Festival Outfit Ideas and Trends
A Shopping Editor's Festival Season Essentials, From Face Gems to Cowboy Boots
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Festival season is officially here. It's time to update your wardrobe, switch up your makeup routine, try a new hairstyle, and prepare your bag of lifestyle must haves for the occasion. What does that look like for spring and summer 2026? For fashion, we're seeing lots of '90s and 2000s-era staples: oversize jeans, naked dresses, sequin embellishment, and — of course — corsets. While Western and boho will claim their usual top spot in festival street style, this year, you can also expect crochet and lots of sparkle, bringing a tropical and nightlife vibe to festival outfits.
In the beauty realm, think a mix of '90s face gems, glass skin, beach waves, and tousled bobs. And you'll want to pack the usual lifestyle essentials: the best sneakers for getting around, face SPF, electrolyte hydration like Electrolit, Listerine on-the-go packets, hands-free bags, water bottles (if allowed), handheld fans, and the list goes on.
Whether you're headed to Governor's Ball or Lollapalooza, check out some of our go-to products for festival season ahead, many of which have been recently reviewed by our editors.
In This Post:
Our Festival Must Haves:
- To keep your breath fresh over long festival days: Listerine Total Care Mouthwash at $9
- The electrolyte packet our editor relies on to stay hydrated: Electrolit Electrolytes Powder Packets 8-Pack at $12
- Charge your phone from zero to 50 percent in 30 minutes: iWalk Portable Charger 4800mAh Power Bank at $23
- Our editor's favorite leakproof water bottle: Owala 32-Ounce FreeSip Stainless-Steel Water Bottle at $35
- A powerful portable fan loved by Ciara Miller: Jisulife Handheld Fan Pro Series at $60, originally $70
- Face gems to upgrade your festival makeup: Teenitor Self Adhesive Face Gems and Pearls For Makeup at $5, originally $7
- Add some color to your lashes with these clusters: Lilly Lashes Multicolored Individual Faux Mink Lash Flares at $14
- Deodorant gel that lasts all day: Billie AHA pH Adjusting Deodorant Gel at $14
- Facial spray for when you need a quick refresh: Evian Facial Spray at $15
- This kept our editor's makeup in place for 11 hours of partying: One/Size Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray at $34
- Mineral sunscreen that blends easily with makeup: Kosas DreamBeam Silicone-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40 at $40
- Protect yourself from Coachella cough in style: Cotton Paisley Pattern Bandanas, Pack of 3 at $7
- A bag that adheres to most festival requirements: Packism Clear Fanny Pack at $10, originally $17
- Our editor's go-with-everything sun hat: Free People Essential Beach Hat at $28
- A concert merch tee you'll wear on repeat: Merch Traffic Aaliyah Off the Shoulder Graphic T-Shirt at $29
- Nail the hot-pants trend in the most comfortable fashion: Uratot Cotton Sports Shorts at $37
- Wear this lacy bralette under a sheer dress or by itself: Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Wicked Unlined Lace Balconette Bra at $50
- Cat-eye sunnies that never go out of style: Quay Call the Shots Sunglasses at $53, originally $75
- The classic sneaker you can style any way you'd like: Adidas Gazelle Bold Platform Sneaker at $54, originally $120
- Embrace the Western trend in a halter corset: Edikted Sloane Faux Suede Halter Top at $65
- Trust us on this: cowboy hats will be everywhere: Wrangler Rhinestone Wool Cowboy Hat at $67, originally $130
- Crochet is having a major moment this year: More to Come Alcie Crochet Skirt Set at $83, originally $88
- Barrel jeans to pair with a bra or crop top: x We The Free Good Luck Mid Rise Barrel Jeans at $98
- Cutoff denim shorts you'll wear all season: Good American Cutoff Denim Shorts at $128
- The ever-popular naked dress with a Bohemian spin: Bali Told You So Slip at $168
- Style this poncho with a white tank and shorts: Luli Fama Here Comes The Sun Long Poncho at $187
- This jeweled bra will garner endless compliments: For Love & Lemons Rhinestone Heart Bralette at $224, originally $298
- A festival shoe staple that's worth the investment: Jeffrey Campbell Finn Tall Western Boots at $368
Festival Wellness and Tech Must Haves
Listerine Total Care Mouthwash in Extra Mild ($9)
Festival season means long days of hopping from stage to stage to after party, and if you're like me, you want your breath fresh throughout. I swear by Listerine Total Care mouthwash in the morning, which now boasts different intensities (Extra Mild, Mild, and Classic Intense) as well as alcohol-free options — my go-to is Extra Mild. I also pack Listerine Travel Essentials Cool Mint PocketPaks Breath Strips ($6, originally $7) in my handbag to freshen my breath after meals on the festival grounds.
