Filthy to Fabulous: Freshen Up Your Festival 'Fits This Summer
Written by Key Contributor Bradley
For me, switching on the TV is a rare occasion, and it’s an even rarer one that when I do, I don’t see the bold red letters of Netflix but the standard channels instead. It’s something that I, like many, stopped doing during 2020 when we were bombarded with news and themed programming surrounding the pandemic.
Landing on the news I saw that the segment was about changes at the most recent Glastonbury Festival, which stopped me in my tracks.
It said something along the lines of Gone are the days of bathing in mud being the only kind of bathing done at the festival, with the event now boasting many facilities, including pop-up hairdressing and beauty salons!
The pop-up salons opened for bookings back in March with demand being so high to get a slot that the website crashed – which I am sure is a familiar feeling to those who had managed to secure tickets!
The queues for this service at the festival were around 3 hours long, which got me thinking, times have changed and with them our priorities; hair and our overall look are important – there is no question of it. Festival goers want to look their best and get photos at the event which they’re happy with to commemorate the event on social media.
British festivals are renowned for being muddy, you expect to get end up looking a bit dishevelled and to some degree that is part of the fun; Glastonbury, in particular, is one which prides itself on being a bit more bohemian; with a lot of hippie rootage. Its also known for being muddy, wet and a bit wild with the unreliable British summertime. One thing is for sure though, our festival looks are now undoubtedly important to us and the look begins from the crown down.
So, if you’re heading to a festival this summer, here are some quick looks that you can create using your wigs and hairpieces yourself and beat those pop-up salon queues. After all, less time queuing means more time dancing!
Hippie Headwear
If you’re really looking to save time and stay chic, we recommend grabbing headwear, headbands, or turbans to really bring your vibe to life! The beauty of items from the Christine Headwear range is that not only are the patterns bang on the money in creating those bohemian or hippie looks but the pieces can really be worn however you choose! Christine’s Ribbons work great to plait together and wear around the hair without a turban; it short, get playful and bring your look to life.
Half-Up Space Buns
This has been a staple at festivals like Coachella for the past couple of years; and is a great style to customise with accessories or that party staple: glitter!
Split the hair into four sections, like a hot cross bun across the back of the head; then let the lower two sections fall, keeping the two upper sections in ponytails that fall to the side of your head (think Baby Spice) and begin backcombing these. Twist these sections of hair and begin to wrap them around themselves into two separate buns before securing them.
Braids
There are many types of braids but the one we’ve seen a lot of this summer is the Dutch braid.
The beauty of this one is that you’ll be able to take your hair into three large sections, which won’t result in a crimpled look the next day when you take it out! (Larger plaits equal larger waves).
When working with a wig or hairpiece, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t pull the hair too tightly as to end up exposing the edge of the wig’s foundation. Simply loosen this area and add a more natural look by tugging pieces of hair back out of the braid to give the illusion of baby hair.
Our favourite thing about this style is its ability to take you from festival day 1 into day 2 with ease if working with human hair; just undo the braids on the second day to reveal beautiful, tousled locks, add some salt spray and separate pieces with your fingers and get dancing!
Tousled Hair
We mentioned tousled locks before, and this really is the key for the festival season. No matter the length of your hair, festival hair is all about texture and effortlessly undone hair is the goal. Whether you’re working with a high-heat synthetic, synthetic, or human hair piece, you’ll want to use a product that adds a little grit to the hair which stops it from looking too polished. Salt sprays, dry waxes and dry shampoos can be used on all types of wig or hairpieces and will give the desired look without making hair crispy. Simply pick at the hair, rubbing it between your fingers to add a fuzzier texture that looks lived in.
