Festival goer David Do dons a "romphim" at the 2017 Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Del.
Isis Briones
Summer is officially here, and the viral male outfit of festival season 2017 had a major moment at last weekend’s Firefly Music Festival. With up to four days of camping in humid, 80-degree heat and sporadic rain showers, packing comfortable clothing was a main concern when looking to enjoy the lineup in Dover, Delaware.
Though there were nearby hotels and “glamping” options, the most cost-effective way to be there was to pitch a good old-fashioned tent on the campgrounds, so what you wore made all the difference. “Given that showering was a luxury, I wanted something I could change in and out of easily,” attendee David Do told Billboard of the “RompHim,” which initially started as a Kickstarter campaign and is now sold on its own online retailer. “My girlfriend always talks about how cozy she is in her romper, so I thought an intense weekend outdoors was the perfect place to test it out.”
Unlike festival trends such as flower crowns and face tattoos — which are purely for aesthetic purposes — the RompHim added a new layer of utility and comfort to the experience. From unbelievable throwback moments with T-Pain to Slushii’s one-of-a-kind high-energy set and watching Chance the Rapper close out Day 3 at 2 a.m., it was important to have a look you could sprint and relax in at the same time. “Putting my girl on my shoulders during Slushii was the best,” another RompHim-wearer, Justen Nguyen, said. “More importantly, it was awesome not having to think about anything falling off. The romper stayed completely in place.”
Going shirtless or wearing jeans and a T-shirt might still be a go-to for guys attending outdoor concerts and male artists performing onstage, but perhaps it’s time to consider the RompHim for the rest of the festival season. The Kickstarter campaign that took over the Internet isn’t the only place you can snag one for yourself; major sportswear giant Reebok has picked up on the trend as well and will release its own version called the “ReeRomp.”
For those of you already planning what to wear for Electric Forest, Lollapalooza or, more appropriately, this week’s ROMP festival (as far as we know, the name is unrelated to the new apparel craze), sizing is one thing to be careful of when getting a male romper, especially since most are sold online. “It’s best to go a size down,” Jovin Mujar, RompHim fan and festival-goer, recommended. “The cut and overall silhouette was a little bigger and longer than I expected.”
If comfort is solely what you’re after, this onesie made for warm weather is probably the way to go. As far as the haters out there shaming the practical look, spend a day or two in it first before being so quick to judge. These Firefly experiences prove there’s certainly more to the RompHim than meets the eye.