Music festivals have changed. Gone are the Feile days of a packed Semple Stadium, rough and ready campsites and the roughest of facilities. Today’s festivals have become more of a spectacle. Anyone visiting Stradbally this weekend will witness how revelers are embracing this shift; forgetting normal life and going all out with whacky wigs, make up, fashion and fancy dress. Brands and sponsors are getting in on the act too, creating experiences for consumers that leave the real world behind.

This year at the Electric Picnic Slattery Communications is helping Bacardi host a 1920s Costume Party. We’re bringing the Roaring Twenties alive on Sunday afternoon in the Barcardi B-Live Arena. 20s Fashion will meet festival chic and anyone in 20s gear will be treated to a complimentary Bacardi Mojito and photographed by the Bacardi judges. The best costume will be presented with a shopping voucher worth €500 and a Bacardi Mojito Kit.

Why the Roaring Twenties?

The 1920s saw American fashion begin to assert itself internationally, with Hollywood instrumental in providing the world with the latest glamorous looks. Women the world over became followers of the Hollywood icons and began to mirror their styles in their own lives. Famous screen and style idols who are credited with heavily influencing the fashion scene onwards from the Twenties include among others, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and the ultimate ‘flapper fashionista’ Louise Brooks. One of the most famous fashion icons of the 20th century, Louise’s distinctive dark bobbed hair with a blunt fringe was one of the defining female haircuts of the era. A gifted actress and model, she captured the jazz age with her signature flapper looks. The flapper look came to the fore in 1926, embracing a new modern movement for fashion with short shift dresses and dramatic make-up. Despite forming the first modern women’s movement, the flapper style didn’t dominate for very long. However, its influence on the fashion industry has continued down through the years and is widely acknowledged. With style, glamour and a more than a hint of decadence, the roaring 20s are a perfect fit with Bacardi and the Electric Picnic.

Online Inspiration

Wellies, flapper dresses, and embellished head pieces are all that’s needed to get into the Twenties spirit, a golden era for fashion and cocktails. The winner will be announced on Monday, September 6 on Bacardi Ireland’s Facebook Page. And in case anyone’s in need some inspiration on what to wear, we’ve added a collection of photography from the 1920s to the Bacardi Ireland Facebook page.

Niamh Hopkins is a Senior Account Executive at Slattery Communications