What to wear to We Are FSTVL: Upminster sits at 18°C (64°F) by day and 10°C (50°F) at night in May, on open field, with a moderate chance of rain. That means a light base with one warm layer you can carry, broken-in boots or sturdy trainers, and a bag small enough for the gate rules. The crowd leans rave, house and glam, so anything that survives the day reads as right.
We Are FSTVL Outfits: What to Wear
The complete style guide to We Are FSTVL in Upminster, United Kingdom. 18°C (64°F) by day, 10°C (50°F) at night, on open field.
15-16 May (exp.)Next edition
18°C / 10°CDay / night
open fieldGround
NoCamping
40,000Crowd
Original photography by Festival Style Guide showing the conditions this kind of festival is dressed for. A photo specific to We Are FSTVL is on the way.
More about We Are FSTVL: the festival, the crowd and the conditions
We Are FSTVL takes place in Upminster, Essex, United Kingdom, usually in May, British spring. It is a 40,000-capacity festival, running 2 days across open field with no camping on site.
Days sit around 18°C (64°F) and nights fall to 10°C (50°F), a 8-degree swing that most first-timers underestimate. Rain is a realistic possibility on at least one day.
Below: the 10 outfits that work best at We Are FSTVL, what the crowd actually wears, and the practical rules, bag size, footwear, night layers. That decide whether the outfit survives the weekend.
Ranked for this festival
The 10 best outfits for We Are FSTVL
May weather, open field, and the rave / house crowd. Every look is shoppable.
Look 01
Mesh & Muscle Mid-range
Sheer mesh, harness, shorts. Built for a sweaty tent, not a photo op.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (rave and house), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. At 18°C (64°F) this needs a real layer underneath. Thermal base, not just a jacket. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Topsmesh long sleeve or harness shop
- Shortsshort shorts shop
- Sneakerschunky trainers or boots shop
- Glitterbody glitter shop
- Jewellerychain necklace shop
- Bagsbelt bag shop
Look 02
Corset Drama Investment piece
Structured top, soft bottom. The silhouette that owns every front row.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (glam and y2k), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Topscorset or bustier shop
- Shortstulle skirt or wide cargos shop
- Bootslace-up platform boots shop
- Jewellerylayered chokers shop
- Makeupgraphic liner shop
- Bagsmini shoulder bag shop
Look 03
Y2K Revival Budget-friendly
Low-rise, baby tee, butterfly clips. 2003 with better sunscreen.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (y2k and rave), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Topsbaby tee or halter top shop
- Shortslow-rise cargo or micro mini shop
- Sneakerschunky retro trainers shop
- Sunglassestiny tinted shield sunglasses shop
- Hairbutterfly clips and mini braids shop
- Bagsbaguette shoulder bag shop
Look 04
Sequin After Dark Investment piece
One high-shine piece plus practical everything else. The night-set formula.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (glam and house), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Dressessequin mini dress shop
- Jacketsfaux fur or bomber for later shop
- Bootsknee-high boots shop
- Bagscrossbody with zip shop
- Jewellerycrystal earrings shop
- Glitterface gems shop
Look 05
Cyber Fairy Mid-range
Chrome, iridescence and wings. The most photographed look at any night stage.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (rave), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Raveholographic bodysuit shop
- Costumefairy wings or light-up halo shop
- Sneakersplatform boots shop
- Glitterchrome face gems shop
- Jewellerybody chain shop
- Makeupsetting spray that survives sweat shop
Look 06
Neon Rave Budget-friendly
UV-reactive everything, so you still read as a person at 4am under the lasers.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (rave), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- RaveUV-reactive bikini top or bodysuit shop
- Shortsneon shorts or mesh skirt shop
- Sneakerschunky white trainers shop
- Glitterbiodegradable glitter and face gems shop
- Jewellerykandi bracelets shop
- Hairneon braids or space buns shop
Look 07
Glam Disco Investment piece
Sequins, flares and a metallic that catches every light rig.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (glam and house), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Co-ordssequin co-ord or jumpsuit shop
- Shortsmetallic flares shop
- Bootsplatform boots shop
- Sunglassesoversized 70s frames shop
- Jewellerychunky gold hoops shop
- Makeupshimmer highlighter shop
Look 08
Kandi Raver Budget-friendly
PLUR in outfit form: beads up both arms, fluffies on the boots.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (rave), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Ravesequin or reflective bra top shop
- Shortshigh-waist rave shorts shop
- Bootsplatform boots with leg fluffies shop
- Jewellerykandi cuffs to trade shop
- Glittergems and glitter shop
- Haircoloured braids or wig shop
Look 09
Jorts & Tank Budget-friendly
The masc summer default that actually survives 34°C: jorts, tank, cap.
