Festival outfits – 5 best looks for open-air-festivals and barbecue parties

I’ve always had a tough time bidding farewell to summer and its relaxed holiday spirit. Fortunately, the change of season and the return back home means lots of open-air festivals, social occasions and catching up with friends around the barbecue. Which brings on my mind the topic of festival outfits!

Since moving past the age of attending Coachella-type festivals, I’ve become a true fan of jazz, theatre, and movie festivals. This year, I’ve already been to the Zug Jazz Festival, Zurich Theater Spektakel, and I am planning to go to the Summer Festival of Lucerne. The latter lasts almost four weeks and gathers music groups from around the globe. Finally, I am a big fan of the Zurich Film Festival, which promotes emerging filmmakers from all over the world. Besides the festivals, we like to organise dinners with friends and barbecues so the kids can play while the parents enjoy the last warm evenings outside. These are actually some of my favourite times of the year!

With such a bounty of social occasions coming up, I’ve already started planning what to wear, as I don’t want to complicate things last-minute. Festival outfits are not as easy as daily wear. To some extent you want to dress up, but also look a little nonchalant and bohemian. You need to also consider that at the end of summer the nights can become chilly and you need something on top of your dress or t-shirt.   

For starters, I like to keep wearing my summer clothes a bit longer, so I only add a few layers on top in case it gets too chilly in the air-conditioned cinema or late in the night by the lake. I like adding here and there a pair of suede boots, a linen blazer, and a comfortable, oversized pully. I love pairing my jeans or leather pants with a see-through trench. More on that soon, but today I’ll share with you my favourite end-of-summer barbecue and open-air party looks!

ALL BLACK or ART MEETS FASHION 

When it comes to Jazz Music and open air festival outfits I love something more imaginative and graphic to wear, in other words something jazzy. It just feels so right for the atmosphere. The satin blazer my friend Kathy from Style Etc. chose for our night out is from Max Mara and it is one of my favourites, because it is both powerful and provocative. She paired it with faux-leather white trousers.

I, on the other hand, am wearing an all-black outfit. My dress is made of techno fabric with beading details on the straps. I’ve paired the dress with black leather pants and a pair of killer high-heels.

HEAD TO TOE DENIM

Another look I chose for the end of summer festivals is all denim. A jacket from the coveted Australian Brand Ksubi, available at Globus Zurich  

and a pair of multicolor paint-splatter jeans from Simon Miller.

Romantic KNIT DRESSES for Sunday parties around the barbecue

Once the school holidays are over and everyone is back, it feels like we want to hold on to those holidays emotions for a little longer. It has become almost a habit to invite people over for long Sunday barbecues to tell stories from the summer and share experiences with each other. My favourite look for such backyard parties is a knit dress, which seems perfect especially when the weather requires warmer clothes.

The dress I am wearing is COS, very easy to throw on when you are late with your preparations and the guests are already ringing the doorbell.

THE EVENING All or Nothing DRESS

There are many occasions to wear evening dress in September! Of course nowadays very few people choose to wear formal clothes, but I am still having that mindset that once in a while it’s good to treat yourself with something really special like this dress from MAX MARA!

Finally I want to thank MAX MARA, MAISON DE BOER LUZERN AND GLOBUS for letting me choose from their amazing store selection and make this editorial possible!

Photography by OtherWise Photography