Each year, come April, masses travel across the Inland Empire to get to the most anticipated music festival of the year: Coachella. The event that took off as a way to showcase a blend of popular and emerging musical artists has become an opportunity for festival-goers to showcase their best outfits.
Serial Coachella-attendees such as “Queen of Coachella” Vanessa Hudgens — became memorable for their looks with the aid of social media in the 2010s. It was then that Instagram became an outlet for non-celebrities to become their own paparazzi. Since that point, a Coachella wristband has become the equivalent of a Met Gala ticket.
The headliners dazzled the stage like crowning jewels in Coachella Week One. Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G stunned with their countless wardrobe changes in sparkling sets. Karol G’s final look was a blue long sleeve top decorated in rhinestones and red appliques with matching boots. Her lively skirt was tiered in red, yellow, blue and green tassels that mimicked the feathers of a Macaw bird.
Carpenter’s simplest outfit may have been her most memorable look for her night: a royal blue turtleneck sweater and sheer black tights layered over a barely-visible black leotard. Justin Bieber took the nonchalant route wearing long barrel shorts and a hot pink hoodie from his clothing brand, Skylrk. His Loewe Bobby boots demand a double take with their bag-handle cutouts.
The Coachella crowd looks have generated its own identity. Famous for its boho and western inspired fashion, attendees typically resort to earthy beiges and browns with airy fabrics like lace and mesh. Big belts, scarves and high boots are other Coachella staples. This year was no different as the looks didn’t stray too far from what the festival is used to, but some looks were more maximalist than they’ve ever been: more sequins, more rhinestones and even more jewelry.
In contrast, the celebrity attendance took the casual, nonchalant route to festival wear. This minimalist vs. maximalist route becomes a sort-of class indicator amongst Coachella-goers. Kendall Jenner was seen sporting a simple white tank top and shorts set, accented with a black belt.
Meanwhile, her sister, Kylie, sported a glittery white fringe top with a pair of jeans. Everyday items were common amongst this crowd, favoring comfort over eye-catching looks. For celebrity attendees, Coachella is yet another leisurely luxury they can sit-back and relax at. For the average Joe, this is an occasional indulgence that they’ll want to show-off and embrace.
Assembling a Coachella fit is like a masterclass in textured layering and extreme accessorizing. Going all out is encouraged, emboldening attendees to test out experimental combinations. It inspires D.I.Y.-ers to put their skills to the test from knitting, sewing to hot-gluing. The craftiest outfits are typically the most elusive in a pool of trendy getups.
Otherwise, there is a group of Coachella go-ers that pour their earned money into designer splurges. Some influencers have revealed that they hired personal stylists for this occasion, burning upwards of $1,000. Curating Coachella outfits began as a way of heightening the festival experience, but has the dedication to serving looks gone too far? Has Coachella turned into a best-dressed competition?
The opinion on Coachella fashion is wavering. Older generations have expressed disappointment in the recent fashion choices that no longer capture the essence of the “golden years” from the 2010s. Hyper-critical content haunts Coachella headlines as best/worst dressed rankings roll out. There’s a simultaneous comparison to past looks and other attendees that online spectators have cultivated a highly competitive environment with no real prize to be won. It’s a gamble between online praise or scrutiny. With comments calling outfits either basic or too much, it’s no wonder that there’s an extreme pressure to curate the perfect look.
It seems like the public has started to grow tired of online creators making trips to Coachella solely to make trendy content. Over the past decade, the festival has gained a public reputation of being a pool of influencers. It’s not just the already bank-breaking ticket prices and housing costs that attendees have to worry about — wardrobe is another expense that needs to be factored in the budget that takes up money, time, and getting out of one’s comfort zone. Despite the Vegas-level productions and household-name headliners, the festival seems less appealing as the years go by because of its performative, taxing culture. Hopefully next year, fashion can take a backseat role so Coachella attendees can focus on the music.
