If fashion holds up a mirror to society what does it mean when a generation of privileged neat-freak, germ-free adolescents feel the best way to express rebellion is by embracing their inner grime and boasting about how long they can go without showering at a music festival (on average, three days). I suspect the real reason under-25s get such a kick out of festivals has got less to do with getting down and dirty, and more to do with dressing up and posing. Spectacularly.
"Festival chic" - Hunter wellies, tiny denim shorts, parkas, grungy T-shirts, holey knits, plaits in the hair and so on - is a trend currently raging through mainstream fashion and is, no doubt, a backlash to the superbrand, squeaky clean, bling-obsessed noughties. Helped along by the "grunge glamour" movement advocated by the festy-haired Carine Roitfeld, who sits in the front row at Chanel looking like she might have indeed emerged from Glastonbury (via Boutique 1 and Bloomindales).
It's slightly ironic that an event once considered anti-fashion, anti-establishment and a million miles from any style radar has become such a major global fashion fixture. Music festivals are fashionable from the point of view of who goes (everyone from Princes William and Harry to Kate Moss and Alexa Chung), who sings (this year everyone from young 'uns including Alicia Keys, Florence Welch, Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen to wrinklies Bob Dylan and Grace Jones), and what they all wear.
They are even being referred to as the "new catwalks" because of the trends they inspire, being to the 2010s what disco was to the 1970s. So what does everyone wear? For those of you who didn't see photos of Florence Welch in a billowing Body Amr maxi dress entertaining the 20,000 strong crowd at the recent Big Weekend in Bangor, Wales, just pick up any fashion magazine. Here you will find the sort of "festy" fashion, translated by fashion editors who got all their ideas from last year's festivals.
Last summer British Vogue did a fashion shoot at Glastonbury which kind of missed the point. Here, models wore clothes similar to those worn by groovy young people attending the festival. Unfortunately it was the models rather than rubber neckers trying to get in the shots who looked out of place. Festy fashion isn't meant to be glamorous. The whole point is it's an eclectic, thrown-together style that can and does feature luxurious high fashion and performance outdoor clothes.
Like so many reality trends that end up in glossy magazines, festival "looks" started life as a practical means to an end. How else would you explain a heavy waterproof Barbour, the jacket beloved of farmers (to ward off wind and rain) being worn over cut-off denim jeans (it gets hot in a crowd) and Hunter wellies (mud, mud, glorious mud). Blame festivals for "boyfriend" jackets, a gift to any girl who didn't think a field in rural Reading in June could get quite so cold.
I can only hazard a guess as to what this year's festivals might provide in the way of fashion. Last year's hits included bunny ears (later made into designer versions by Maison Michel), customised combat gear (Cheryl Cole has picked up on this), bright red or blue hair and grungy make-up (similar to Topshop's latest "festival" cosmetic range.) Even though I shall miss not seeing the Hurts, Beach House, Yeasayer and LoneLady (these are cult bands doing the rounds at the UK's Reading, Latitude, Glasto, Dot To Dot and Bestival this summer) because, as usual I shall be giving festivals a wide berth, I shall be taking keen note of what everyone is wearing. Particularly fashion insiders such as stylists Katie Grand and Katy England, and celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss and Alexa Chung. Rumour has it fashion PRs have rails of designer clothes stashed in shiny winnebagos just in case?
Meanwhile, I'm rocking the festy vibe by wearing a pair of greyish skinny jeans by Stella McCartney - specially "aged" to look like they'd seen a bit of Glasto action - and a gnarly leather biker jacket from Ted Baker which looks like it's done a dusty road trip to a music festival in Ibiza on the back of a Harley. And if, like me, you don't do floppy hats, I recommend Bumble & Bumble's surf spray to pull off the look-of-the-minute. Spray it on clean hair and within minutes you will look like you've just been dragged out of the mosh pit. Perfect!