The festival season is upon us! It’s time to down the stilettos and anything that isn’t mud proof and make sure you’ve got your style essentials in order for this years’ annual field days. Who will top the festival style stakes this year? With plenty still to come in the 2013 festival calendar we take a look at a few of our favourite festival looks.
Leading the charge with layers of sheer mesh and studded leather we adore the gothic glam ‘I’m with the band’ trend which has emerged in recent years. Forget looking like you’ve tried too hard with the typical fluro festival garb. These girls are all about looking decidedly un-bovved about being here.
Most likely to be found at: Secret Garden Party, ATP, Latitude, Wilderness. Shop the look here.
Not to be out-done 90′s florals have had a massive resurgence, teamed with sensible clumpy boots and shag bands (who remembers those..) these girls are picking up where My So Called Life so cruelly left us (sob!). Teaming oversized vintage denim jackets with a printed smock dress and DM’s and you can’t fail.
Most likely to be found at Glastonbury, Bestival, Green Man, EOTR. Shop the look here.
Finally it’s the girls who couldn’t stop the glamour even if they tried! High waisted denim shorts and crop tops ahoy, festival or not it’s all about dressing up to the nines for these fabulous fans. A trend popular with the A-list elite and fashion blogger alike. Think bold tropical prints, fringed everything, pastel lips and primary brights to show off that awesome tan.
Most likely to be found at Hideout, V Festival, Lovebox, Creamfields. Shop the look here.
Thanks to this amazing weather we’re having, it’s safe to say that everyone is well and truly excited for festival season. Whilst a few cities have already hosted an array of awesome boutique and venue-to-venue festivities, the big dogs are now rolling in to bring us the best line-ups. Next weekend sees the Isle of Wight festival kick start things with headliners The Stone Roses, The Killers and wait for it… Blondie! 80′s fans rejoice!
Some of our favourite artists from the past year will also be treating us to some very special performances. Delilah, Lianne La Havas and Laura Mvula have certainly proved themselves worthy of our attention over the past few months and we’ll no doubt be right at the front for their sets.
We’ve known this for a while but the ’90s are well and truly back – especially with this kind of line-up. Parkas will be out in full force for The Stone Roses set, whilst a special set from the Happy Mondays on Thursday will ensure everyone gets in the 90′s spirit. The Tabby Crop or the Penny Dress teamed with some vintage sunnies will ensure you look the part too!
Golden boys Palma Violets will also be playing hits from their début album ’180′ – an album that we well and truly fell in love with. We’ll be rocking the cold shoulder trend with the Catalina Dress in Plum to celebrate all things purple during their set.
Not only is the line-up for the Isle of Wight festival making us more excited than a kid on Christmas eve – there’s plenty of extra entertainment on offer too. The bohemian woods will provide some beautiful walks on those crisp summer mornings, whilst The Hipshaker Lounge will fill you with vintage sounds from awesome DJs covering all things ‘60s. Oh, and did we mention the début of Bathing Under the Sky?! That’s right – outdoor hot tubs! Make sure you bag our Zandra Cosmic One-Piece to join the stars in the skies.
Dungarees have made a come-back for 2013 and we couldn’t be happier! Although they may be a wardrobe staple for the farm boy or painter and decorator now it’s now our turn! With hints from the 80s and 90s this revamped retro fashion trend is back and its’ never look so good.
As one of the most wearable wardrobe staples this year, the dungaree trend can be adapted to match your style, whether smart chic, cool girl or playfully feminine. The bib and brace combo is perfect for layering up, simply dress up or down your dungarees to suit the occasion!
As seen on the catwalks of Philip Lim, Kinder Aggugini, Margaret Howell and House of Holland the trend is hugely versatile from an acid bright tie-dye print to a slim fit monochrome number.
Get involved with the achingly cool overalls trend here with our dungarees and cute pinafore dresses in a range of vintage style denim and tie-tye to paisley prints. Oozing cool girl chic this all in one is perfect for the summer season layered with high neck crops, or a boyish blazer for the cooler days.
Field Day. Where London’s trendiest find solace away from the all too familiar hustle bustle of city life. Only a few tube stops from the centre, there lies a welcoming admission to a world of fantasy and much needed escapism. As Motel made our arrival last weekend, all around us festival goers made the most of the London sun sporting their distressed denim shorts, printed crops and DM’s. We felt right at home!
It’s safe to say the line up this year was pretty high up the ranks with the likes of Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes and Animal Collective as head-liners. But its the up-and-coming acts whom have barely broken the ice on the music scene yet that hold the strongest promise. NME’s pick Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs, indie folk trio Daughter (both local to London) and American daydreamers Dark Dark Dark.
