The eternal dilemma: what do you wear to a concert or festival when you’re over 40 (or over 50 like me)?
When we’re older we definitely overthink this… what do I wear to a festival or a concert? Should I go full boho? Can I wear denim shorts with my wellies? Will I look too prim in a midi dress? As always, my advice is: a) wear what’s comfortable and practical, and b) wear whatever you damn well please!
If you want to wear the denim shorts with the sequinned jacket, then do it. And if you want to cover up with long dresses or skirts then that’s also fine. No rules, remember?
This is a paid collaboration with Very.co.uk
With that in mind, I’ve partnered with Very.co.uk to bring you my perfect capsule wardrobe that I could wear over the weekend of a festival – I chose pieces that’ll work with the rest of my wardrobe for other occasions. Win, win! The two key pieces here are the midi dress and the denim jacket – both of which can be worn for all sorts of occasions afterwards. (I’ll actually be wearing the dress to a family barbecue this weekend: if the weather doesn’t play nicely then all it needs is a sweater or the denim jacket over the top!)
So for my capsule wardrobe for a weekend away I chose…
1 x denim jacket, 2 x T-shirts, 1 x cotton trousers, 1 x ‘midaxi’ dress, 1 x hat, and 1 x crossbody bag. My thinking was that the daytime outfits would be the dress or the trousers and one of the t-shirts, with the hat and bag, of course. Then you can dress them up for the evening with jewellery, the jacket for warmth (or not if you’re lucky enough to have warm nights!) and no hat – because I’ve always been a hat-in-the-daytime kinda girl.
I’ve actually featured my evening look first… sorry to confuse issues, but I love this midi dress so much I wanted to show it off as the main feature!
All the pieces I’ve chosen are lightweight and can be packed into a small bag. Yes, the denim jacket is bulkier, but my thinking is that I’d probably be wearing that straight off the bat. The midi dress is absolutely glorious… together with these lightweight, made-for-comfort sandals (I wore them all day on their first wear and they were SO comfy) or – if the weather really isn’t kind, wellies – it’s a very pretty, very versatile dress that can be lived in all summer.
* I love me a bit of embroidery fabric *
Something to note about the dress: I switched up the neckline by tucking it under to make a V-neckline… you can then add necklaces (as I did here) and/or fancy-schmancy earrings. Once you remove the hat and the denim jacket and add some sparkle, it changes the look entirely. No one’s to say you have to wear any piece exactly as it’s ‘meant’ to be worn.
The denim jacket over the dress makes up a daytime-to-evening look. I love the sage-green colour of this jacket: it makes such a nice change from denim blue – and it works much better with my mostly warm-toned wardrobe. I know traditional blue denim goes with everything, but this faded green trumps blue in my opinion!
A crossbody bag is a wise choice for keeping valuables close to you, and I’ve added a second touch of boho (you can’t go to a festival and not have at least one nod to boho style) with the stacked bracelets. All the jewellery was already in my wardrobe, as are the sunglasses (prescription ones as I can’t see nuthin’ without my varifocals) and the not-seen wellies.
That’s the dress – here’s the daytime look with the trousers:
Again, everything works together beautifully, and 1 x dress + 2 x T-shirts (see below) effectively means outfits for three days. The balloon trousers are SUPER comfy and, being cotton, perfect if the weather warms up. I love all the warm, sludgy colours of all the pieces as a whole: as British festivals and concerts are notorious for being so often very muddy, it made sense to me to go for that sort of colour palette.
I know I’m going to get so much use out of all these pieces in spring, summer AND autumn… I’m feeling pretty smug in my choices, if I say so myself I chose somewhat wisely!
Side note: you can never have too many graphic T-shirts in your wardrobe. Whether new or vintage, men’s or women’s, they’re all great. The brown one here has gorgeous hippy vibes and the black roses one leans more rock.
Second side note: if you’re the type of person who wants to wear hats but doesn’t feel right in them, the fedora is the hat style for you. I swear to you they look good on everyone. Plus, they keep the sun off your face.
Anyway – here are a few more images with the pieces mixed and matched… enjoy!
Which piece is your favourite? And what concerts or festivals are you going to this year? Tell me in the comments…
Thanks for reading,
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Broderie midaxi dress // Denim jacket // Stripe balloon trousers // Grey roses graphic T-shirt // Brown graphic T-shirt // Flat sandals // Straw fedora hat // Raffia crossbody bag
This is a great reminder that a small capsule wardrobe can cover a whole festival weekend — the denim jacket over the midi dress is such a smart day-to-night switch. Packing everything into one small bag really resonates, since comfort matters so much at these events. Thanks for the fedora tip too, it’s a hat style I hadn’t seriously considered trying before.
Catherine, the embroidery midi dress is absolutely gorgeous, and I love your trick of tucking the neckline under to create a V-neck — such a clever way to make one piece work harder in a capsule wardrobe. The sage-green dress under the denim jacket really does nail that daytime-to-evening festival transition. I’m off to a gig next month and this has inspired me to reach for my own crossbody bag and fedora!
The capsule wardrobe approach for a festival weekend is such a smart idea – a denim jacket and a midaxi dress really do cover every eventuality, and I love the tip about tucking the neckline to create a V-neckline. Comfort is everything when you’re on your feet all day, so the flat sandals and crossbody bag choices make perfect sense. Festival dressing over 50 should absolutely be about style plus practicality!
This is a really late reply. Catherine – you look gorgeous. A real English Rose. Love how you’ve put all the gear together xxxxxx
Such a refreshing and practical guide for concert and festival fashion over 40 and 50. I love how you focused on comfort, confidence, and wearing what feels right instead of following age-based fashion rules. The mix of a midi dress, denim jacket, graphic T-shirts, cotton trousers, fedora hat, and crossbody bag feels stylish, wearable, and perfect for a weekend festival look. Thanks for sharing such inspiring outfit ideas.
This is such a refreshing take on festival and concert dressing, especially the reminder that style doesn’t have an age limit and there are no fixed “rules” anymore. The best outfits for events like these are always the ones that balance comfort with personality—something easy to move in, layer, and still feel like yourself in from day to night.
What I also like in your approach is the idea of building a small capsule wardrobe that mixes and matches. A single dress, a denim jacket, a couple of tees, and the right accessories can easily create multiple looks without overpacking or overthinking. That kind of intentional dressing is what makes travel and events feel effortless rather than stressful.
At the end of the day, whether it’s fashion or personal expression, the best choice is always the one that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and completely yourself.
Loved this refreshing take on festival fashion over 50! The outfit ideas are stylish, practical, and confidence-boosting. Your reminder to wear whatever feels comfortable and authentic is truly inspiring for women of every age.