What To Wear To A Music Festival

Things may have gotten a little out of control lately, as festival goers tend to be more extreme with their outfits – elaborate Indian headdresses, oversized floral headpieces (yes, we get it, you are a free-spirited flower child), torn denim shorts that would be mistaken for underwear and footwear that consists of variations of leather boots and wellies, for the more inexperienced, they will probably be regretting the fact that they chose to wear stripper heels to the festival (one word: Mud).

We blame Kate Moss and Alexa Chung, for single-handedly pioneering the art of dressing for festivals with various Glastonbury visits and festival looks that still resonate till today.

H&M was smart to jump onto the hippie, music festival bandwagon and they created its own range of clothing in collaboration with Coachella music festival – and provided festival lovers (and teenage sorority girls) options, as their one-stop-shop for all things crochet, floral, fringe and satisfying their tassle needs. The key thing to realize is when attending a festival, dress to impress but at the same time don’t wear a head-to-toe suede ensemble for practical purposes because 15 hours on your feet in the desert or under the scorching sun will leave you sweaty and gross to say the least.

Accessory-wise, do keep in mind the mantra that sometimes less is more. We know you can’t stay away from the flower crowns (like moths to a flame) and those neon tank tops or fringe kimonos, but it is a festival after all, and from our experience, you want less things to get caught onto people’s bags, cameras, hooks and various random objects you would encounter at a festival.

If you’re looking for something a little bit more than a bikini or bra top as fashion choices, we list some suggestions to keep you occupied while you wait in anticipation for showtime.

So, here’s what to wear to Coachella that will make you look cool-as-heck while you rock out:

Wide brim fedora - Block the sun from your eyes while looking insanely bohemian chic and stylish.

Round sunglasses – To protect your eyes from harsh UV rays as well as look like someone who stepped out of a ‘60s festival photograph from Woodstock. Lennon would be proud.

Mixed prints – Go crazy with your prints! Mix and match and layer print on print. If you never tried this trend before, a music festival would be the perfect place to flaunt some colour. The almost maxi is a fail-safe-go-to when it comes to outdoors and a subdued pattern and the right fit would give it a cool-girl vibe, you just can’t go wrong.

Boots – The right boots can make all the difference at a festival. Firstly, try walking in the boots first and breaking them in before you wander the fields and dance along to fist-pumping, psychedelic tunes. Comfort is key and stick to earth-tone hues if possible. If it gets a little messy and muddy, choose a good pair of wellingtons (trust us!).

Coloured shorts – A little spin on the classic denim short. These colourful cutoff shorts are a fresh departure from the basic ripped jeans. Nothing says, “I’ve been to a festival or two in my day” like cutoff shorts, Doc Martin’s, and an oversized flannel. It’s literally what I dreamed I would wear and it has layers to support dancing, walking, and flirting. If the day is already off to a breezy start? Put on some tights (possibly ripped) and stuff them in your backpack if you warm up.

Fringe - From fringe hemlines to bikini tops, boots and even bags, the look is everywhere you turn at a music festival — but it’s also a prominent trend for both spring and fall. While a fringe purse is great if you’re rocking the casual, boho look at a festival, you can instantly transform it by pairing it with sleek separates and a pair of pumps.

Ikat Carry-All – The ikat backpack has music festival written all over it! From Aztec patterns to fun mind-altering prints. It's casual, easy to carry around on the festival grounds and incredibly hobo chic.