Sorting out mens festival outfits is one of those jobs that always gets left to the last minute. The tickets are bought, the crew chat is popping off, and then three days out someone asks “what are you wearing?” and the answer is a shrug. This guide fixes that. We’ll run through what guys actually wear to festivals in New Zealand, how to build an outfit for a bush doof versus a big commercial festival versus a freezing winter rave, and the gear that makes a weekend on the paddock a whole lot more comfortable. As always, Ravers Co is proud to bring you the best and latest in festival wear, and everything linked here is in our Men’s Clothing range.
What Do Guys Actually Wear To Festivals?
The honest answer: whatever you want. Festivals are the one place where the usual rules are off, and the fellas who commit to a look always have a better weekend than the ones standing at the edge in a plain tee wishing they’d brought something. But if you want a formula, here’s the one we’d give you:
- A statement piece – a printed shirt, a mesh top, a cloak, a harness, a wild jacket. One thing that does the talking.
- Comfortable bottoms – shorts or lightweight pants you can dance in for eight hours. Pockets are worth their weight in gold.
- A warm layer for the night – New Zealand does not care that it’s February. When the sun drops on the paddock, the temperature drops with it. A hoodie, a cloak or a faux fur coat earns its spot in the bag every single time.
- Broken-in footwear – never new shoes. Your feet are doing a marathon this weekend.
Get those four sorted and you’re already ahead of most of the campsite. Now let’s tune it for the kind of festival you’re heading to.
Mens Festival Outfits By Festival Type
Summer Festivals And Bush Doofs
Daytime is all about staying cool and not getting cooked. The NZ sun is brutal, so think breathable: a mesh shirt or an open printed shirt, shorts, a hat and sunnies. Mesh is the doof uniform for a reason – it moves, it breathes, and it looks unreal under stage lighting. Our Latex Mesh Shirt and the Rainbow Raver Mesh Shirt are both crowd favourites. Then when the sun goes down, layer up with a hoodie or cloak and keep dancing. If you like a bit of hardware with your look, a chest harness over a mesh top or bare chest is a classic doof combination.
Big Festivals And Multi-Day Campers
For the big multi-day events you want outfits, plural, and at least one of them needs to survive rain, mud and a night that goes till sunrise. Pack one look per day plus a spare, and make the layers do double duty – the windbreaker that goes over your day outfit is the same one that saves you at 2am. Sequin pants are a big-festival favourite because they go with everything and catch every light on the site. Have a look at the Silver Sequin Pants if you want a pair that gets comments all weekend.
Winter Festival Outfits For Men
Winter events are where the good gear separates from the costume-shop stuff. You want real warmth that still looks the part: lined cloaks, heavy hoodies, faux fur, and a onesie for the campsite that you will absolutely end up wearing to the dancefloor at least once. Nobody has ever regretted bringing the warm layer to a winter gig. Plenty more options in our Hoodies & Jumpers and Coats & Jackets ranges.
Mens Festival Shirts And Hoodies
A good festival shirt is the easiest single upgrade you can make. Our mens festival shirts range runs from subtle psychedelic prints through to full sensory overload, so there’s something whether you’re dipping a toe in or diving all the way down the rabbit hole.
For the cooler hours, our black printed hoodies are the workhorse of the range. People discovered long ago the light attracting properties of darker materials, and when the days get shorter you’ll be glad of it. Throw on a high quality cotton hoodie and draw the sun’s energy where it’s needed. With detailed, well thought out artwork you’ll find a design that resonates with your soul – choose between Psychedelic Mushroom Eyes, Psychedelic Mushroom DNA, Psychedelic Mushroom Alien, Psychedelic Mushroom Zen and the Psychedelic Cosmic Wizard.
Psychedelic Hooded Cloaks
There is nothing quite like a comfortable, lined, hooded cloak to snuggle into on a cold night on the paddock. Bring a vibrant bit of colour wherever you find yourself, day or night. Stunningly digitally printed on polyester fabric with berber fleece lining, and we’ve expanded this range due to popularity – there are 8 wonderfully distinct designs to choose from, including Psychedelic Magic Shroom, Psychedelic Fungus, Psychedelic Shroom Dream, Psychedelic Fungi Dream, Psychedelic Mushroom, Psychedelic Paisley, Psychedelic Purple Mushroom and the Psychedelic Dream Cloak. All available in sizes S through 5XL.
Jackets And Windbreakers
Make sure you’re hard to lose on the dancefloor with one of our Holographic Windbreakers. This metallic jacket creates a shiny look that stands out from the crowd, and pairs beautifully with sequin pants, leather pants or ripped jeans for that dystopian neon Mad Max style. Made from a lightweight, breathable polyester with a large hood for comfort, in white, light green, blue and grey. It also happens to be a genuinely useful wind layer when the weather turns, which at a New Zealand festival is a matter of when, not if.
The Campsite Hero: Onesies
Everyone loves a unicorn, but a lot of the unicorn outfits on the market are very pink focused. Not that there’s anything wrong with pink – we’ve just sorted the gap in the market with our dark galaxy unicorn onesies. Made from a cloud-like soft material, these are a treat for the eyes and a sensory delight to wear. Amazing to throw on on a chilly morning, offering therapeutic levels of comfort to the wearer and anyone lucky enough to get a hug off you. Browse the full Onesies range for more colourways.
Dark Galaxy Unicorn Onesie
Stay cozy from the last set ’til sunrise. This ultra-soft cotton unicorn onesie is your uniform for chilly festival mornings and late-night adventures. Unleash your inner magic and find your rave fam.
Or check the standard size chart
| Size | Top length | Bust / Chest | Top waist | Top hem | Skirt length | Skirt waist | Skirt hem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 20 | 78 | 67 | 72 | 34.5 | 72 | 118 |
| M | 20 | 81 | 70 | 75 | 35 | 77 | 118 |
| L | 20 | 84 | 74 | 78 | 38 | 83 | 118 |
| XL | 20 | 88 | 78 | 81 | 39.5 | 88 | 118 |
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Mens Festival Gear: The Accessories That Matter
The difference between a good festival and a rough one usually comes down to the small stuff. These are the accessories we’d never leave home without:
- A hat – sun protection by day, part of the look by night. Our Hats & Caps range has over fifty to choose from.
- Eyewear – practical in the sun, essential for the aesthetic. Check the Eyewear range.
- Earplugs – your future self will thank you. Our Silicone Loop Earplugs take the harsh edge off the volume without muffling the music, and they’re small enough to live in your pocket all weekend.
- A leg bag – pockets fill up fast. The Leg Harness Rave Bag keeps your phone, cash and valuables strapped to you where they belong.
- Fun socks – trust us, at hour ten of dancing, good socks are a luxury item.
A Few Practical Notes Before You Buy
Most of our mens range runs from S right up to 5XL, so nobody misses out. If you’re between sizes on a statement piece, size up – festival clothing gets danced in, layered over and lived in, and a bit of room is your friend. Shipping is included on everything in the store, and if you’re ordering for an event, get in a couple of weeks ahead so there’s time to swap a size if you need to. Sorted? Good. Now go have the weekend of your life.
Check out our Shop for heaps more awesome products. Shopping for the ladies too? The womens festival outfit guide is the companion read, our complete what-to-wear guide covers the principles, and if you’re planning the whole weekend, our guide to building a festival camp that survives the weekend is the perfect next read. Stay safe, be smart, and keep dancing.