EVELYSS / Guides / Fashion Sense

What to Wear to Bonfire Night (Park Display, Garden or Pub)

“Bonfire Night is the one evening when the best-dressed person in the field is the one still warm at the last rocket. Go dark, go wool, wear proper boots, and let a good hat and a red lip do the glamour.”Her take

What should you wear to Bonfire Night?

Dress for standing still outdoors, after dark, on grass, in November. Most displays mean an hour or more of waiting, watching and queueing for food, and standing still is far colder than walking. Warmth comes first, then shoes that cope with mud, then the details that make it look like an outfit rather than a pile of layers.

The easiest formula is dark and textured: a wool or tweed coat, a chunky knit, dark jeans or trousers, boots and a hat in a rich colour. It photographs well in firelight, hides the inevitable mud and toffee apple, and looks deliberate.

• Base: a thin thermal top and thermal leggings or tights under your jeans.
• Middle: a chunky jumper or roll-neck you'd be happy to be seen in at the pub.
• Outer: a knee-length wool coat or a waxed or quilted jacket that fastens to the neck.
• Feet: waterproof boots with a grippy sole and thick socks.
• Extras: a beanie or bobble hat, a wool scarf tucked in, gloves and a small crossbody bag.

Which fabrics and colours are best near a bonfire?

Choose wool, heavy cotton, denim and tweed for anything close to the fire. UK fire services point out that synthetic fabrics catch and melt more easily than wool or cotton, so light, shiny synthetic shells and fleeces are the riskiest layers near a spark. If your warmest coat is a puffer, stand further back from the bonfire and the sparklers.

Dark colours are the practical choice. Navy, charcoal, forest green, burgundy and chocolate hide mud, ash, mulled wine and the drips from a hot dog. Save cream coats and pale suede for another night.

Think about what moves. Loose fringing, wide floaty sleeves, long trailing scarf ends and loose long hair are the things that drift towards a sparkler. Tuck your scarf inside your coat, push sleeves back, and tie long hair into a low bun or plait if you're holding sparklers. Children holding sparklers should wear gloves, and if clothing ever does catch, the advice is to stop, drop and roll rather than run.

What shoes should you wear to a fireworks display?

Most displays are on playing fields, parks or farmland, and early November grass is usually wet. Waterproof boots with a rubber, ridged sole are the answer. Leave heels, smooth soles and canvas trainers at home: heels sink, smooth soles slide, and canvas soaks through in minutes.

Wear thick wool-blend socks, and make sure your boots have room for them. Cold feet end more Bonfire Nights early than cold anything else.

• Wellies: best for a muddy field or a farm display. Add welly socks for warmth.
• Walking boots or hiking-style boots: warm, grippy and fine for a long walk to the field.
• Leather ankle boots with a lug sole: the smartest option for a park display then the pub.
• Trainers: only for a paved event or a garden with a patio, and only if they're leather or water-resistant.

Park display, garden party or pub: what's the difference?

The same base works for all three. What changes is how smart you go and how much you need to cope with mud and cold. Use this as a quick guide.

• Public display in a park or field: most cold and mud. Wellies or walking boots, thermal layers, a warm hat, dark jeans, and a coat you don't mind getting splashed.
• Garden bonfire party: warmer and closer to the fire. A wool coat or jacket, a cosy knit, ankle boots with grip, and nothing loose or floaty near the bonfire or sparklers.
• Pub or bar with a view of the fireworks: the smartest of the three. A good knit or a shirt under a blazer, dark jeans or trousers, leather boots, and a coat you can hang up inside.
• Display then pub: dress for the field, then take off the hat and outer layer indoors. A good jumper underneath turns the outfit into a pub look in seconds.

What bag and accessories should you take?

Keep your hands free for sparklers, hot drinks and holding on to children. A small crossbody bag or belt bag with a zip, worn across the front of your body, is ideal in a crowd. Leave a big tote at home; it gets in the way and some larger events check bags at the gate.

A hat is the easiest way to make the outfit look chosen. A chunky ribbed beanie, a bobble hat or a faux-fur trapper all suit Bonfire Night, and a strong colour such as burgundy or mustard looks good in the firelight and photos. Choose gloves that work with your phone screen so you're not taking them off in the cold to film the fireworks.

• Phone, card and keys in a zipped crossbody bag.
• Touchscreen-friendly gloves, plus a spare pair for sparklers if you're at a garden party.
• Hand warmers and lip balm in your coat pocket.
• Small earrings rather than long drops that catch on a scarf or hat.

Can you still look glamorous on Bonfire Night?

Yes, if the glamour sits where it's safe and visible. A red or berry lip, a polished low bun under a beanie, gold hoops and a beautifully cut coat do more than any outfit you'll keep zipped away all night.

If you want a dress, choose a knitted midi or jumper dress with thick opaque tights, knee-high boots with a lug sole and a long coat. It's warm, it moves well, and there's no loose hem to worry about near the fire.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Dark, warm, natural-fibre layers, waterproof boots with grip, nothing loose near the fire, hands free, and a hat that makes it look like an outfit.

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