Electrolit Electrolytes Powder Packets 8-Pack ($12)
When you're walking around and partying all day at a music festival, staying hydrated is critical. I love electrolytes to hydrate and rehydrate while dancing all day in the heat, and for recovering after long days out and about. This Electrolit brand comes highly-recommended from athletes, and my favorite flavor is fruit punch (but the grape, strawberry kiwi, and lemon lime flavors are also great).
Electrolit is the official electrolyte hydration sponsor for Governor's Ball, so if you're attending, be sure to stop by their hydration station for samples, fun activations, and more.
iWalk Portable Charger 4800mAh Power Bank ($23)
As someone who once lost power after getting separated from the group at Coachella and had to hop a fence, walk 3 miles, and wait 2 hours for an Uber back to the rental, I can assure you: a portable charger goes a long way. This option stands out from the rest with its conveniently tiny size, fast-charging power bank, and cordless design. Our editor raved about the tech find in her iWalk portable charger review.
Editor Quote:: "This isn't your typical clunky, tricky-to-use iPhone charger that takes forever to charge or, even worse, takes up a ton of space in your bag. Within the span of only an hour, the portable battery can be fully charged and ready to use as needed. With this tool, I can forgo a charging cord altogether as the product can be inserted straight into my iPhone's lightning port, which is fantastic because it's one less thing for me to have to worry about carrying around or transporting when I'm on the go." — Kyley Warren, former assistant shopping editor
Owala 32-Ounce FreeSip Stainless-Steel Water Bottle ($35)
It's safe to say these Owala FreeShip water bottles everywhere. During festival season, they're perfect for stowing away in your waist bag or tote until you get a chance for a refill. The leakproof valve means you won't dampen the rest of the belongings in your bag. Plus, you can shop from plenty of different colorways to match your outfit. Our editor wrote an Owala Water Bottle review and gave it 5 stars.
Editor Quote: "Beyond its aesthetics, I fell in love with the dual-function straw. What makes it so great is that you can either sip through the built-in straw (ideal for avoiding spills when it's full) or swig from the spout opening when you need a lot more water at once (perfect for those intense Sculpt classes). [...] It's been my go-to emotional support water bottle for the past six months. Trust me, you won't regret buying it." — Marisa Petrarca, former PS contributor
Jisulife Handheld Fan Pro Series ($60, originally $70)
This pocket fan will come in handy when you're out all day in the sweltering heat. It provides an impressive 9m/s wind speed, it's rechargeable with an accompanying power bank, and can go up to 15 hours of cooling time when fully charged. "Summer House"'s Ciara Miller swears by it, telling Popsugar: "It's functional, affordable, and you can find them everywhere — I got mine on Amazon."
Festival Beauty Must Haves
Teenitor Self Adhesive Face Gems and Pearls For Makeup ($5, originally $7)
This pack of face jewels comes with two sheets of rhinestone stickers, one sheet of hair pearls, and one sheet of multicolor gemstones. Once your skin is prepped with makeup, you can add these to your look to achieve a beauty moment that's even more done up. These face gems are made from high quality ABS material without odor, and they don't irritate your skin.
Lilly Lashes Multicolored Individual Faux Mink Lash Flares ($14)
Get creative with your beauty look this festival season and decorate your eyes with accent lashes, blending them with your shadow for a prismatic effect. While you might not expect it, these are reusable up to three times with proper care, but they come with a whopping total of 32 clusters, so they should keep you occupied for all of the concerts you've got on the agenda.
Billie AHA pH Adjusting Deodorant Gel ($14)
This roll-on AHA deodorant is getting plenty of hype for its promising formula that works to exfoliate the skin, unclog pores, block odor-causing bacteria, and even out the skin's texture and tone. Available in three different scents, it's perfect for those with sensitive skin on the go. Our editor gave it four stars in her Billie AHA Deodorant review.
