STARFIELDS 2019: The Preview + NYFW highlights

Preview by Sarah McCrorie

Alternative festival fashion: by Sarugi Magandran and Georgia McConnell

The St Andrews Charity Fashion Show brings back Starfields on Saturday 14thSeptember. With earlybird tickets selling out in under an hour, SF2019 is obviously the most anticipated event of Fresher’s week. This year Starfields promises some of the biggest house and electronic names in the industry and is the first year the event has hosted twice nominated, and once winning Grammy performer, Riton. Other acts will include Crazy Cousinz, a legend of the house and hip hop world with over 35 million streams, as well as headline act Matoma, who is sure to end Freshers week on a high note with over two billion worldwide streams, two albums and numerous chart hits with the likes of the Vamps, Becky Hill, Enrique Iglesias and Sean Paul. If the music wasn’t enough, FS have worked to create an end-of-summer aesthetic, promising guests lots of fun photo opportunities as well as treats such as Kombucha, mineral water, sweet snacks and more.

This September, the St Andrews Charity Fashion Show has made changes to Starfields to promote sustainability in a demonstration of commitment to their partner charity, Fashion Revolution. They will be following their lead raising awareness on the most pressing issues in the fashion industry today. Starfields have asked vendors to supply compostable plates and cutlery, and are also encouraging guests to buy no new clothes for their events this year and wear sponsored biodegradable glitter. In past years, Starfields fashion has seemed to follow a ‘the more the better’ aesthetic typical of bigger music festivals, featuring sequins, tassels, and outlandish pieces you could never wear in everyday life. However, such fashion choices can support a fast-fashion culture which promotes cheap, short shelf-life clothing that is not recyclable. For some a favourite festival fashion consists of raiding your friends wardrobe for the loudest shirts, biggest glasses and staple bucket hats.

In a bid to support SF’s efforts to move towards sustainability and combat the environmental consequences of fast-fashion here are some alternative festival trends inspired by New York Fashion Week SS/20 with easy to do key pieces already in your wardrobe:

Goodbye Neon, Hello Bright Colours:

While the neon trend shows no sign of going away, New York Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2020 catwalks have been championing bolder colours rather than fluorescent colours, such as bright yellow, fuchsia and blinding orange. Starfields-goers might brave head to toe monochrome; all white, all pink, all bold!

New Back to Basics - Oversized Jackets and Blazers:

For a simple, easy to achieve and sustainable look, the back to basics trend has been ruling this summer. Avoid non-recyclable fast-fashion buys and non-biodegradable glitter by stripping your look down and donning wardrobe staples such as a pair of ‘mom jeans’ and t-shirt or cycling shorts with an oversized blazer.

Glitter: alternative – body paint

Instead of buying glittery throw-away fashion, take up FS advice to go guilt-free glitter crazy and enhance your look with body paint. For those of you who feel like clichéd festival look remains in 2018, upcycle your wardrobe and paint your body like a canvas to enhance your look.

Meshing-Up Crochet:

Instead of the passé mesh-look get digging in your wardrobe and throw it back to the 70’s with a bit of crochet, layering with a basic t-shirt, dresses, or over shirts or bodysuits. If you’re on the fence about a full crochet look, why not add some body paint to your outfit to enhance the outfit.

For the bold - Evening wear as day wear:

For the brave amongst you, try an eye-catching evening dress or slip dress layered with a bumbag. Don’t forget the chunky trainers!

If you’re looking to get hyped for Saturday or need a good pre playlist, try the Starfields 2019 playlist curated with past Starfields acts and other tunes, HERE.