Surviving Outside Lands like a Pro: Beauty and Fashion Edition
- Karina Rodegeb
- Aug 7, 2015
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 18, 2020
Outside Lands (OSL)-- the laidback, cool sister of music festivals both in style and atmosphere. I just so happen to be an Outside Lands fanatic, borderline pro. I’ve been hitting Golden Gate Park (GGP) for the festival since 2009 which was its second year of inception. And damn was that a good year. I went with my mom and cousin and remember laying my head on my mom’s lap during Cat Power waiting to pounce for a prime spot during The Strokes set that was next.
Those were the good ol’ days when you were sent a shirt with your ticket and there weren’t a ton of people crowding the park. But don’t mistake my nostalgia for disdain of the current state of the festival; it still kicks just as much ass as it did back then and it’s pretty awesome that the local fest is harboring fans from all over the country, and even those committed travelers from across the pond!
But with 7 consecutive Outside Lands under my belt, I’ve learned how to navigate the stages like a pro, brave the inevitable dome of fog, scout the best eats (THERE ARE SO MANY), and nail down a beauty and fashion routine to a T. I could give you a pretty solid guide to OSL in general, but alas, this article is going to be devoted to surviving OSL in style and grace. I've also included various pictures of OSL through the years; they're not in any order but enjoy anyway (LOL).
ON FASHION:
It will be chilly.
“But it’s such a nice day in the city! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I’m actually feeling great in shorts!” Sorry, but no. It does not matter what the temperature or weather is like in the rest of the city. It is totally irrelevant. You may get to GGP and it could still be warm, but a few minutes later, our beloved Karl may roll in and create a monstrous dome of gray, humid fog over the park making you look like a cold chump in cutoffs and a tank top.
My advice is to treat the festival as what a lot of tourists are told when visiting San Francisco-- be sure to layer. Sometimes it can be miserably hot at one set, especially if you are in a large crowd and the sun is actually shining. Make sure you’re wearing something you can take off so you don’t find yourself sweating up a storm when you’re gettin’ it to DJ Mustard.
Wear comfy shoes.
Look, I totally get it. I love heels. I love cute shoes. I’m not telling you to wear your running shoes to the festival because as much as a I love normcore, it's just not gonna happen. But it is not the time to wear a 4 inch heel or a brand new pair of boots/sandals/flats/etc. I remember wearing a pair of combat boots I had bought just a few days before and my feet were TO’ UP by the end of OSL. I was in so much pain walking back to the bus stop that my beloved BFF switched shoes with me (shouts out to Laur <3).
So rock a cute WORN IN pair of booties or some chucks or whatever is both stylish and comfortable to walk around in all day if fashion is more important than functionality to you!
It’s not Coachella.
I’m totally down with freedom of expression and the excitement of bacchanalia that comes along with a music festival. I’ve hit up Palm Springs to join the fashion mavens and eclectic hipsters at Coachella for three years now and the style choices there are all over the map. You can find some super cool fashion inspo at the hot fairgrounds but you also get some seriously questionable ensembles that would probably only be acceptable at a place/atmosphere like Coachella.
Outside Lands, like I said, has a super chill atmosphere that vibes with the rest of the city. You’ll look out of place with a decorated bra and flower crown (although we’re all waiting for everyone to retire those anyway) compared to the music aficionados that are there mostly for the live music and stupidly good food. Leave the Native American headdresses at the costume store where you should’ve never bought them anyway.
WHAT I’LL BE WEARING:
I know I have only a day before the first day of the festival but as per usual, I’m slackin’ on picking out my outfits but I can tell you what I’ve thought of wearing for at least one of the days: I’m thinkin’ a black t-shirt dress with a pair of low cut leather boots that are supremely roughed up and probably a utilitarian jacket for when I get cold. I’m both a Bay native and extremely sweaty person (read: sleeps with in a tank top and fan on full blast in the winter) so I’m pretty used to the weather and I prefer to dress pretty lightly and layer on. I’ll be toting a structured leather backpack or a small black purse to hold my essentials! If you can go without a bag at all (it’s hard, I admit), that’s the best way to go so you can dance easily without it getting in the way!
