It can be hard to resist the urge to buy something new for an event, especially one that feels as universally attended as Laneway festival. Logging online rarely makes it easier. If your TikTok For You page looks anything like ours at the moment, you’re flooded with ‘What are we wearing to Laneway?’ videos and outfit clips.
A rummage in your wardrobe pre-festival can add to the disenchantment – you don’t have jorts, you don’t own a bright green top that says ‘Brat’ and you don’t have the right style of Cowboy boot to endure hours of dancing.
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Some people start by looking for secondhand finds on pre-loved sites or by digging through the racks at op shops. Others outsource, raiding their siblings’ and housemates’ wardrobes for something new and fun to wear. But many of us still fall into the trap of buying new.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with buying new clothing. When done well, it supports local Australian designers and adds building blocks to your wardrobe that you can lean on for years to come. But when done impulsively, it can feed into an unhealthy pattern of overconsumption.
We put the call out to Fashion Journal followers on Instagram to see what people were planning for Melbourne’s Laneway festival and while 75 per cent of people said they weren’t buying anything new to wear, 11 per cent said they were. 14 per cent landed somewhere in the middle, responding that they were wearing both old and new pieces.
Tahlia*, 29, she/ her
I’m wearing a sheer polka dot miniskirt and a micro T-shirt with knee-high boots. All are pieces I’m re-wearing. The skirt is from Ownley, the T-shirt is from Uniqlo and the boots are from Bellini. There is so much extra pressure on TikTok and other social media platforms to have the best outfits. It’s sad that people don’t automatically think to go through their own wardrobes to find old pieces or find new ways to style their own clothes.
Emily*, 25, she/her
I’m wearing a skirt I made out of dead-stock fabrics (especially for Laneway), a tank top I already owned and platform boots I’ve worn to festivals for years! Everyone feels pressure to buy new clothes for events, which is why I turn to my design skills to soothe the urge to spend and over-consume.
Wearing clothing that I made for a festival helps me enjoy my experience more. I love seeing the creativity in everyone’s outfits and knowing my look will be uniquely mine is very important to me. Along with wearing tried and true pieces like my platform boots, I’m excited to be comfortable all day and feel good in my outfit.
Priya*, 29, she/her
I’m wearing a pair of big boots to see over the crowds, comfy jorts and a funky top. I bought these knee-high Ganni boots on Depop a few months ago but I’m re-wearing everything else. I love supporting local, and there’s this Perth label called Hickey Hardware that I really love. I have this beautiful breezy one-shoulder wrap top that I have worn over and over again.
I used to feel a lot more pressure to buy new clothes for events, but I feel it less so as I get older. I’ve made a conscious effort to work with what I have and to be more conscious of what I add to my wardrobe. Personal style is an exercise in getting to know yourself and while you can draw inspiration from other people online, I think the real and hard work is done offline. I just don’t think that can be done when you’re participating in online trends and constantly pressured to know the shoe of the summer. What is the shoe of your life? That is the question.
Amber*, 22, she/her
I honestly haven’t decided what I’m going to wear. I’m just going to choose whatever I feel best in on the day – I didn’t even know we were all planning outfits until I saw countless reels about it. I’ll definitely be wearing secondhand, seeing as 90 per cent of my wardrobe is already from op shops or friends. The only thing I want to buy is some rhinestones for my face and maybe some hair tinsel for fun.
I do feel pressure to buy new clothes for events, especially when people I follow are asking for recommendations on what to get – it makes me think, ‘Oh, I didn’t know I had to do that, maybe I should be buying a new outfit’.
Grace*, 24, she/her
I’m wearing a lacy singlet from Out of the Closet Vintage and suit-style cargo shorts that I thrifted from Lost and Found. The cap and shoes I already own.
Nikki*, 21, she/they
I’m wearing brown knee-high boots, a deer print miniskirt and a butter yellow tube top with matching deer on it. All the clothes are secondhand from the label Omighty. I thrifted the shoes a while back and thrifted a matching brown leather fanny pack. While I did buy clothes for Laneway (I went to the Sydney show last weekend), I’ve already re-worn them plenty of times.