Editor Quote: "From workouts to stuffy subways, or anything that typically makes me break a sweat, I still can't smell any trace of my body odor. Plus, the formula goes on clear and dries quickly, so you don't need to worry about staining clothes or getting the gel everywhere." — Anvita Reddy, former assistant shopping editor
Evian Facial Spray ($15)
There's a reason Evian facial spray is a bestseller: it conveniently offers micro-droplet mist to hydrate and nourish your skin at the exact time you need it. It will definitely come in handy for long days in the sun or desert heat, and is available in travel size as well: Evian Facial Spray Travel Size Pack of 3 ($25).
One/Size Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray ($34)
Between the heat, sweat, and possible rain, we don't blame you for being worried about your makeup staying in place at music festivals. But we do have a solution: One/Size's melt glass setting spray. The matte version is perpetually-viral but our editors love this option for its glowy, radiant finish. One editor used it while partying for 11 hours on Juneteenth and another for a weeklong vacation in Barcelona; in both cases, their makeup stayed put. It's so good it won a Popsugar 2026 Beauty Award. Read our editor's One/Size Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray review for more details.
Editor Quote: "No matter how much powder I apply to my face, I can spritz this on and look like I just got the best facial of my life. In fact, the first time I wore it out, my ex-boyfriend actually told me that my face looked 'really glowy.' A man noticing that my face is glowing? I'll take 10 more setting sprays, please.
Plus, this product works hard to keep my makeup in place. I wore it during a sweaty week in Barcelona traipsing around the city and at a music festival, and my look stayed locked. Honestly, it's my core belief this product was sent straight from heaven." — Renee Rodriguez, senior beauty staff writer and social producer
Kosas DreamBeam Silicone-Free Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40 ($40)
This mineral formula face sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide provides SPF 40 protection and features ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and peptides to moisturize and soothe the skin. It blends easily with makeup, if you're going that route for your music festival, but the Sunlit shade also provides a natural bronze if you choose to wear it alone. Get more details in our editor's Kosas DreamBeam SPF 40 review.
Editor Quote: "I've tried countless face sunscreen formulas over the years, but the ones that make it into my skin-care routine long-term have to feel good on my skin (not greasy or heavy) and layer well under makeup." — Jessica Harrington, beauty lead
Festival Fashion Must Haves
Cotton Paisley Pattern Bandanas, Pack of 3 ($7)
Whether you tie yours into a top, wear it in your hair, or wrap it around your arm, a bandana is a go-to festival add-on. And it certainly comes in handy when trying to protect yourself from illness from inhaling too much dust otherwise known as Coachella cough. Consider this affordable option from Amazon, which comes in three neutral colorways to complement any outfit you pack.
Packism Clear Fanny Pack ($10, originally $17)
Going hands-free at a festival is a reasonable preference, but while '80s-inspired waist bags were popular in previous years, a slightly more functional crossbody that's a little larger will likely feel more secure while you're walking around. This one is also a top pick on Amazon, and it's clear, which is helpful for stages that require see-through bags.
Free People Essential Beach Hat ($28)
A casual throw-on-and-go look, this bucket hat is ideal for keeping cool and protecting your skin from the sun's harmful ways all while adding a Bohemian flair to your look. When styling this hat, don't overthink it: add it to everything from a crochet dress to denim. Added bonus? You can pull it out for mornings spent at the pool, too.
Merch Traffic Aaliyah Off the Shoulder Graphic T-Shirt ($29)
Vintage-inspired graphic tees are selling at an all-time high this festival season, but we especially love styles with prints that speak to our favorite artists like Aaliyah. After all, that just makes your look so much more special — especially when the shirt can be considered a collectible.
Uratot Cotton Sports Shorts ($37)
Jump on the hot pants trend with this perfect pack of seven mixed-color shorts, each pair replete with white piping for a sporty vibe. The material is breathable and sweat-absorbent, ideal for when you're in the summer heat at a music festival.
Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Wicked Unlined Lace Balconette Bra ($50)
A pretty, comfortable bralette is a lingerie staple for any festival outfit, whether you're wearing it under a sheer dress or as a top by itself. Go for a retro-inspired polka dot print or solid color — this style is available in over 50 different colorways.
Quay Call the Shots Sunglasses ($53, originally $75)
A pair of sunglasses makes for the perfect accessory, especially in a bold, solid black shade. These also come with a soft pouch, which is perfect for stowing away in a smaller bag while you're at the festival. Plus, the cat-eye style is still trending and super flattering no matter your face shape. Our editor raved about these sunglasses in our Quay sunglasses review.
