Bestival Presents... The Art Of Dressing Up features 364 pages of photos and lessons from the festival's celebrity fans, including Lily Allen and Florence Welch.

Bestival, which takes place on the Isle of Wight and always comes with a fancy dress theme - has become synonymous with silly and outlandish costumes.

DJ, founder and curator Rob da Bank, who curates the musical bonanza every year with his wife Josie, said: 'I don't know what it is about the British. Fancy dress and getting dressed up in eccentric, ridiculous and just plain stylish regalia seem to go hand in hand with our seldom-seen show-off nature... and nowhere is that more evident than at our beloved Bestival.

'From the Medieval Fool to Morris dancers and pantomime - the Great British people love any excuse to don some crazy outfits and let their hair down.

'Maybe we're shy, retiring creatures in our everyday guise and we need to become someone else to truly kick our heels up.'

Speaking about his festival, Rob said: 'For the last decade Bestival has embraced fancy dress like no other festival and has also pioneered the theming of festivals.

'From Pirates to Outer Space, Wildlife to Fantasy and Cowboys and Indians and the ill-fated Underwater theme that made the heavens open and nearly resulted in us cancelling the show, it's been a multi coloured psychedelic trip as tens of thousands of revellers parade through the festival.

'This book is all about that celebration of dressing up and fancy dress taken to the extreme. Get your outfit on!'

The Art of Dressing Up features a foreword from long-time Bestival-goer, Lily Allen, music journalist Miranda Sawyer and Rob himself.

It features studio portraits by Kent Matthews and Dan Smith - shot during Bestival 2009's Outer Space and 2010's Fantasy themes - alongside atmospheric images of the event itself taken by Jamie Baker.

Lily Allen said: 'We're show offs, really - that's why we like dressing up in the UK.

'At Bestival, I'm always astonished by how much luggage people bring with them, especially the girls  - dresses and glitter and make-up.

'It's insane that it's supposed to be going back to basics, staying in a tent and living more simply, but you're bringing all this stuff with you!

'It's so different everywhere else - it would never happen in America and in Japan everyone just wears the same uniform: cagoules and ashtrays hanging round their necks.'

'The second time I played at Bestival was the year of the space theme and I planned my outfit months in advance.

'I was in the gym non stop so I could squeeze into my silver Barbarella outfit and the whole weekend was just amazing.'

• Does your festival fancy dress blow these out of the water? Email us at or Tweet us @Femail and we'll feature the best 

The book will be launched with an exhibition at Selfridges in London, and will be available to buy in person at Bestival this September, plus through Bestival.net, Selfridges and selected Urban Outfitters stores from Monday 16th September, priced £15.99.

• For tickets for this year's festival and more information visit Besitval.net