Hard Summer is one of the biggest and hottest electronic music festivals of the year.
It is held in Southern California during the sweltering summer months, so it is no surprise that one of the most common questions we get is “What should I wear?”.
If you are attending Hard Summer for the first time, or are simply looking for some inspiration, here are a few tips to help you make the most of this hot event.
Be sure to read through our list of tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable time.
- 1. What is Hard Summer Festival and what to expect?
- 2. What to wear to the festival?
- 3. Tips for staying hydrated and safe during the festival
- 4. What to bring with you to the festival?
1. What is Hard Summer Festival and what to expect?
The Hard Summer Music Festival is an annual event that takes place in Southern California.
The festival typically features a mix of EDM and hip-hop artists and has become one of the most popular summer music events in the region.
Attendees can expect to see some of the biggest names in electronic and hip hop music, as well as enjoy a variety of food and drink options.
The festival also features a number of interactive activities with VIP passes, making it a great event for people of all ages.
Whether you’re a diehard fan of electronic music or just looking for a fun summer event to attend, the Hard Summer Music Festival is sure to not disappoint.
In terms of style, this event is a mix of festival and rave even though it is a music festival and not a rave, you could definitely see people wearing ravey clothing.
But that would be as far as the rave situation gets. All the other ravey vibes like kandies, PLUR, etc will be mostly absent.
Yes, of course, you could run into people that do have the full-on spirit of raves, but they are rarer.
So, fashion-wise you might see a bit of everything, the dominant would be casual clothing, and the rest is split between festival wear and rave wear.
2. What to wear to the festival?
First and foremost, comfort is key. You will be dancing for hours in the heat, so it is important to wear something that will allow your skin to breathe, loose-fitting clothes made from natural fabrics are always a good choice.
Also, don’t feel that you need to force anything in terms of outfits.
The dominant style will be casual, so you can literally go the way you are. But you want to be daring and try something out, we do have some inspiration for you!
First, Wear really comfortable shoes
Have excellent comfortable shoes. Even if you’re just standing around, you’ll probably be doing a lot of walking, so it’s important to have shoes that won’t give you blisters.
In terms of shoes either you already have great shoes to wear that you have been using for a while, so they are used to your feet.
Or you are thinking of buying some brand-new shoes for the event. If it is the latter, make sure you order them as early as possible, so you can have the time to wear them and break them in. Never go to any festival or rave with shoes that are not already broken in.
Also, do not count on your new shoes to stay clean and shiny, they will get dirty fast.
If you wonder what type of shoes you could buy to have great comfort you have our best picks below:
Pro-tip: Bring an extra pair of socks per day and change socks at the end of the afternoon and beginning of the evening, your feet will thank you!
Outfits inspiration
One of the best things about Hard Summer is that you can pretty much wear whatever you want.
There’s no dress code, so you can feel free to express your own unique style. So, don’t be afraid to experiment with your look. This is a festival, after all, so have fun with your outfit and let your personality shine through.
Most people wear swimsuits and beachwear because it will be hot as hell. This is also why people tend to dare at festivals or raves to wear those types of clothing because they are more skimpy and the event is a great occasion to do so.
One of the themes of this article for Hard Summer is winning the battle between you and the sun.
Many things can be done, and for instance, one of them would be to not wear black.
If you wear black, the sun will hit you hard like it doesn’t care, this is why wearing colors or reflective clothes during the summer is the best way to stay cool while the weather is warm.
If you don’t want to wear white, you should definitely go for colors.
Wearing colors will make you feel more comfortable in the heat and will also reflect the sunlight away from your body, keeping you cooler.
In order for you to get some inspiration, we will give you some festival and raves outfit ideas below.
Festival Like For The Ladies
Bluetime Women’s Summer Halter
Strappy Tie Back Crop Halter Tops
Plus Size Spaghetti Cami Crop Top
Spaghetti Strap Sleeveless Sexy Rave
Cami Top Spaghetti Strap Rib Knit
Criss Cross Crop Tops Backless
Short-Sleeve Bodycon See Through
Crop Top Golden Ring Centrepiece
Backless Cute Cami Crop Top Bralette
Women’s Sleeveless tie-dye Tank Top
Sexy Halter See Through Camisole
Padded High-Neck Crop Swim Top
Crop Top Sexy Tie Back Strappy
Sports bras can be a great option as they are comfortable, breathable, and they wick away the sweat.
