Rachel Ong
The organisers have kindly warned that Feb 12’s St Jerome’s Laneway Festival will be a rain-or-shine event. And if you’ve heard about how it rained (or rather, poured) on Laneway’s parade last year, that might be enough to instill paranoia in festival hopefuls.
Besides weather concerns, some fashion pointers can help you stand out from the throngs of fawning music butterflies while looking effortlessly scenester.
UrbanWire dishes out practical tips on dressing up for the sun and the mudslide! Don’t forget to check out Part 2 of our Laneway survival guide for the lowdown on the lineup that’ll help you act the part too.
Look the part
The whole radness of hipstars is thanks to their obscure sense of fashion and vanity, so think “less is more” and deck yourself out in killer festival fashion.
For the ladies, consider the following: a cropped top, psychedelic tie-dye jersey, self-ripped hobo overshirt, plaid shirt or tank top with huge armholes (for baring tattoos), paired with high-waist denim shorts or a boho skirt. Try a vintage tea dress or a maxi for the one-piece look!
Boys with a laidback attitude are in luck. Just throw on a plain white tee, polo shirt, or plaid shirt and pair with – you guessed it – pair of skinnies (make sure you have the legs for it, though). We also suggest band tees of the artists playing at the festival!
The terrain as Fort Canning can be a treacherous field of uneven soil and wet mud, so for footwear, go for high-top sneakers (Converse, Macbeth, Timberland, Nike), boots, hunter wellies, gladiator sandals, or shoes that’re purely dispensable. Don’t risk going in flip-flops unless you want to be trod on by the heavyweight next to you.
For the adventurous, paint your face and body to stand out. When using eyeliner, try chromatic-coloured ones. Accessorise with bandanas, hippie headbands, Indian feathers on headdress, earrings, or necklaces, floppy hats, fedoras, funky-shaped sunglasses, thick-rimmed glasses, and even facial piercings.
Lastly, for drama queens, try dip-dyeing your hair, a side shave, or cornrows on 1 side of your head. Just ensure your hair’s not greasy, because it’s going to be a long night and the last thing you want is to look like an ah pek at a midnight karaoke session.
Extra cool points
Get neon with your nails! You might think they’re unnoticeable, but jazzing them up a little can prevent people from thinking you’ve been camping on the festival grounds for way too long.
Glisten up and protect your face from a total wipeout with a beauty balm/sun block/bronzer. And make sure you’re rocking out in waterproof mascara just in case it rains.
Don’t forget accessories – how about a galactic wave of harlequin rubber bracelets, body glitter, and a cat’s eye nebula necklace or something shiny from local retailers By Invite Only or Nana & Bird?
And our favourite piece of fashion advice? Draw yourself a hipstache. It’s more wicked than walking a pet dinosaur.
What’s in your bag?
Remember the rule of thumb for outdoor music gigs: always pack light. You can’t dance with a sack of potatoes on your back. Pick a canvas rucksack like the durable Baggu or a sling bag so you can party hands-free!
Your compact kit bag should include:
- Plasters (for blisters)
- Handkerchief or kleenex
- Extra top – just in case
- Huge, trusty poncho
- Ziplock bag for valuables: mobile phone, wallet, camera, and keys
- Disposable mat
And, of course, nothing too expensive!
Rules of engagement
What with the concert stretching on for 12 hours and the crowd numbering in the thousands, you’re bound to lose your friends at Laneway – hopefully only physically.
Why not make new friends along the way? After all, what’s a party without mingling? Just bring an open mind and a friendly disposition. Start the ball rolling with some humour and enjoy getting to know some new faces.
Try going on a body graffiti hunt – to spot a tramp stamp, for example. There’s nothing wrong with giving the tattoo-exhibiting indie royalty some credit with your eyeballs.
To the mosh crowd: wield your vigor sparingly and don’t waste too much energy on the 1st few acts. If a giant gets in the way of your fist-pumping thrills, just move to higher ground since, after all, Fort Canning’s on a slope. Oh, and definitely stay away from the armpits of those sleeveless NewUrbanMale types.
And with drinks, get high but don’t get wasted! There’s no point going to a concert if you just sleep through the performances.
Be sure to stay hydrated! It’s not a marathon, but it’s safer to arm yourself with a bottle of wine cooler, Perrier, or Red Bull.
And of course, anything up for purchase will be “cash only”, so bring a stash of bills and leave your cards at home.
Food for thought
If your tummy’s prone to rumbling, do pack a sandwich from home or stuff a can of Pringles in your backpack. There’ll also be vendors selling food at the festival but if you find their rates not too wallet-friendly, head out for some grub midway through. Tip: Take the lift to the ground floor of the nearby Park Mall to get to Plaza Singapura in less than 15 minutes.
Make sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before so you’ll be in a great condition for showing off your best swag. If you come early, you can catch the majestic portrait of the performing acts!
So here’s The UrbanWire’s entire manual to help you gear up for musical pandemonium. Last of all, wish for fantastic weather for the 11:11!
Photos courtesy of Cosmopolitan.co.uk, Getty Images, REX, Lookbook.nu, Aloysius Lim, wellieboots.co.uk, Native Appropriations, Flickr, Hair Colours Ideas, bellasugar, urbanoutfitters
Details
St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival
Date: 12 February 2012, Sunday
Time: 1:30pm – 1:30am
Venue: Fort Canning, Canning Rise
Official Promoter: Chugg Entertainment
Tickets are available through SISTIC at $135 with an additional $3 booking fee.
For more details on St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival, check out their Facebook, Twitter, and official website. Groove along to Laneway Radio 2012 right here!