This weekend I’m going to the Atlantic City Beer and Music Fest. I got tickets for it knowing that any beer fest = good but I didn’t realize that it was such a huge event. When mentioning it to people, I’ve gotten many variations of, “Wow, that will be amazing, I’ve always wanted to go!”. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited.
I have been to one Beer Fest before and in the eyes of my mother, that makes me an expert so I’m writing to tell you what to wear to a Beer Fest. Note: this dress code applies similarly to other alcohol involved parties and wild events like amusement parks or concerts where you will be standing for long periods of time with the likelihood that sticky drinks will be spilled on you.
As I mentioned in my
5 Truths in this post, I love to dress up. I view concerts and Beer Fests as another excuse to dress up so feel free to be your normal self at these events or you can take my advice and let the fest inspire your fashion choices.
Determine your Crowd
Beer Fests draw particular crowds, namely hipsters and redneck types. Will your area produce people that look like American Apparel models with flannel shirts, tattoos, ironic facial hair and a hat and/or wide rimmed glasses?
Or will your venue be filled with people looking to be the next Larry the Cable Guy?
WHAT TO WEAR TO A HIPSTER CRAFT BEER FEST
If your Beer Fest is going to be full of people who dress with irony, then you should do the same and deck yourself out to the nines like a hipster. The beauty behind the hipster outfit is that you can always say you wore something ironically. So go ahead and wear that little league shirt to poke fun at the wussies who don’t keep score in their kids games today or break out that “Vive la France!” hoodie and walk around mocking the French with a “huh huh huh?!” at the end of every sentence. You’re a hipster, it’s allowed.
For anyone wanting real advice, put on your finest pair of skinny jeans (rips optional), converse sneakers or biker boots, graphic tees, flannel/plaid shirts, scarves, thick rimmed glasses or Wayfarers, over sized beanie hat and smug expression. I’ll be wearing some version of this.
Ok, I’m kidding but I will be wearing a combo of the some of the following.
WOMEN
Skinny Jeans (ripped or colored jeans optional)
Patterned shirt (striped or plaid)
Ironic glasses (red Wayfarers)
Biker boots or Converse
Fake mustache (ok, probably not)
Festival headband optional (better suited for summer fests)
MEN
Skinny jeans
Graphic tee or plaid shirt
Converse or oxfords or boots
Layered shirts
Mustache, if you can grow it. Make it long and waxed. Or a beard.
WHAT TO WEAR TO A COUNTRY BEER FEST
If your venue will be filled with those who’d rather tussle in the parking lot than debate the advantages of their free-trade roll your own cigarette tobacco from Nicaragua, then you can wear whatever you want. But here are some ideas.
WOMEN
Jeans or cutoff jean shorts
Low cut tshirt or tank top (helps with cutting long lines)
Sundress dress
Cowboy boots
Camouflage/deer attire optional, but encouraged
MEN
Jeans (Skoal/Copenhagen ring optional)
Tshirt or flannel
Work or cowboy boot
Greasy ball cap
What to Bring to a Craft Beer Fest
Regardless of the type of crowd your Beer Fest attracts, there are certain things you need to bring to stay happy.
BEER FEST ESSENTIALS
ID: You need to be 21+ to enter any Beer Fest in the US.
Comfortable Shoes: You’ll be walking around a lot. This isn’t a fashion show, keep the heels at home.
Cross-body Bag: When you’re double fisting samples of beer, the last thing you want to do is to struggle with an over sized purse.
Sunglasses: Hides eyes from the sun, looks cool, aids in your hangover recovery.
Pretzel Necklace: It’s a palate cleanser, accessory, and snack all in one.
A note about the pretzel necklace, use butchers twine or a ribbon and the tiny pretzels. This is supposed to be a palate cleanser and those huge sourdough pretzels, while they may look cool, will make you too full to finish your beer. I made this yesterday for my hipster beer fest today. Note the smug expression. I’ll fit right in.
Follow this guide and you should be ready to go to any Beer Fest!