Best Festival Fashion: The Summer Style Circuit
Five festivals. Five locations. Five looks. From Barcelona to the Borders, here’s how to dress the part — wherever the season takes you.
From dancing under Spanish stars to sipping vinho verde in Portugal, we’ve handpicked five standout festivals for summer 2025 — each with its own mood, scene and sartorial code. Pack cleverly, dress beautifully, and prepare for your most stylish summer yet.
1. Primavera Sound – Barcelona, Spain
5–7 June 2025
Who’s Playing: Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, LCD Soundsystem, Haim, Wet Leg
Barcelona’s biggest music festival is a magnet for cool girls, indie boys and pop provocateurs. Expect sunshine, sharp street style and long, salty nights by the sea. Primavera’s crowd is as curated as its line-up — and so is the fashion.
Style Cue: Boho with a high-fashion twist. Tactile textures, fringe drama and bold graphic elements combine in a look that’s as editorial as it is dancefloor-ready. Cowboy boots and studded suede channel a carefree, vintage feel, while embellishments add a touch of wanderlust glamour.
Beauty Note: SPF setting spray, bold eyeliner, long-wear lip tint
Top Tip: A belt bag keeps your essentials close — and your hands free for dancing (or dramatic fan-fluttering).
Hood’s Primavera Edit
2. Royal Highland Show – Edinburgh, Scotland
19–22 June 2025
Who’s Going: Rural royalty, glossy girls in tweed — and the occasional Highland cow
It’s not Glasto — it’s better dressed. Scotland’s most stylish agricultural show blends equestrian glamour with artisan food, country fashion and polished pooches. Bring your Barbour — but make it fashion.
Get the look at Holland Cooper
Style Cue: Equestrian chic with polish. A tailored blazer, crisp shirt and pleated skirt are staples. Holland Cooper is the brand du jour, while Fairfax & Favor’s footwear will keep you comfy and country-cool.
Beauty Note: Dewy base, nude lipstick, low-maintenance ponytail
Top Tip: Don’t leave home without layers. Or a brolly. Or both.
Hood’s RHS EDit
3. Festival MED – Loulé, Algarve, Portugal
When: 26–30 June 2025
Who’s Playing: Carminho, Vieux Farka Touré, Queen Omega, Sílvia Pérez Cruz and more
An under-the-radar gem, Festival MED transforms the historic town of Loulé into a celebration of global sound, street food and starlit summer nights.
Style Cue: Arty nomad meets European summer chic. A white embroidered midi dress keeps things breezy and romantic, while a utility jacket adds edge. Ground the look with chunky leather sandals and a leather-straw hybrid bag.
Beauty Note: Sun-kissed skin, bronzed eyeshadow, glossed lips
Top Tip: A fan and oversized sunnies are your most stylish survival tools.
Hood’s Festival MED Edit
4. Les Rencontres d’Arles – Arles, France
When: 7 July – 5 October 2025
Who’s Exhibiting: Nan Goldin, plus On Country — a major showcase of over 200 Australian works
A world-class photography festival in the heart of Provence, Arles is more espresso-in-a-courtyard than beer-in-a-field. Expect art in cloisters, fashion in linen and cotton, and a creative buzz to rival Paris Fashion Week.
Style Cue: Structured but breezy. A puff-sleeve cotton dress in a soft neutral, suede knee boots and an easy crossbody bag strike the right balance of elegance and effortlessness.
Beauty Note: Flushed cheeks, soft bun, red lip
Top Tip: Bring a camera — you’ll want to capture everything (and be captured). Oversized sunnies essential.
Hood’s Les Rencontres d’Arles Edit
5. Borders Book Festival – Melrose, Scottish Borders
When: 13–16 June 2025
Who’s Speaking: Line-up TBC, but past guests include Ian Rankin, Michael Palin and Sally Magnusson
Set in the walled gardens of Harmony House, this one’s all about literature, lawn chairs and low-key elegance. Think Pimms, picnic rugs and that floaty dress you’ve been saving for something relaxed and romantic.
Boden Shirt, £60, and Wide Legged Jeans
Style Cue: Polished casual. A white cotton blouse, wide-leg jeans and canvas trainers keep things crisp yet comfy. Add a suede jacket for a soft, ‘70s-inspired edge.
Beauty Note: SPF-tinted moisturiser, soft blush, sheer lip
Top Tip: Melrose is charming — but sunburn is not. Bring a hat. And a cardigan. Maybe both.
Style Cue: Polished casual. A white cotton blouse, wide-leg jeans and canvas trainers keep things crisp yet comfy. Add a suede jacket for a soft, ‘70s-inspired edge.
Beauty Note: SPF-tinted moisturiser, soft blush, sheer lip
Top Tip: Melrose is charming — but sunburn is not. Bring a hat. And a cardigan. Maybe both.