Outside Lands through the years. I've gone through some unfortunate beauty and fashion snafus but that's why I'm passing on the wisdom to you.
ON A BEAUTY ROUTINE:
Your hair will frizz, curl, be an annoying mess.
You’re going to be at the festival for like 12 hours day-in/day-out, not to mention any after-parties or bars you may hit after. The first few years, I fought my hardest to keep my hair straight all day but let me tell you, it’s just not gonna happen. Remember Karl the Fog I told you about? You don’t stand a chance against him. The humidity is just too much.
Try to find ways to rock your natural hair or scour Pinterest for some bangin’ up-dos. If you are absolutely dead-set on doing your hair, my best recommendation would be to go with second or even third day hair so that there is some wear and product built up to keep your strands from curling up too much or frizzing like crazy. Find a serum that works with your hair type to keep it smoothed out! Usually there’s a Garnier booth at the festival so make sure to hit that up for free product touch ups, hair braiding, hair ties, and all the other goodies to keep your tresses on point.
Less is more.
I’m a huge makeup junkie. Not only do I own every product under the rainbow, I love doing my makeup. But there is a time and place for everything and I will say that OSL isn’t the place to go full on glam. Aim for a long-wear foundation, or if you’re comfortable with it, go sans foundation! Keep it to a minimum so you don’t have to worry about the inevitable spreading that happens at the end of the day.
Waterproof everything.
If you have waterproof mascara and eyeliner, this is the time to bust it out! Whether you find yourself crying tears of joy from a musical eargasm or braving Karl, you’ll be happier and fuss-free if everything stays put!
MY ROUTINE:
I exfoliate first with my activated charcoal konjac sponge to get rid of any pesky flakes and follow that up with some witch hazel to act as a toner. Then I spray on my Glossier Rosewater Facial Mist for a refreshing prep. I like to be super moisturized because I have had pretty dry skin as of late so I layer on my Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré.
A primer is a must if you want everything to stay in place all day so I first put on my Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser all over and Smashbox Pore Minimizing Primer in my T-Zone. For my face, I’ll probably be using my new Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint and a little bit of concealer, setting it with some banana powder wherever I put the concealer. I’m probably going to go simple on the eyes with a bronzer in my crease and maybe some liquid eyeliner flicked out into my signature wing, topped off with some feathery lashes using my Tarte Gifted Mascara!
To ensure everything stays put, I’ll spray my Mac Fix+ all over and finally a spritz of the always-trusty Model in a Bottle. I also like to throw a few of my key makeup products into my backpack for touch ups throughout the day if needed, and my recommendation would be to bring oil blotting tissues if you have some!
I swear you'll make some of the best memories you'll ever have at Outside Lands if you make the most of it. Make sure you're not spending your whole weekend uncomfortable because of an outfit or a makeup meltdown. Remember it's all about the music (and the food)! Happy OSL 2015 B Words!
BONUS: Here are some of the artists I'm looking forward to this weekend.
- Wilco
- Glass Animals
- Wolf Alice
- G-Eazy
- Caribou
- DJ Mustard
- Sky Ferreira
- SZA
- Billy Idol
- AND OF COURSE Elton John
(this is a very very condensed list of who I wanna see!)
Are there any artists that I should go to?! Leave me a comment!
BONUS BONUS: Food I'm looking forward to.
- Malaysian Nachos
- Spicy Tater Tots
- Ahi Poke
- Guittard Hot Chocolate and Housemade Marshmallow
- Chimichurri Fries
- SO MUCH MORE. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF OUTSIDE LANDS.
Hope to see you at OSL! Make sure you're following the B Word instagram to stay up to date, find us at the festival, or live vicariously if you can't make it this year (@bwordlifestyle, or follow the link above)! xx
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