Other musical highlights included Solange Knowles (we spotted her mates Alexa Chung and Dev Hynes in the crowd!), Savages, Connan Mockasin, Stealing sheep, and Scottish electro pop hype machines CHVRCHES. Special mention goes to Savages, with strong Siouxsie Sioux influences, and a middle finger attitude. Lead singer Jehnny Beth struts among the stage violent and French, jolting every so often alike to Iain Curtis of Joy Division, whilst drummer Fay Milton whacks her drum symbol repetitively like a woman possessed. We took a break from the bands to check out some Field Day fashions and we were not disappointed!
Finally we have Natasha Khan, gracing the stage with her stunning get up – a matching foil halter neck crop top, shimmering midi skirt and amazing pleated cape, as she delicately glides along the stage like a bird ready for flight, then whipping off layers mid set displaying her rare and extraordinary beauty. Natasha, we love you.
1234 Shoreditch was this weekend’s Motel destination, offering up an array of female stage sightings on Saturday. The confident front-women of Drop out Venus commanded the stage, strumming her monochrome guitar while wearing her grunged up purple dress (this seasons colour), but the female drummer let her rhythmic skills do the talking sporting a simple black polo neck with old style Levi’s.
Alongside ankle skimming skinnies these high waisted light blue jeans, as seen in in n Thelma and Louise and series 1 and 2 of Friends, were the most worn trouser. TV and Film referencing was frequent thanks to the retro, vintage and throwback fashions saturating the fields. Many toyed with boyish dressing even drawing inspiration from Jay and Silent Bob with backwards caps, beanies and boxy jackets, others toughened up rather straight or girly looks with the addition of Dr Martins and Creepers, not unlike the geek chic we saw sported by Scarlett Johanson in Ghost World.
We saw many girls take inspiration from match-making Cher in Clueless, which surely has to be crowned one of the top movies for fashion inspiration. As well as body-con dresses we saw preppy looks given sex appeal with long socks or fluffy details, and more than a few high pony tails – there was even an interconnected top and shorts combo.
The more daring clothes horses looked to the bright colour pallete and clashing prints of Dion, with the tomboy’s mimicking the pre-makeover Tai. There were numerous sightings of garish floral prints, but most opted for ditsy sized blooms like Winona’s troubled character in Reality Bites.
All old fashioned (or wrong) notions regarding red hair were obliterated – you were definitely in the “in” crowd at 1234 if you were showcasing fiery locks. In fact it would appear that Angela Chase, Clare Danes character in My So Called Life, is the reigning cult style hero of the East London set. We found numerous examples of her trademark plaid…. but sadly we weren’t able to hunt down our own version of Jared Leto!
Festival season is here! And we all no what your thinking.. What do I wear! Well don’t worry festival goers’ we’ve got your packing done for you! Try our amazing Pink 90’s Denim Shorts with a Denim Front Tie Crop! Paired with wellies you can’t go wrong! Or why not rock out in our Ditsy Floral Playsuits? Wear with a denim jacket and you’ll be ready to go! And our Zoe Bodycon’s are perfect for mixing and matching. Festival outfits sorted!
Motel headed down to the Great Escape Festival in Brighton for three days of hanging by the beach and hearing the best new music acts around. Of course we were on the look out for serious style to covet and we found it by the bucketload, especially from some of the beautifully talented ladies that took to the stage! Girlband HAIM and the incredible Alabama Shakes came top of the pack… check out our photo highlights from the weekend!
Dot to Dot festival is known for showcasing some brilliant new bands right before they blow up. Here at Motel we take a look at the best of the bunch to make sure you don’t miss out. What’s more, they all feature kick-ass front women!
Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice are a four-piece indie pop outfit from London. Since releasing their country-drenched ‘Leaving You’, they’ve been gaining much-deserved attention. Lead singer Ellie is just the cutest – rocking her 90s wardrobe like a pro. Their latest single ‘Bros’ is all about having the very best bff, so grab your girl and go and check these guys out.
MØ
Sounding like a mash-up between Grimes and Lana Del Ray, Denmark’s MØ has already caught the eye of dance producers across the globe. Heavy synths and a sing-a-long chorus make her latest tune ‘Glass’ a must-have for your summer playlist. Complete with the fiercest of attitudes, MØ is our latest girl crush. There’s no doubt she’s going to be huge this year.
Chlöe Howl
We have a new pop princess on our hands! This 17-year-old London starlet packs enough punch to really stand out of the crowd. Her sweary and sparky debut EP ‘Rumour’ features songs that focus on no-strings-attached situations, growing-up and not taking any crap from those pesky boys. Working a cute pixie-crop cut, Chlöe is jaw-droppingly gorgeous in all her videos.
