#FestivalFun | What's in my Bag

Ok so you have your general luggage all packed up and ready to go, but of course when you're actually in the festival, you'll be leaving most things in your tent, so below I've included what I have in my day to day bag, the essentials that I need to keep me going all day and night! I have a little paragraph on each, but for quick reference I have also included some bullet points. I would definitely keep it small and light.

I also usually prefer a small over the shoulder bag, since then when you're in a crowd of people, your belongings are in front of you, as opposed to in a backpack behind you!

This small satchel would be perfect 

(New Look, €13, Autumn 2013 collection)

Valuables
Of course you don't want to leave your phone, money or camera behind in the tent. Most obviously as you'll need all of them throughout the day, but also I wouldn't recommend leaving anything of value in the tent, ever. I've never had a single problem to date with things being stolen, but that's no reason to be too lax. As with any other situation, do not leave anything valuable sitting unattended in a field!

- Phone
- Money
- Camera

Hygiene
A mini hand sanitizer is an absolute must. Portaloos are bad enough without coming out of one to realise all the sanitiser is gone, be safe, bring your own. In the very same vein, be sure to bring some toilet roll in case of an emergency. All the loos are being re-stocked and cleaned on an ongoing basis yes, but when you have hundreds of people using them every hour, it's inevitable you'll need your own supplies at some point.

- Hand Sanitiser
- Toilet Paper

Skin / Hair / Make Up Basics
Some sun cream and a lip balm with SPF are a great staple for your bag. Then depending on your preferences you might like to keep a lipstick, concealer or powder on you to freshen up throughout the day. You know best what you'll need to re-apply. If you're pretty easy going about your makeup, leave everything behind! Definitely don't carry around anything you know you're not going to use. I wouldn't imagine you would need to bring any hair care products out and about. However there is certainly no harm in having a few hair ties and hair clips at the bottom of your bag should disaster strike!

- Sun Cream
- Lipstick
- Powder
- Hair Ties / Clips

Miscellaneous
After that you might want to ensure you have on your persons, your sunglasses or a hat to keep the sun out of your eyes, to save on space, just wearing these, means you don't need to fit them in your bag. You might want to bring along a bottle of water, but be sure to check the rules of the specific festival you're attending. For Electric Picnic specifically you are allowed to bring 500ml sealed bottles of minerals into the arena from the campsite, so you could save a little money by bringing a six pack from home. But as per my first post, bare in mind that's now three extra litres of weight when travelling from the car to the campsite on day 1. You may prefer to just pick some up inside the arena.

- Sunglasses / Hat
- Water (optional)
- Jacket/Hoody for when it gets cooler (you can just tie it around the strap of the bag)

Brand Obsession | Cath Kidston

I was pretty late to the Cath Kidston party, but now that I've caught up I'm in love. I managed to restrict myself to only two purchases so far. But I'm always keeping an eye on the website for any bargains! As the company is celebrating their 20th birthday this year I thought I would give them a mention today. To find fellow Kidstonites and maybe convert a few others who may have never heard of Cath Kidston.

I would like to preface this post with the comment, I have no connection with Cath Kidston, this post is no way sponsored, I am just in love with the brand!

So Kidston herself was born in England in 1958. It wasn't until 1994, that the brand itself began, her first shop in London. Her vision was to merge the traditional prints of her English countryside childhood with a more modern twist. She started out just selling small items like cushion covers, ironing board covers and second hand furniture which she customised herself. Then she began to branch out and create more products with her signature prints including washbags and swimsuits. After she began attending trade fairs and selling her products wholesale, she garnered much deserved media attention and things escalated from there. Cath Kidston now produces handbags, accessories, home wear, clothing, kitchen wear and curtains. The company has grown considerably and much deserved as far as I'm concerned. Today there are 59 Cath Kidston stores across Ireland and the UK, with a further 54 across Spain, Japan, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

I thought I would share with you all the couple of purchases I've made so far (stress on the "so far", I intend to buy much more on my next trip to the store...)

Daisy Rose Hand Bag

Polka Dot Washbag 

As you can see the open Washbag has a hook on the top, so you can hang it anywhere from the back of the door, to hidden away in your wardrobe. It's great for travel or even as a place holder for your makeup at home. The separate compartments make it easy to keep track of everything.

Have you bought anything from the Cath Kidston range?

What is your favourite brand?