I definitely feel pressured to buy new clothes, even if it’s secondhand. I’m surprised how long Brat green has lasted, however, I’ve never seen the pieces worn outside of brat-themed events or online. I didn’t buy into it because I saw it as a microtrend but it seems to have outlasted Barbie pink.
Julia*, 35, she/her
I have a combination of vintage and new clothes. I’m planning on wearing my Alias Mae Ebony boots so no one stands on my feet, a miniskirt, a vintage T-shirt stolen from my mum’s wardrobe, vintage Mui Mui sunglasses and my heart-shaped leather purse (which I’ve had for 20 years). And importantly, I’ll be bringing my Millstream Gardens natural sunblock.
Kate*, 21, she/her
I’m wearing my go-to Jaded London parachute shorts, a long-sleeve lace top from Sister Studios and my classic Doc Martens. My accessories are either thrifted from op shops, passed down from my mum, or from Exhibit A. I’m re-wearing all my pieces! My shorts are a summer staple, perfect for comfort and preventing chafing as a plus-size girl. My lace top from Sister Studios has been in my wardrobe for years and my Docs have been with me since I was a teenager. My accessories are either thrifted, inherited or from small businesses.
I think a lot of people feel that pressure to buy new. Consumerism is really affecting our generation but thankfully, many people are turning to thrift, op shops and small businesses instead of fast fashion. I try to buy pieces that I can wear multiple times and style in different ways rather than purchasing something just for one event. Festival fashion can be overwhelming but I think it’s important to prioritise comfort and sustainability.
Antoinette*, 30, she/her
I’m wearing vintage denim cut-offs with a studded belt, a black top from Oats the Label, Adidas superstars and a Prada shoulder bag. I bought the denim shorts especially for Laneway but they’re vintage Levi’s from Goodbyes and only cost $40. I’m wearing an Oats top I bought in December and wear a lot. The Adidas shoes and Prada bag I’ve had for years.
It’s so hard to resist the capitalist urge to buy a new outfit! The pressure of being photographed at these events in particular makes me want to wear something fresh.
Oona*, 20, she/her
I’m planning to wear a top that I upcycled from an op shop top and a skirt made from fabric sourced from an op shop. At this stage, I think I’ll pair that with Docs that I bought on Facebook Marketplace. I prefer upcycling from thrifted pieces over buying clothing brand-new. It frustrates me when other people say they have to wear an entirely new outfit, it’s so unnecessary.
Emma*, 23, she/her
I went to Laneway in Sydney and I wore a white nightie with a plaid button-up over the top, my cowboy boots and a cap. I bought the dress secondhand in Italy (and I did a sewing job on it to make it fit better). The button-up was my boyfriend’s, the cowboy boots were secondhand from my dad’s vintage store and I got my trusty cap from an art exhibition.
I don’t feel a societal pressure to buy new but these kinds of occasions feel like fun opportunities to wear something cute and exciting, and that you might not wear otherwise. However, I always leave these things too late to be able to buy new items anyway, so I end up bumming it and just going with my tried and true own items.
Sadaf*, 25, she/her
I’m going to wear a black oversized denim jacket, a dark grey oversized T-shirt with Brat green graphic print, a black pleated miniskirt and black sneakers. I bought the T-shirt, thrifted and upcycled the black pleated skirt and the sneakers and jacket are being re-worn (for the 1000th time!). I usually resist the urge to buy something but a new outfit has been a long time coming, and I kept my personal style in mind when buying so that I can keep the pieces in my everyday wardrobe.
*Names have been changed for privacy.
For more on sustainably refreshing your wardrobe, try this.
This article Old, new and borrowed: FJ readers share what they’re wearing to Laneway festival appeared first on Fashion Journal.
2025-02-13 05:19:00
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