With the immense popularity of major music festivals such as Coachella, ACL, and Bonnaroo, festival fashion has now become a major player in today’s culture. It’s supposed to be quirky and playful to match the festival personality, but we can probably all agree that there are some trends that leave us scratching our heads (cue neon catsuits). We’ve taken a look at all the trends and picked out our favorite fashion festival essentials to keep you cool, comfortable, and stylish during festival season.
- Staying cool is extremely important because most events are located outside, which means you’re going to have the sun beaming down on you for the majority of the day. This is why festival fashions tend to be flowier and looser, because wearing things that are skin tight have a tendency to trap heat and be uncomfortable. While we’re on the subject of sun, remember to wear sunblock–nothing ruins a good time or a good outfit like a painful sunburn!
- Headgear has officially made its comeback! Wearing a cute hat is an excuse to keep the sun out of your face while looking chic and stylish. Headbands of all shapes and sizes are also hugely popular at festivals. You know what they say, “the bigger the hair the closer to God,” but at the end of the day we all know we just want our hair out of our face and out of our way. This trend is a great way to keep your mane under control.
- Prints are a festival fashion staple. From floral to aztec, don’t be afraid to let prints make an appearance in your outfit. Whether it’s in your top, shorts, or a flowy dress, feel free to go bold!
- Footwear choice matters because you have to pick something that you’ll have no problem wearing all day long–the last thing you need is for your good time to be ruined by uncomfortable shoes. So this is probably not the time to break in those brand new wedges or flats, this is the time to pick comfy sandals or boots that allow you to stand, run, walk, and play the entire festival. Our personal favorites: strappy sandals and Converse sneakers.
- Flowy dresses and skirts are another personal favorite of ours because they make it extremely easy to stay cool. Whether you choose a solid or a print, these are easy to pair with other festival fashion trends like hats or headbands for an effortlessly stylish look.
- Shorts may seem like an obvious choice, but festivals are the perfect place to bust out those old cutoff Levi’s. Many of us southern girls will look for any excuse to sport our denim shorts, but patterns and crochet are also hugely popular at festivals. However, remember that there is such a thing as “too short.”
- Think bohemian meets rocker chic when it comes to choosing your outfit–which is really just a fancy way of saying “anything goes.” The end goal is to look relaxed, so basically the only rule is to avoid any clothing that is binding. This could mean that your perfect festival fashion outfit is as simple as wearing your favorite denim shorts with a floral top. If you’re comfortable, chances are that you’re doing it right!
The key to mastering festival fashion is to remember to make it your own. Whether you have been looking for an excuse to unleash your inner hippie or you just want to throw on some sandals and a T-shirt, the whole point of this trend is to feel cool and comfortable, so have fun with it!