Urbanscapes: Fashion Haven

by Nur Habibah Ishak, Junior 1 Cempaka, Class of 2014

Urbanscapes — one of the most highly anticipated arts festivals in Malaysia. This November, I had the chance to attend my first one yet and I had the most enjoyable weekend hanging out with friends, discovering new food vendors, and enjoying the truly amazing music and art scene. Most notably, I was able to witness a fashion show of sorts.

We were given carte blanche with the dress code and simply wore whatever we wanted. Taking advantage of said freedom, there were some pretty crazy outfits out there. On the first day, I made the mistake of not wearing long socks with boots which I regretted later that night after arriving home to find blisters just above my ankles.

Given the furnace-like temperatures that Malaysia constantly attacks us with, the weather on the day wasn’t all too bad, if a little humid. The sun that day was thankfully more forgiving than usual and by the time night came, the air was nice and cool. That being the case, many of us took advantage of the cooler weather, not confining our fashion choices to the simple loose top and shorts.

Size is everything when it comes to bags. During festivals, the smaller the better. Unless you're trying to keep an unwanted pair of hands off you, you surely wouldn't want to hit someone on the head with a large sack in the middle of a concert. It being a concert, jumping around and energetic waving is inevitable. Most people were seen with cross-body straps (ideal for dancing), a mini backpack or a drawstring bag. Having said that, zippers are your best friend for keeping your belongings safe. My purse and bottle fell out of my bag as I was jumping along to Franz Ferdinand. I was very grateful when the person behind helped me notice that.

For festival-goers, rather than going in sandals or slippers, a trusty pair of boots, wellingtons or closed-toe shoes will do a better job of protecting your toes from being crushed. If not, you'd better come prepared with some plasters. Concert goers can get rough and when lost in the music, no one really pays attention to their surroundings.

Between the bags and the boots, all other apparel is basically ruled under ‘Anything goes’. There was a parade of denim shorts, bold accessories, patterns, sequin items and bright colours. Every person was savvy in their own way and it was certainly something unique to catch during events like these. 

Photo credits: Urbanscapes / The Spacemen