To blend in at Creamfields, the one-day dancefest held at Punchestown racecourse over the weekend, this is what you wore: fake fur boots, fishnet tights and hot-pants so minuscule even Kylie Minogue would have blushed.
Around 40,000 clubbers descended on the Co Kildare venue on Saturday. Dressed as angels, devils and everything in between, the female participants strutted around adjusting micro-mini-skirts and teetering on platform heels.
Some of the male clubbers wore boiler suits, but most opted for the more restrained jeans 'n teeshirt ensemble teamed with a luminous whistle. "This is the best place in Ireland to spot talent," said Dave from Crumlin. "And the music isn't bad either".
Throughout the day and night the pulsing tunes of DJs such as Mr Spring, Judge Jules and Lisa Lashes threatened to blow the roofs of the huge blue circus tents dotted around the site. Bands such as Underworld and Faithless provided two of the festival highlights. "Brilliant!," agreed the sweaty crowds dancing in front of the stages when asked about the line-up.
The outfits proved as diverting as the entertainment. Melissa Bissett (17) from Skryne, Co Meath, wore trousers split up the sides, feathery wings and a barely-there top made from white fake fur. "I'm supposed to be an angel," she said, adjusting her furry halo. "It's just once a year you get the chance to go mad like this so why not?".
A group of teenage clubbers from Co Cork were also seizing the opportunity to break from the norm. They wore matching boiler suits with what they said was their motto written on the back. "I am. You are. We are. Crazy", it read.
Niamh explained the philosophy: "We are just here to celebrate life and the music and everybody is out of their heads and loving each other," she said. "There's no divisions between the counties," said her friend. "God is a DJ," said a girl dressed as a nun.
As the afternoon wore on, the queues grew at stalls where temporary tattoos and piercings were on offer. Tattoist Eddie said the most popular requests were for designs he didn't have. "They all want drug symbols," he said.
"A rave a day keeps the doctor away," read the message on one teenager's boiler suit. In the lost and found tent, ravers could find posters with advice about what to do to ensure they would not recquire the services of a doctor.
This included guidance on the use of ecstasy such as "alcohol and ecstasy don't mix well", "be prepared for the come up and come down" and warnings against "taking too many at once".
Outside, those seeking entry were searched by vigilant gardaí. A Garda spokesman said yesterday that the event was mostly trouble-free. There were 230 seizures of drugs, he said, "substantially down" on last year.