Getting the most out

of a music festival

> Survival tips and tricks

Cazzy Lewchuk
Staff Writer

 

or is officially here, and
the festival season is upon
us. Whether youve taking in

a one-day outdoor concert, or
experiencing a weekend event,
music festivals are an amazing
and often unique experience.

While fun is almost
guaranteed, there are many
ways to make the experience
more enjoyable for everyone,
as well as safer, smoother,
and more efficient.

Hydrate. Perhaps the most
important and universal rule of
any outdoor event, especially in
the summer. We all need water.
Festivals often lead to things like
standing in hot sun for hours,
dancing, and consumption of
alcohol or other intoxicating
substances—all things that lead
to dehydration. Bring bottles of
water, or face buying a bottle for
$8 (and wouldn't you rather spend
that $8 on a bottle of beer?)
There’s no such thing as drinking
too much water, so do your best

  

to have it whenever possible.

Be responsible. These
festivals are often an opportunity
to cut loose and do things you
wouldn’t normally be doing.
Whether you're going drinking
with strangers, or wandering off
to an unfamiliar area, stay safe
through common sense. Make
sure someone knows where you
are at all times. Know exactly
what you are putting in your body
and how much of it. Take a break
if you ever feel dizzy or sick, and
don't hesitate to seek medical
attention if you think you need it.
The workers are there to help you
and keep you safe, not judge you.

Organize, but not firmly.
Plan your day, but don’t let the
schedule be too rigid. Figure
out when and where you have to
be for the bands you absolutely
can't miss, but also take chances.
Go to a few artists you haven't
seen before—some of my
favourite festival acts have been
people I had never heard of,
and you never know who might
make it big and end up asa
headliner in the future. And if
something doesn’t go according

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to plan, roll with it. You're
here to have fun, aren’t you?
Respect people around
you. This one should go
without saying, but it can be
easy to forget you're there with
thousands of other individuals.
Don’t touch people without
their permission and don’t
invade their personal space
either. Basically, don’t harass
anyone, and use common sense
to determine how everyone, not
just you, can have a good time.
Pack more than you think
you'll need. This especially
applies at a multi-day festival.
If you're on the fence about
bringing something, throw it
in the bag. As the old saying
goes, it’s far better to have it
and not need it than to need it
and not have it. A lot of things
come in handy at these shows,
sometimes in ways you might
not expect. You don’t have the
luxury of household items
available to you, so you may
have to MacGyver a situation.
And above all, pack wet wipes—
they’re like a portable shower.

Image via http://cdn.fashionisers.com/

 

Beach bums

> Taking a look at upcoming trends in
swimwear

cut-outs, and/or knotted or
braided details, or even some
lacing going up the side seams.
Trendy patterns and
colours are a bit more limited
than they have been in the
past. Monotone shades of
peach, teal, and black will be
prevalent; featuring limited
accent colours of either
contrasting shades (white to
black, orange to blue, etc.) or
neon. The only patterns you
should expect are a plethora of
mixed florals that will be used
to emphasize fit and cut. These
florals will generally either be
in the same colour family—
various shades of peach, for
example—or they will share a
predominant feature colour.

Brittney MacDonald
Life & Style Editor

A: the summer slowly

trickles its way in, and
the weather turns to clear
blue skies and blistering
heat, sooner or later
everyone’s thoughts wander
to the beach. But how can
you expect to ring in the
new season without a much
needed wardrobe update? To
help you out, I’ve compiled
a list of swimwear trends
youll be seeing popping up
everywhere sand meets surf.

First off, let’s address
shape. Two pieces are seeing
a comeback after last year’s
total monokini domination.

 

Instead of the traditional More relaxed fit beach
bikini top, expect to see a lot cover-ups will be SSL ay
of high neck halter styles, and This will rely heavily on

oversized, knitted sweaters,
and oversized shirts—as
opposed to last year’s
dependence on the maxi
dress. If you absolutely need
more coverage, pair these
options with loose fit shorts
or joggers to become the
epitome of casual chic.

As fun as trends are, don’t
be too glum if this season’s
line-up just isn’t your thing.
Always remember, style should
bea reflection of your personal
aesthetic, and what you feel
confident in plays a big role in
what will look the best on you.

bandeaus. This is perhaps
not the friendliest option for
bustier women, but fret not—
more athletic cropped cuts,
with wide shoulder straps or
even capped sleeves will also
be very prevalent. Bottom-
wise, you should expect to
see a lot of traditional bikini
cuts. The high-waisted retro
look will be on the decline,
instead being replaced bya
sleeker, more modernized
pairing of athletic tops with
high-waisted bottoms. Expect
to see these various styles
accented with provocative

 

Image via thinkstoct