. It would also work well worn open as a duster. I love how all these pieces work together to form a cohesive, functional summer festival capsule wardrobe. And more importantly, I know I’ll get lots of wear from them by styling them different ways for different occasions.

Are you planning on going to any festivals this year? What would you wear? I’d love to hear your thoughts on festival outfits!

River Island jeans* | Hugo denim jacket* | Katie Loxton Bag* | V by Very fringe vest* | Joe Browns T-shirt* | Faith boots (old) | The Very Collection denim dress* | SkinnyDip London sunglasses (old) | hat from eBay

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Disclaimer: Items marked * have been gifted. This post may contain affiliate links. It means I may earn a small commission for any purchases made through them, at no extra cost to you. This helps towards the running costs of the blog and is very much appreciated. Unauthorized use of text and photos is prohibited.

This week’s featured bloggers are…

Amber of Avec Amber, Jacqui of Mummabstylish and Jennifer of Curated by Jennifer!