The Minnesota State Fair is known as the great Minnesota get together, and it's for a reason! I'm a 37 year old woman from Minnesota who has only missed the fair ONCE! I lived in Phoenix and Miami my whole adult life, but I still found the excitement to encourage me to travel up every single year - Even when I was a broke ass college student.
The great Minnesota get together is great and all (no pun intended), but the August weather that comes along with it can either be wonderful or a nightmare. In my opinion, there's no happy medium. One day it could be cold, almost like a fall day, and the next could be hot and humid. Or both of these could happen in the same day - cool in the morning and then steamy in the afternoon into the night. That's always a great scenario when you're attending a concert at the Grandstand too (being sarcastic). So what should you wear?
Minnesota State Fair Outfits for Women
Every Minnesotan has a flannel. It's a staple. This "flannel" is made of rayon so not necessarily flannel, but rayon is more breathable and dries quickly. This would come in super handy for later if you went on a water ride, started to break a sweat, spilt a drink on yourself, etc. You could wear it into the fair, but could easily tie it around your waist or throw it over your shoulders later when it starts to warm up. If you're someone that runs cold, I would opt for a real flannel material ;)
Then let's chat about why I went with all black underneath - you'll spill FOR SURE! Would a
white tank look better? Sure! But you also have to be realistic. For the shorts, lyocell fabric is not only comfortable, but it's breathable! Again, great for a long day. The nice thing about this fabric, too, is that you can dress it up and down. If you run cold, a kick crop flare is a modern day capri so opt for those instead.
Have you tried New Balance shoes? You should! They've been a MH client fav for YEARS, like before they were popular. I'll just leave it at that. Oh, actually one little thing - do not wear white sneakers to the fair, they'll get dirty AF!
Now, I always encourage my clients to accessorize no matter. So although you're "just going to the fair", don't forget to throw something on! I styled this outfit with small simple hoops and simple bracelets. Then we can't forget about the hair - I love a good hair clip. It's a quick fix for an up-do when it gets hot out. I always carry one with me by clipping it onto the strap of my tote bag or sling bag.
Minnesota State Fair Outfits for Men
Let's first chat about this Henley shirt. Men get hot easily, but let's be honest, the mornings at the state fair can be a bit chilly. With that said, I went with a 100% cotton long sleeve because 1) you can just push up the sleeves once it starts warming up, 2) you can unbutton the top to be a bit more relaxed (and cool down a tad), and 3) it's cotton which is always good for a warm day. I also always suggest a dark color because, again, you'll most likely spill! Now if you're a man that can handle a coldish morning in just a tee, then go with a 100% cotton dark tee - I have some linked below that come in a variety of colors, including black and navy.
In my opinion, men's heads tend to burn more easily than women because their hair is shorter. That's why I threw in this basic hat to protect you from the sun. A black hat, too, is a great basic and super trendy right now! I'm even going to be buying a black baseball cap soon. Just be careful - if you're someone that likes to sometimes wear them backwards, there may be an opening in the back which would then give you a weird tan line if it was sunny that day.
Everyone needs a pop of color and a light green looks great on everyone! However, side tip: If you're nervous you'll spill and have it roll down onto your shorts, no problemo! Do a switcheroo: wear a colored hat (if you want) and wear black shorts (or a darker color in general). The nice thing about these shorts specifically is I went with a cotton twill. They're nicer shorts that can be dressed up but still can be dressed down, as such. Lastly, an elastic waist is amazing for the fair because you'll probably eat A LOT and will need some flexibility ;)
Lastly, Kizik sneakers. I've never personally tried them, but my clients have and LOOOOVE them! I'm trusting them and throwing this brand of sneaker onto the look. These are neutral, but still not too light where you'll see every single grain of dirt.
Minnesota State Fair Grandstand Concert Outfits
When it comes to concerts, some people like to lean into the genre and dress like it. Example: A western outfit for a country concert. Either way, I always suggest going with dress when it comes to womenswear. Why? It's 1 and done and it allows you to move and dance at the concert.
When it comes to shoes, I put comfy sandals with each of these looks because it always seems to be hot at night. However, depending on the genre of the concert, this is where the detail comes into play - You can wear simple fashion sneakers for a hip-hop concert (or just in general) or a cowboy boot for a country concert. Maybe you even want an edgy looking boot for a rock concert. The world is your oyster! Please note though that these sandals are comfortable brands. Believe it not, but what some people call "old lady brands" actually have cute styles now. Ex: Born, Aerosoles, Dr. Scholls, Keds, Hush Puppies, Clarks, etc. and that's coming from a professional personal stylist ;)
And let's not forget about accessories. Just like the outfits above, I've kept it simple with hoops and a layered necklace.
Now let's chat about Grandstand concert outfits for men!
Besides cotton, linen is a great option for hot summer weather. Men especially like linen since they typically run warm. This is why I chose this tropical print camp shirt. As you can see on the graphic, I suggested to leave it unbuttoned to expose the pima cotton (more durable of a cotton yet still breathable) t-shirt pictured to the right of it.
For the shorts, these are a chambray material. Breathable and light, which again, are perfect for a hot summer day.
Finally, I paired it with a navy blue sneaker to stay comfortable, yet fashionable. The dark color will help hide the dirt (or beer) that gets spilt while dancing around too ;)
Shop Minnesota State Fair Outfits
That's a wrap! Hopefully you can use these as inspo. I could create outfits for days!! If you would like to shop any of these looks, they're all offered in a variety of sizes and colors and most of them can be found at Nordstrom Rack:
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Til next time,
Melissa
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