Let’s face it – Coachella is now becoming the “go-to” place to exhibit everything you never thought you’d ever wear on campus or those off-campus weekend parties. With every shot of girls wearing those sloppy floppy-brim hats, Rag & Bone-esque ankle booties, denim cutoffs, coin necklaces, flower crowns and flash tattoos dominating Instagram feeds, Coachella fashion has been saturated with homogeneity. Here are some head-to-toe trends at Coachella that need to be swept away by the dust storm:
1. Wide Brim Floppy Hats
It’s nice to protect the scalp from getting toasted by the Indio sun, but being able to see your favorite acts is no laughing joke. Thanks to these annoying round corners jutting your view by 180 degrees, the projector becomes your best friend.
Have you ever thought about wearing that trucker hat your cool older sister used to wear back in high school 10 years ago? You might think that trucker hats are so 2003, but it’s never too late to bring them back! Not only can it protect your head, it provides ventilation – whether you position it at the back or the front. Believe me, you can save $10 for food as opposed to spending it on mechanical fans.
Another no-fuss alternative is the bucket hat. Not only are they easy to pack, it won’t obstruct your view! Recently, photographer and hat designer Melissa Forde released a line of bucket hats, which are exclusively sold at Opening Ceremony. From pineapple print to neoprene, M$$ x Working Title hats make an outfit from 0 to 10. While the M$$ x WT hats might be a little bit on the costly side due to the designer’s celebrity status (she’s known for being Rihanna’s BFF), you can also score some equally cool printed bucket hats at Shop Jeen for half the price. Never for the shy, Shop Jeen is extremely trend-driven, but surely caters to the Tumblr-savvy and emoji obsessed. For the bros out there, you can also rock a bucket hat! Believe me, you are one step ahead of calling yourself a street style star.
2. Flower Crowns
Thanks to Lana Del Rey, the flower crown has been holding on to the stomping grounds of the Empire Polo Field for at least three years. Instead, you can amp up your hair game by slathering glitter all over it. Just buy some hair gel, dump some glitter (preferably from your nearest craft store) in the bowl, and mix! This is not pillowcase-friendly, but dumping all that glitter over your head is sure to start the party!
3. Coin Necklaces
Assembling all those pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters to make a necklace are cool, but try removing it once you get back home after spending an hour or two out in the sun.
Not only are coin necklaces impractical, they cause SO MUCH NOISE. Nobody came to Coachella to hear you shake your piggybank. Before you leave the hotel/tent/wherever you are, Coco Chanel said that you should remove your necklace before you go. It’s always best to go to the festival without a necklace and/or just wear a choker.
4. Flash Tattoos
Ever heard of the saying what happens in Coachella stays in Coachella? Flash tattoos belong in this list. Instead of wearing flash tattoos, try some face jewelry. As opposed to going the late ‘90s/early ‘00s route a la Gwen Stefani, place them either by the corners of your eyes or eyelids. To score some face jewels, check out Wicked Hippie on Dolls Kill. From smiley faces to ice creams, Wicked Hippie’s face jewels are perfectly ‘grammable! Plus, you can also remove them easily as 1-2-3.
5. Denim Cutoffs
The trend that every boy and girl can never get enough of. Instead, you can try spandex bike shorts with a your favorite oversized band tee (or underneath a minidress). Not only can they keep you cool, but it’s a lot easier to clean once you get home. Another surprisingly unisex trend is a pair of high-waisted shorts. For guys, the high-waistline nips in their waist and lengthens the leg. While they’ve only been featured on the runway, high-waist shorts for men NEED to make their way to retail.
6. Ankle Booties
You are inspired by Woodstock and want to bring back that late ‘60s/early ‘70s “hippie” look. Here is one thing you must agree to: what your grandparents wore at Woodstock STAYS at Woodstock. This is 2015, not 1969! A pair of heeled ankle booties is NOT appropriate for Coachella, since your feet will be in pain after walking more than a mile.
Have you ever heard of Tevas? As a #FlashbackFriday staple, a simple of pair of Tevas are there to provide you with style and comfort. But if you want to remain wearing a little bit of heel or two, look at Nasty Gal’s red-hot collaboration with Teva. With the comfort and style of a Teva sandal, Nasty Gal x Teva’s collaboration throws in elements of the former with a crackled leather strap, colored buckle, and three inch flatforms. Not only are they comfortable, they’ll take you out of the time machine! How cool is that?
Before you head off to any other festival, please keep in mind that you are there to actually enjoy the music. What you wear might be equally important to you as well, but at the end of the day, be yourself and enjoy the entertainment you paid for!