Deap Vally
Channeling the spirit of The White Stripes, valley girls Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards make the kind of music that makes you sweat. Their ferocious energy teamed with plenty of sass, squalor and not-giving-a-damn approach harks back to when rock and roll was full of bluesy influences and infectious grooves. These are the kind of girls that would drink the guys under the table.
PINS
Manchester four-piece PINS have been clocking up the hype ever since they signed to Bella Union. Channeling themes of heartache with a ballsy, Joy Division approach, they’re as sassy as they are talented. Often dressed in black and leathers during live shows, PINS are a girl band for the new age. We’ve had ‘luvu4lyf’ on repeat since we first heard it.
Yoko Ono was a style icon before we could even walk. Now at 80 years old, she holds her years well and puts most of us to shame when it comes to coolness. So it comes as no surprise that the team at Meltdown festival have picked her to help curate their latest line-ups as a guest director.
The likes of Cibo Matto, Peaches, Bo Ningen, Thurston Moore, Deerhoof, Savages and Iggy and the Stooges will be taking to the stage as well as Yoko’s own band The Yoko Ono Plastic Ono band. Combining iconic favourites with the likes of new offerings such as Savages and Bo Ningen show that Yoko is a champion of good music and we for one, can’t wait to witness her choices.
Siouxsie Sioux is also making her first comeback in five years during Meltdown that has had us digging out all our old records. Channel your inner Siouxsie with our Rainbow Shiva Tee.
If you’re heading down, harness some of Yoko’s 60s style with our Maybelle dress and of course, some Square Sunglasses. The festival takes place from 14th – 23rd June and we have a feeling it will be the best Meltdown yet.
From the people that bought you Barcelona’s Primavera festival, famed for its endorsement of eclectic, independent music (and glorious weather!) springs Optimus Primavera Sound 2013. This newly launched festival was back for its second annual outing last weekend, featuring electronic sounds, DJs as well as live acts, and situated on the coast of Portugal in the city of Oporto. What a dream it was!
The sun was out in full force all weekend for a host of amazing acts. Our highlights included post hardcore band Hot Snakes, the awesome Dan Deacon, New Yorkers Liars, cult favourites Dinosaur Jr., Portland duo Glass Candy, UK’s own Four Tet and indie rock five piece Deerhunter.
As more of us look to Europe for festivals with the promise of sun and sea, Primavera Sound has to be top of our list for atmosphere, location, line-up and amazing weather. We can’t wait for next year as musical legends Neutral Milk Hotel have just been announced for 2014!
We sent UK blogger Lynzi Unwin of Being Little to this years Isle of Wight Festival armed with Motel glow sticks and a festival wardrobe essentials including a Motel dress (of course). Here she brings you all the latest from her weekend of sun sounds and street style sights!
After queueing for what seemed like half the day and battling against the gale force winds to put our tents up, the sun finally came out, and stayed for most of the weekend! Everyone was happy and friendly, and having a blast.
We spent most of the days around our tent with our neighbours, playing games like twister, having some drinks and lying around in the sun. Then we’d head into the busy arena to watch some bands, and we’d end every night dancing our leggies off in the Hipshaker Lounge!
All the acts we watched surpassed my expectations – my favourites being chilled out blokes like Willy Mason and Newton Falkner, who we watched while sitting in the grass. The Killers and Bon Jovi were way better than I expected, and I was lucky enough to meet up with Jazmine and Olivia (bloggers from Jazzabelle’s Diary & What Olivia Did) to have a dance!
Festivals always have a few fairground rides dotted around, but the only one I ever want to go on is the ferris wheel (even though the helter skelter is by far the prettiest!) Bloc Party were playing as we went around, and we had an incredible view of the whole site. Isle of Wight Festival is crazy big!
Apart from the rides and admiring our fellow festival goers fashion (check it out below), there was loads more to do and see – an enchanted forest with a wishing tree, loads of food places, a kids’ area, a beach, the intoxicated tea rooms – gin in a teacup?! Yes please!
Packing up is always a sad moment, but at the same time we were all desperate for our own beds! We managed to hop on an earlier ferry back to the mainland, and waved goodbye to the Isle of Wight.
Most likely to be found at: Secret Garden Party, ATP, Latitude, Wilderness. Shop the look here.
Most likely to be found at Glastonbury, Bestival, Green Man, EOTR. Shop the look here.
Most likely to be found at Hideout, V Festival, Lovebox, Creamfields. Shop the look here.
