Hold the Flower Crowns — What 1 Editor Actually Wore to Coachella
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Coachella's like the Super Bowl of festivals. The stakes are high, which makes it easy to get caught up shopping and dressing for the three-day event. That was me last year. I shopped for "Coachella-esque" pieces, packed a week's worth of outfits for the long weekend, and wore shimmery flash gold tattoos. I wanted to look the part, and I achieved that. But after day one, I learned an important lesson: don't dress for the festival theme at the expense of your personal style.
With that in mind, as I headed to Indio, CA, a second time, I made sure to pack pieces that were cute and, most importantly, sensible. What did that mean? A bandanna or a scarf to cover your face from the dust was a must. Sneakers, preferably a pair you don't mind getting ruined, and a backpack or purse to hold the essentials, like water and a wallet. Instead of being overly worried what people would think about my outfit or if it seemed "Coachella-y" enough, I selected comfortable pieces from my closet I'd wear again, beyond the desert. I left the flower crowns and fake tats at home. Read on to see my actual outfits, plus a few festival style lessons I learned along the way.
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Day 1
Outfit: Sometimes the best outfits come last minute. I bought this Lioness dress ($80) a few days before flying to Palm Springs, CA, for the festival and styled it with Kenneth Cole's Kam sneakers ($120). Kendall Jenner has a pair too, FYI. The plunging neckline and high-cut slits on the dress were more revealing than my day-to-day outfits aka jeans, but I was excited to give this dress a try before Summer.
I was also a little worried about potential wardrobe malfunctions, but double-sided stick tape and the appropriate undergarment nixed all that. Though every time there was wind, my heart skipped a beat and I instinctively reached down to hold my dress. A small price to pay for this 'grammable opportunity. Overall, my day one outfit was a good mix of comfy, sexy, and trendy thanks to the gingham print. I felt like myself too.
Lesson learned: Never underestimate the power of a good dress at festivals.
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Day 2
Outfit: As much as Coachella is about the music and fashion, it's also about the parties. For day two, I had to pack two outfits: one for the Winter Bumbleland bash, which Kendall and Kylie Jenner were hosting (the pressure to look extra stylish was on) and a back-up festival look without heels. I chose a starry print Topshop dress, Report suede shoes, and my Chloé bag as my daytime look and coincidentally wore sunglasses from the Jenner sisters own line. Once at the party, I was less worried how I looked and more interested in sipping tequila and checking out Kylie's own outfit (a snakeskin two piece).
Two hours later, my friends picked me up from the party (with my second look, bless them) and I made a quick 180-outfit change into high-waisted shorts and black bodysuit in the car. While I could have lasted until 1 a.m. in my beige lace-up shoes (they were super comfortable), I made the smart decision to wear my white sneakers again. (Note: there are no photos of my second outfit for this day because . . . well, I blame the tequila.)
Lesson learned: Always bring a back-up outfit post-parties.
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Day 3
Outfit: By day three, I had perfected the Coachella outfit: sneakers, bandanna (to cover your face from the dusty festival grounds), and your favorite, go-to pieces. For me, that was a jumpsuit. I slipped on this floral embroidered one-piece from Topshop and wore my beat-up Keds, knowing they were likely going into the trash at the end of the night. White sneakers turn brown from the dust very fast — something I learned last year. If I had any doubts about my jumpsuit, my sister glanced at my outfit and remarked that I looked “very bohemian today.” That was my seal of approval. The final finishing add-ons were a beautiful bejeweled necklace from Baublebar and my sturdy mini backpack from Nicaragua.
I was feeling confident and happy with my wardrobe choice, until I got to the venue and felt the heaviness of the necklace sticking to my neck like glue. It was extra hot on day three and having metal rub against my skin was not comfortable. My advice to festivalgoers who plan to sweat it out on the dance floor? Leave the chunky jewelry at home; you’ll feel a lot more free.
Lesson learned: Over-the-top jewelry looks good in photos but is annoying AF when you’re sweaty from dancing IRL.