They say that Hillside Festival style is light-years ahead of the rest of the world; by the time we “discovered” Thai fisherman pants and tribal tattoos, the Hillside fashion set was already onto the next big thing! So, on a recent jaunt to the dusty, musty plains of the Guelph Lake Island conservation area, we made sure to keep our cameras at the ready — snapping the best and freshest style on the archipelago.

If these trendsetters are to be believed (and frankly, who wouldn’t believe in these awesome get-ups?), we’ll be seeing quite a few more billowy sarongs and long-johns, socks and sandals, and super-cute dreads in the seasons to come. Sartorialists, here’s a hot glimpse into your future!

Here we two amazing looks that we just couldn’t decide between! Remember the mask-wear from our last fashion post? Well, the Hillside faction can’t seem to stay away either! Note the mask’s jaunty angle and how it’s paired with a lovely maroon and blue tunic – so effortless! On the right we have some muted fall colours with pops of orange and beige all brought together in a gypsy-themed ensemble.

Don’t be shy, young fashionista! You’ve clearly got nothing to hide! We’re having a religious experience taking in your golden, tanned shoulders and textured hair-pieces! The lightly-worn board shorts paired with a cute tent-bag is something we just know we’ll be seeing on all the fall runways this season.

Hubba hubba! If there’s one thing we can’t get enough of, it’s an older man who knows how to rock a summer look! This silver fox is clearly a seasoned pro at putting together an outfit — from the psychedelic t-shirt imagery to the Tilley hat and leather satchel — we’ll babysit for you and your partner any time!

As soon as we saw this stud, our first thought was “simplicity at its finest!” Sometimes to complete an outfit all you need is some snug-fitting, careworn khakis, peek-a-boo underwear band action, and a confident smile! We also can’t ignore the adorable tousled hair look — hello late ‘90s redux!

Yes, congratulatory hugs should be in order for THIS hot get-up! Marc Jacobs take note. Why just have one grape-hued item (such as this sexy denim kilt) when you can have three? We almost screamed out loud when we saw that Crocs had FINALLY made a come-back, just in time for pre-fall!

Nothing makes us smile more than when we see trend-setting looks in a flirty atmosphere! This hunk is clearly schooling her in something — we assume in how to look effortlessly fab! We’re crazy about everything this dude is doing, from the orange headpiece to the tribal jewelry — not to mention the electric blue bottoms! Our gal is going for a more subtle, come-hither look — her T-shirt literally says it all! [Ed: the woman’s t-shirt says “I <3 To Fart”]

Okay, now this is a look for a more advanced Hillside attendee. Not many can pull off such dramatic hair-work, but this gentleman does it with style and aplomb. It’s a piece that could stand on its own, and yet he takes everything to the next level with a stylish medium-gauge carabiner and a deep, forest-green top. Perfection.

This look is so next-level, we didn’t know where to begin in even describing it! This heart-throb is doing everything right in keeping a classic Hillside look fresh, from the multi-faceted blue palette of the tie dyed tee, to the form-fitting fisherman hat. As you can see, on-lookers can’t help but swoon! Take note of the Hillside program coyly emerging from his back-pocket. What a tease!

Now, we couldn’t very well do a full report on Hillside fashions without mentioning the footwear. We were seeing these two looks nearly everywhere on the desiccated island grasses, and we couldn’t get enough! We’re making a big prediction that this fall’s must-have footwear will be the Hiking Sneaker coupled with grey ankle socks, and featuring orange and yellow rubber detailing. It took every ounce of energy not to lose our minds when we saw these! And we couldn’t ignore the sexy trotters on the right — a tried and true classic whose look only improves with a sexy, smoky accent seen on the bottom of the feet.

Holy Hobbit! Just in time for this year’s highly anticipated installment in the Tolkien film-series, this dreamboat had us drooling! Again, with some of these looks, it’s all about the simplicity of the get-up. A few choice pieces really do come together to create one hot ensemble. We’re loving the beach-y facial hair paired with rectangular sporty spectacles and slouchy khakis. Not to mention the outfit’s spectacular burlap centre-piece. Get your orders in now, fellas!

We saved the best for last with this jaw-droppingly stylish arrayment. From the sultry dreadlocks peeking out of an over-sized sunhat to the earth-toned sarong, this was by far our favourite look of the day. The most unexpected, yet daring element of this get-up was the voluminous, achromatic grey top.

This concludes our Hillside fashion round-up of the latest styles you’ll sure to be sporting in the coming months! Tune in next time when we head to the Boots and Hearts Country Music Festival in Bowmanville, Ontario to get a sneak peek at the latest trends in tramp-stamps, crop-tops and spurs!

All photos by Claire Ward-Beveridge.