Sequins, flowy sundresses, pearl makeup, space buns, bright colours from head-to-toe, knee-high boots, face painting, and all sorts of braids are scattered throughout the sea of festival-goers jamming to their favourite artists at We The Fest. This annual three-day extravaganza held within the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, Senayan is the time of the year a lady can freely dress up however she wants - and nobody can say anything else about it. Fashion is a means of expression, regardless of one’s gender. But why does it take one event to allow such freedom, unapologetically?
We The Fest: Dress Up and Express Yourself
As a self-proclaimed regular at We The Fest since my first rendezvous in 2015, I’ve noticed women’s aura exorbitantly gleam as bright as their powdered highlighter and body glitter more so than their regular outings around Jakarta’s hotspots. Each year, innate styles are expressed vigorously at this specific festival. Indeed, We The Fest isn’t merely an embodiment of music; it’s a gateway to art, fashion, culture, and much more.
I for one stick to my ultimate foolproof festival attire: light-weight tops with intricate cuts (backless, tube, or one-shoulder asymmetrical) laid just below my midriff assembled with high-waisted or low-waisted booty denim shorts, paired with comfortable sneakers, a sling bag, bold lipstick, and variations of half-up-half-down hairstyles. This formula works the best for me because it serves the utmost practicality and comfort amidst the capital’s lifeless humidity and general flock of hundreds of music enthusiasts. Nevertheless, I’m still discombobulated to put together an outfit (or three whenever I go for the full spread of fun) in advance!
When you have an undying passion for fashion, what sorts of preparations need to be done to feel and look ravishing while having fun with friends and lovers?
Extreme is the common theme
Strolling around the main atrium of We The Fest is a golden ticket to a free runway show. Choose a spot to rest your sore legs from all the dancing and walking. Head to Eats and Beats to refuel. Grab your piece of the year’s merchandise at its booth. Or, reload your token for some refreshments. Varied styles are undoubtedly seen dashed around.
Deborah, from Indonesia, is a We The Fest regular but she admitted to the same fashion struggle as me. She tends to draw inspiration from a selected act of the day and incorporate it with her festival partner’s vibe - in this case, her fiance. “We The Fest is fun. Today [Day One] XG is performing. I’m a bit inspired by their style for my outfit,” she mentioned as she donned baggy trousers, a baby pink sequined halter top, and a tiny waist bag.
By the token top-up booth was the dazzling Brazilian Larissa, Peruvian Diana, and Ukrainian Karina. A couple of these long-term expats popped their We The Fest cherry this year, while Larissa returned after an eight-year hiatus. “We wanted to go more out of the box because, in Jakarta, we kind of put ourselves ‘in a box’. We agreed to dress up, be more sexy, and explore!” gushed Larissa. She wore leather shorts and “lots of glitter so she can shine bright.” Karina was spotted supporting her Bali-based designer friend, David, with a long, high-slit dress and sneakers. Diana opted for an all-black ensemble comprising a cut-out low v-neck tanktop and skorts with sneakers.
Meanwhile, Trisha doesn’t annually strut the paves of We The Fest but when she does, this Jakartan takes her admiration for her favourite artist circling back to her main rule: comfort. “I plan my looks beforehand yet I just decided today that I was going. So, this is pretty much a very last-minute look inspired by the 90s, sparked from Pinterest,” she giggled showing off her midriff white top and jorts. “I always try to dress in something that I know I’ll be very comfortable for the whole night, then go all out on the makeup and accessories.”
Makeup is sourced in various facets, including unconventional ones like temporary tattoos. A similar embellishment to this has been done in a previous concert considering its convenient and delightful nature, Trisha admitted. “I simply apply the temporary tattoo with water - and I’m ready to go!” she exclaimed. Trisha’s mid-length hair was laid out in subtle waves but looking closely, she sports tiny braids enclosed with clip-on beads. “Braids are always easy. As for these beads, I just got them today because I figured the braids need an extra zing.”
Taking up the notch is beauty content creator, Cindercella. She captivated me with her choice of the much-raved colour combination of 2024, green and purple, but switched it up with her accessories and makeup both in the same colour coordination. “I never plan my looks, I solely decide on what I consider is a perfect mix-and-match combination at the moment. So today, I wanted to go colourful! That’s why I chose this top and I want my accessories to match it,” she explained.
Cindercella’s makeup also stood out as she interpreted her face as a canvas of her masterpiece. To her, the first step in getting ready is usually deciding on her makeup for the day but this time, it was different. With the green and purple ensemble she chose on her body, splashes of these colours further extended to her face in a captivating art form. “I love makeup! I love playing around as opposed to the conventional way of putting makeup on,” she added.
How can you dress up at We The Fest?
Regardless of how you define your style, We The Fest is an experimental avenue in terms of fashion and beauty. The ladies have emphasised on the following guidelines:
Be creative
Deborah: “Wear whatever you think is cute for you because it’s a festival. In Jakarta, it’s not really open for us to wear anything but at We The Fest, we can wear anything and no one judges us - I cannot wear this at the mall. And don’t forget to put lots of glitter!”
Be comfortable
Trisha: “Depending on what time you arrive at the venue, you’ll be there for a long period; dancing and sweating until late at night. Just make sure you don’t get too complex with your look because you’d want to have fun and worry less!”
Diana: “Less is more, which can be elegant. And also, if you feel comfortable, it is truly the best!”
Be brave
Karina: “Don’t be shy, express yourself!”
Cindercella: “Come as extreme as you can! When else can you come as free as this? Truthfully that could be any day, anywhere but tonight everyone else is going over the top so should you.”
Ladies… as we heard from these exceptional fashionistas, don’t hold yourself back. Embrace your inner goddess!
We The Fest is an annual summer festival that celebrates Indonesian and International music, arts, fashion, and food. Organised by Ismaya Live, the festival’s 10th anniversary was enlivened by J Balvin, Russ, XG, Peggy Gou, Joji, Omar Apollo, Turnstile, and a plethora of Indonesian acts such as Marcell, 3 Diva, Maliq & D’essentials, and Dipha Barus to name a few.