High Waist Denim Shorts Pocket
Fray Hem Stretchy Denim Short Jeans
Sparkly Hot Outfit Shiny Short Pants
See Through Sheer Blouse Black Sexy
Mesh Long Sleeve Crop Top Sexy
Boho V Neck Romper Long Sleeves
Sexy Two Pieces Outfits Tops Short
V Neck Tie Dye Tee Shirt Dress
Tie Dye Tunic Tops Tee Shirt Dress
V Neck Sexy Mini Short Dresses
SheIn Floral Crop Top Short Set
Short Romper Jumpsuit Playsuit
Check it out, many colors are available
Casual Midi Dress with Pockets
Festival Like For guys:
Men Hipster Hip-Hop Urban Tees
Men Hipster Hip-Hop Urban Tees
Men’s Hipster Hip-Hop Premium Tee
Jersey EDM Festival – Trippy Pineapple
Men’s Vibrant All Over Print Sleeveless
Men’s Vibrant All Over Print Sleeveless
Cotton Button Down Short Sleeve
Men’s Pineapple Casual Button Down
Shirt Tribal African Caftan Boho Unisex
Men’s Athletic Shorts – Vibrant Summer
Men’s Athletic Shorts – Vibrant Summer
Men’s Athletic Shorts – Vibrant Summer
RAISEVERN Men’s Swim Trunks Quick
Rave outfits for the ladies
Women’s Criss Cross Backless Wrap Crop Halter Top
Women’s Sexy Sheer Mesh Fishnet Net
Other styles and colors are available
Women’s Sexy Sheer Mesh Fishnet Net
Women’s Strappy Mesh Crop Tops
Women’s Short Sleeve Tee Round Neck
Women’s Wrap V Neck Criss Cross Tie
Women’s Sleeveless Crop Tops Sexy One
Women’s See Through Fishnet & Mesh
Many styles available
Women’s See Through Fishnet & Mesh
Women’s Short Sleeve/Long Sleeve
Sheer Mesh Crop Tops See Through
Women’s See Through Fishnet & Mesh
Women’s Underboob Cutout Crop Top
Many colors available
Women’s Crop Top Spaghetti Camisole
Women’s Crop Top Spaghetti Camisole
Women’s Sexy Metallic Shimmer Mesh
Women’s Long Sleeve See-Through
Different types and colors are available
Women’s Metallic Keyhole Cutout
Women’s See Through Fishnet & Mesh
Women’s Sleeveless Scoop Neck Strappy
Many styles and colors are available
Women’s Sheer Mesh Fishnet Halter
Women’s Solid Black Long Sleeve
Many styles available
Shiny Metallic Crop Hoodies for Women
Women’s Sexy Tie Up Crop Top Short
Many colors available
Women’s Long Sleeve Industrial Fishnet
Women Sexy Hollow Out Long Sleeve
Women’s Mesh Triangle Bra Tops Sheer
Women’s Sheer Mesh Crop Bra Tops
Women’s Sexy Halter Fish Scale Sequin
Women’s Mesh Short Sleeve Crop Top
Women’s Sheer Mesh Crop Top Shirts
Women’s Letter Print Casual Long Sleeve
Women’s Sequins Tassel Skirts Shorts
Boho Fringe Skirt Sequin Belly Dance Hip
Many styles and colors are available
Women’s Liquid Shiny Metallic Mini
Sheer, Fringe Skirts – Maxi & Thigh High
Belly Dance Hip Scarf for Women
Women’s Festival Rave Thong Booty
Leg Wraps Garter Set with Ribbons
Women’s Metallic Shorts Summer
Many patterns and colors are available
Hip Scarf Performance Outfits Skirt
Many patterns and colors are available
Women’s Metallic Shorts Elastic Waist
Many colors available
Joggers Pants for Women High Visibility
Women’s Shiny Flared Pleated Mini
Women’s Sexy Drawstring Velvet Outfits
High Waisted Strappy Booty Shorts
iHeartRaves High Waisted Booty Shorts
Jean Shorts Juniors High Rise Distressed
Have a look at this one, you will find many colors and styles available!
Women’s Strappy Crop Top Shirts
If you like this type have a look different styles and colors are available
Women’s Spaghetti Strap Plaid Crop Top
Spectrum Women High Cut Holographic
Other colors are available
Bodysuits for Women Black Crew Neck
Women Black Sheer Mesh Long Sleeve
Women’s 2 Piece Set Halter Crop Top
2 Pieces Outfits Clubwear Colorful Tie
Rave outfits for guys
Below you will find some unique pieces like the Ultraviolet Fluorescent clothing that are definitely worth checking out, as well as some, LED T-Shirt Sound Activated that will draw the attention of you if it’s what you want or even cooler the Light Up Hoodie Jacket Sweatshirt :)!
T-Shirts Funny Graphic Tee
Funny Rave Drug Tie Dye T-Shirt
NYC Street Fashion Longline Print T-Shirt
Men’s Graphic Tank Top Sleeveless Shirts
Graphic Tank Top Sleeveless Shirts
Trippy Pineapple Blacklight Glow Tshirt Clothes
LED T-Shirt Sound Activated Shirts
That’s a cool one! The glasses of the cat are LED, go check it out click on the shirt below and watch the video of how the LED works on this t-shirt!
LED T-Shirt Sound Activated Glow Shirts
The same system as above the headset of the skeleton glows and moves.
Vibrant Sleeveless Tank Top Shirts
Other patterns and colors are available.
Trippy Blacklight Glow Tshirt Clothes
Ultraviolet Fluorescent Neon Blacklight
Ultraviolet Fluorescent Neon Blacklight
Ultraviolet Fluorescent Neon Blacklight
Ultraviolet Fluorescent Neon Blacklight
A ton of other designs are available click on the image below to go check it out!
