I have never really subscribed to the idea of ‘festival fashion’ as a responsibility to wear something outlandish, and the more festivals I attend the truer that becomes. There is real value in the escapism of a festival and how they can lend themselves to stepping outside a comfort zone, but I prefer to go for pieces that I can easily wear again.

With that in mind I packed for Nos Alive the same way I would pack for a trip to Lisbon sans festival; the bands don’t really kick off until about 6pm each day and Lisbon in July almost guarantees good weather, so I wanted clothes that would suit exploring the city as well as the festival site. Nos is a different European festival experience than Roskilde, for example, because it is a 15 minute cab or 30 minute metro journey outside of Lisbon itself, meaning locals can stay at home and punters like me can combine the festival with a city break.

I picked up this skirt in Topshop the day before I flew out but it is surely going to become a wardrobe staple right up until it’s too cold for bare legs again. Here I paired it with a sweet gingham top and festival-favourite, slightly battered black Converse, and a denim jacket as the breeze from the sea can get chilly in the evening.

My highlights of Nos Alive included Phoenix, The XX, Rhye, Savages, Depeche Mode, a total absence of mud, a €4 seitan sandwich, visiting the off-site doggy day-care where festival goers can leave their dogs and go enjoy the music (yep really), and skipping out on the Foo Fighters in favour of ‘PARK’ a rooftop bar on a car park with a beautiful view of the city.

Top – Primark*
Skirt – Topshop
Shoes – Converse

Photos by Tom Connick