Outdoor music festivals can be really amazing experiences. They can also be SUPER hot! I’ve attended Watershed, a country music concert in central Washington, for the last two years. Trying to figure out what to pack the first year was really difficult. I learned during year one that there’s a festival style that combines comfort in the summer heat, with fashionable, light clothing and just the right amount of accessories. If you’re working what to wear to a summer music festival, check out the outfits I chose for Watershed 2017.
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Day One
For day 1 of Watershed Fest, Joey went patriotic and I stuck with a summer desert theme. Both of us made sure to keep cool. Joey found this shirt at Bass Pro Shops last year, and cut off the sleeves on Day 1 of this weekend. There was no music on the first day, so we stuck to drinks and dance parties at our own campsite.
Day Two
Who says the guys are limited to American flag gear?! Not I. Apparently Target has already stopped selling this exact tank, which I only bought a couple of months ago. But any stars and stripes tank will be just fine for a summer music festival!
Also keep in mind that your festival may require you to wear wrist bands, so any bracelet jewelry may not look the way you expect.
Similar flag tank | Lipstick is Pink Champagne, Lipsense by Krysta Hulse
Have you ever used Lipsense? It’s AMAZING, and really does last all day. This was my first color and a full review will be coming soon.
This stars and stripes tank + a pair of shorts were perfect for watching the first official night of music. I’m positive that the Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in Washington to watch a concert. I have a zip-up picnic blanket that folds into itself with a carrying handle. I brought that to the lawn and we sat up top to enjoy the music, view and fascinating people watching on the first night of concerts.
Day Three
For day 3 of Watershed Fest, I kept it simple. I found this tank this summer at Target (are you seeing a pattern that indicates I went a little crazy in the tank top section with my “fun” clothing budget one day at Target?). It has lace-up sides. However, the lace-ups were pretty subtle, so a plain black tank would work just fine. The hot air balloon necklace is a few years old and I couldn’t find a comparable style, but any long pendant will do. Kendra Scott is my go-to for pendants and the Rayne pendant was my other option for this outfit, but I wore it on day 1 and figured I should use the accessories I packed instead of repeating them. During the day, I wore plain white flip flops. At night, I wore the Mossimo black buckle sandals featured below.
Day Four
On Day 4 I picked this pineapple tank that I got at the Earth Day Bloggers Closet Sale. It was awesome! I received multiple compliments on it, which is saying a lot, because multiple people in our group were dressed rather… creatively. I’m surprised anyone at all noticed there was a pineapple on my shirt.
I was also stoked that I liked my outfit so much, because I got meet and greet passes to meet the guys of LANCO! LANCO’s most popular song right now is Greatest Love Story. Not only are they super talented, they were incredibly nice!! I once got to meet Lance Bass and I was wearing a HORRIBLE college turtle neck with subpar makeup. So now, when I meet celebrities in outfits I like, I appreciate it even more haha.

I bought this exact $9.99 H&M cross body in Denver to go hiking and it has proven to be one of the most useful bags I’ve ever owned! I highly recommend it!
I had a few other shirts packed, of course, but didn’t wear them. On the morning of Day 5, when we cleaned up and went home, I wore a plain t-shirt, but other than that, I think I spent my entire waking hours in a tank top because it was warm from the moment I woke up. I would suggest packing extra shirts just in case you get too sweaty in one, or spill a drink all down the front of it (Klutzy people unite!). Shirts take up such little room that it’s easy to keep your outfits fresh while keeping a smaller amount of pants/shorts in your bag.
Don’t Forget to Also Pack:
Tons of water
Sunblock (Like I’ve told you before, this one is my favorite)
A waterproof picnic blanket or big beach towels
Multiple pairs of Sunglasses as they will disappear and reappear throughout the weekend
A phone charger – You’ll be taking tons of photos!
Pajamas – Sometimes when I’m focused on cute day time clothes, I forget I need some sweats and a comfy tee to sleep in!
Shower shoes and a waterproof bag for your shower supplies – I wore plain plastic flip flops and used a ziplock bag to carry around my shampoo, conditioner, soap, tooth brush/paste and deodorant. Make sure to check out the details of the shower situation before you go to a music festival. Sometimes you may need change, or it may be worth a campsite upgrade to get the nicer showers.
A sweater for night-time. Even though it may be sweltering during the day, when the sun goes down the temperature could really drop. Also, sometimes your body just doesn’t acclimate or if you accidentally got a sunburn you’ll really feel the temperature difference. It’s worth the space it will take up to have a hoodie in your bag just in case.
What’s your favorite outdoor music festival? Live music is such a blast, and I love hearing what other people enjoy!