3D Printed Short Sleeve Top T-Shirts
Cool Novelty Design T-Shirts for Men
3D Printed Short Sleeve Top T-Shirt
If you are not fully satisfied with this one, many cool designs are available. Go check it out by clicking on the t-shirt.
Vibrant Shorts for Music Raves
Male Romper – Original Rompers
Male Romper – Original Rompers
Male Romper – Original Rompers
3. Tips for staying hydrated and safe during the festival
Keep in mind that the most difficult time for you to endure during the festival will be daytime.
There are not many shades and if the sun hits as it should be during summer you could easily faint of dehydration or sunstroke.
Stay hydrated, battle the sun and the heat
This is why you need to battle the sun and the heat, here are our best tips:
1. Stay hydrated! Bring a water bottle with you and make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks, which can dehydrate you even faster.
Hard summer has water stations around the place, so bring a reusable bottle or camelbacks.
They need to be empty upon entry, otherwise, security will ask you to empty them before going in.
2. Pace yourself! Don’t try to do too much in one day. Take breaks often, and make sure to get enough rest at night, so you can enjoy the festival all weekend long.
Careful if the event is held at NOS Event Center
It has nothing to do with the promoters, they are doing their best with security to make sure that you stay safe during the event.
That being said, at NOS, pickpockets, and thieves are a real thing. Ask around, and you will soon see that it happens to many people.
Again, this is not Hard Summer’s fault at all, we can’t blame them, but it does happen. We are warning you here because it happened to us there, whereas at other festivals we were fine.
Hard Summer location changes over the years but if it is at NOS be careful. Be careful inside and outside at NOS Event Center.
The area of NOS is famous to be sketchy. NOS is a great and pretty fun venue, but the surroundings are not so great.
Be careful outside the venue
Our first tip would be to leave all your valuables at home, not in the car, at home. Cars at NOS are not safe there, especially if you park in the neighborhood.
Your best bet would be to park your car near the baseball field, it is free, you have security there and it is only a 10min walk.
Be careful inside the venue as well
Thieves are also present on-site, and they will try to get their hands on as much stuff as possible.
Do not think that they will only do easy prey, like drunk or high people, they also try with sober people, and they are pros, so they do rob you without you noticing it.
So be aware of your surroundings. Understand that Festivals are crowded places, which makes them prime targets for pickpockets and thieves.
Keep your valuables close to you at all times and be aware of who’s around you.
Again, keep all your important items close to you. You can do it either with a fanny pack (that you keep in front of you), a flip belt, or any type of shorts with zippers that are not easy to open.
We know that what we are saying here is not cool, but better safe than sorry. Besides, those thieves and pickpockets do represent a tiny minority, but people getting robbed without noticing it, is annoying, really annoying, and we don’t want that to be you!
4. What to bring with you to the festival?
In addition to your hard summer ticket and ID, there are a few other things you’ll want to bring with you to make sure you have the best time possible.
- Bring something to cover your mouth and nose, NOS Event Center can be really dirty, so a bandana can be a great accessory for your outfit and your lungs.
- Obviously, like we said the sun will blazing all weekend long so you need to bring and wear sunscreen!
Did you know?: If the sunscreen is not touched by water it lasts about 2 hours, but if you are sweating or going in the water with it only lasts about 80 min.
Like every music festival, the sound is going to be powerful, so you have to protect your ears.
Remember that your ears will have to endure not hours but days of really loud music, the idea is not for you to lose your earing but rather to enjoy the musical much as possible.
We recommend taking High Fidelity earplugs because it lowers the volume of the sound while removing the frequency that could damage your ears. Like the one below:
Bonus tips:
- Keep in mind that is it a no cash event only Credit, debit, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, and Android Pay work but leave your cash home.
- We recommend that you have a look at the Hard Summer policy on what you can or can’t bring to up to speed with all the updates they make. For instance, they have a no backpacks policy, hydration packs are allowed but not backpacks. Here is the link to their policies on what is allowed and what is not if you want to have a look.
- Cell service at NOS is really horrible. Define a meeting point or a rallying point, so if you lose your friends, you can all come back to this area and find each other. (only use text messages as calls will never get through but text messages might)
With the festival just around the corner, make sure to read through our list of tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable time.
Whether you’re attending Hard Summer for the first time or are a seasoned festival-goer, these tips will come in handy.
Stay hydrated, dress for the heat, be aware of your surroundings – and most importantly, have fun!
Final note: Hard Summer is definitely one of the hottest festivals out there, and people do have a “hard summer time” with a blazing sun during the daytime!
That being said, we have to admit that every year the lineups are incredible.
It is really hard to complain about the heat when the promoters put together such great lineups and great shows.
If you are prepared for the sun, and you left all your valuables at home, you will have a great time, period.
Finally, if you wonder how to pick events to go to, have a look at our guide “Which rave or festival should I go to?” it could help you decide what to do.
We hope this article helped you or saved you some time in your research, and we wish you a great event!
Have a great festival!