It speaks the same language as the line-up (house), so you read as part of the crowd rather than a visitor. Survives a churned-up field without you thinking about it. At 18°C (64°F) this needs a real layer underneath. Thermal base, not just a jacket. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Shortsdenim jorts shop
- Topsribbed tank or open camp shirt shop
- Sneakerscanvas or retro runners shop
- Hatscap or bucket hat shop
- Sunglassessport shades shop
- Earplugsreusable earplugs shop
Look 10
Camp Utility Mid-range
Built for five days in a tent: pockets, layers, and nothing dry-clean.
It is the outlier pick here, which is exactly why it photographs well against We Are FSTVL's usual crowd. Survives a churned-up field without you thinking about it. Nights drop to 10°C (50°F). Add the outer layer to your bag, not your tent.
- Shortscargo trousers with real pockets shop
- Topsmoisture-wicking tee shop
- Jacketspackable windbreaker shop
- Bootsbroken-in boots shop
- Campingheadtorch and power bank shop
- Earplugsearplugs and eye mask shop
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We Are FSTVL dates to 2030
Expected dates come from the pattern this festival follows; confirmed dates come from the organiser. Check the official site before booking.
| Year | Dates | Status | Outfit guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15-16 May 2026 | expected | 2026 outfits |
| 2027 | 21-22 May 2027 | expected | 2027 outfits |
| 2028 | 19-20 May 2028 | expected | outfit guide |
| 2029 | 18-19 May 2029 | expected | outfit guide |
| 2030 | 17-18 May 2030 | expected | outfit guide |
The dress code, decoded
The dominant aesthetics at We Are FSTVL are rave wear, house, high glam and Y2K revival. That is the visual language of the site, the stages, the merch, the crowd photos, and outfits that speak it look intentional rather than borrowed.
There is no enforced dress code. What the crowd rewards is a look that survives 2 days of open field without you having to protect it.
What people actually wear: one good layer over a light base, because the temperature halves after sunset.
May weather at We Are FSTVL
| Typical daytime high | 18°C (64°F) |
|---|---|
| Typical night low | 10°C (50°F) |
| Day–night swing | 8°C (14°F) |
| Rain risk | Moderate |
| Ground | Grass that turns to mud |
| Sun exposure | High during the day, no shade at the main stages |
What shoes to wear
Best option here: Broken-in boots or sturdy trainers.
Avoid: brand-new shoes, heels, and anything you have not walked 10 kilometres in.
You will walk between 15.000 and 30.000 steps a day at a festival of this size. Footwear is the only part of a festival outfit that can genuinely end your weekend, so it is the one place to spend money and break things in beforehand.
After dark
Once the sun goes down it drops to 10°C (50°F). The standard solution is a layer that lives in your bag all day: an oversized shirt, a light puffer or a fleece. If you are travelling back into town, factor in standing at a shuttle stop or station in that temperature for half an hour.
Rules that catch people out
- Bag size. Most festivals of this size cap bags at roughly A4 or require a clear bag at the main stages. A belt bag plus a small crossbody clears almost every policy. Check the official rules before you buy anything bigger.
- Chains and studs. Long chains, spikes and metal-heavy accessories are refused at some gates. If a piece is central to the look, have a backup.
- Glitter. Biodegradable only at a growing number of festivals; plastic glitter is banned outright at several. It is also, practically, the hardest thing to remove from a tent.
- No camping. You are travelling in and out each day, so the outfit has to survive public transport at both ends, and a cloakroom is not guaranteed.
What not to wear to We Are FSTVL
- Heels of any kind. Grass, gravel and crowd crush. Platform boots give the height with a surface area that works.
- Your good bag. Beer, mud, being sat on. Take the one you would not mind losing, with a zip.
Packing checklist
- Two tops per day (one gets ruined)
- One layer for the night
- Earplugs
- Refillable water bottle
- Portable charger
- Sun cream or SPF stick
- Baby wipes
- A bag with a zip
Frequently asked questions
Start with the weather: 18°C (64°F) by day, 10°C (50°F) at night, moderate rain risk, on open field. That points to a light base with one warm layer you can carry, plus broken-in trainers or boots. Style-wise the crowd leans rave wear, house and high glam.
Typical night lows are around 10°C (50°F), a drop of 8 degrees from the daytime high. That is cold enough to end your night early if you have nothing with sleeves.
Broken-in boots or sturdy trainers. Expect 15.000–30.000 steps a day.
No formal dress code. Wear what survives the day; the crowd is broad and nobody is checking.
Festivals this size usually limit bags to around A4 size, and some require clear bags at main stages. A belt bag plus a small zipped crossbody clears almost every policy. Always check the official rules for the current edition. They change year to year.
The reliable formula here is a tee, a light overshirt and broken-in trainers, with a beanie and a small crossbody bag. See the full list of men's outfits below.
Yes, but bring biodegradable glitter. Plastic glitter is banned at a growing number of festivals and is close to impossible to get out of a tent, a car or your hair. Face gems are the lower-effort alternative and survive sweat better.
We Are FSTVL normally takes place in May, running 2 days in Upminster. Exact dates are announced by the organisers each year at wearefstvl.com. Check there before booking anything.
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