Editor Quote: "There's nothing I love more than a pair of black cat-eye sunglasses — and this is my favorite style yet. The oversized shape is classic and glamorous, while the cat eye gives the shades a sexy, modern touch. They feel so comfortable on my face thanks to the nose pads, and I get a ton of compliments every time I wear them." — Jessica Andrews, senior style director
Adidas Gazelle Bold Platform Sneaker ($54, originally $120)
A pair of platform sneakers is practically an essential during festival season. Opt for a pair in neutral colors so that they can be worn with multiple outfits. The elevated height during a concert doesn't hurt, but in a trusty shoe like the Adidas Gazelle, you can rest assured you'll stay comfortable while walking from stage to stage.
Edikted Sloane Faux Suede Halter Top ($65)
The corset routinely gets reinterpreted for festival season each year, whether it's updated with splashy florals, animal print, or metal grommets. We love the halter neckline of this top, which can be teamed with everything from denim cutoffs to cargo pants and a pair of tough-looking combat boots.
Wrangler Rhinestone Wool Cowboy Hat ($67, originally $130)
Cowboy hats are truly the best for making a style statement at a music festival, while shielding you from harmful sun rays. This black version comes in white or red, and it features rhinestone detail that makes it really pop.
More to Come Alcie Crochet Skirt Set ($83, originally $88)
Crochet is emerging as one of our favorite festival trends this year: it's Bohemian-inspired, lightweight and airy, and gives your wardrobe a flirty, alluring vibe. This colorful set will turn heads everywhere from Coachella to Governors Ball, and it looks especially cool paired with sunglasses and Doc Martens.
x We The Free Good Luck Mid Rise Barrel Jeans ($98)
The oversize jeans trend is there to stay, and festival season is proof. Style these barrel jeans with a bralette or crop top. The key is to go fitted and abbreviated on top to balance out proportions.
Good American Cutoff Denim Shorts ($128)
Denim shorts are a festival season staple because they're comfy and go with literally anything, from distressed tees to floral blouses. Get playful with different washes to find a look tailored to your style. The distressed details on these shorts make for a lived-in '90s feel.
Durango Women's Harness Western Boot ($140, originally $170)
A trendy, comfortable pair of boots is a must for festival season, but it can be difficult to find the right pair. These classic harness boots from Durango are durable, bold, and come already broken in, so they're ready to hit the festival grounds.
Editor Quote: "These boots were surprisingly comfortable for Weekend 1 of Coachella, and they are a perfect length for a shorter person like myself (I'm 5'2" for reference). I love that they were distinct from the sea of other cowboy boots I saw at the festival, and the harness detailing added a cool, edgy look." — Lena Felton, senior special projects director
Bali Told You So Slip ($168)
The naked AKA sheer dress trend is here to stay, and that includes festival season. Grab this embellished, sheer slip dress and experiment with the styling: you can wear a swimsuit, bra and boy shorts, or even denim underneath. The options are endless.
Luli Fama Here Comes The Sun Long Poncho ($187)
Whether you wear fringe from head to toe or on a single statement piece is up to you. For festivals, something like this tie-waist poncho offers a lot of mileage and is a go-to staple to keep nearby when it gets cooler at night. Being that it comprises so many different colors, it should wear well with everything from your cutoffs to cowboy boots.
For Love & Lemons Rhinestone Heart Bralette ($224, originally $298)
While it may not make for the type of street style trend you wear for the rest of the year, a midriff-baring top like this embellished bralette is a perfection choice for festival season, especially when paired with cargo pants or oversize jeans.
Jeffrey Campbell Finn Tall Western Boots ($368)
The Western aesthetic will always be a festival staple. You'll want a trusty pair of cowboy boots to take you through festival season, and we love the classic details of this tall Jeffrey Campbell silhouette, which is also available in silver crackle, washed black, gray, light blue metallic, and dark blue. They're a top-rated style at Free People, so shop them quickly before they sell out.
— Additional reporting by Jessica C. Andrews
Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the PS Shopping Director. With plenty of experience in the fashion industry and over 11 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing and creating social videos across the lifestyle, health, and fitness categories. She is the host of the "Dinner for Shoes" podcast and has bylines at InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit.
Jessica C. Andrews (she/her) is an award-winning editor and writer who currently works as the senior style director of PS, overseeing beauty, fashion, shopping, and identity content. With more than 15 years of experience, her areas of expertise include fashion, shopping, and travel. Prior to joining PS, Jessica held senior roles at Teen Vogue, Refinery29, and Bustle and contributed to The New York Times, Elle, Vanity Fair, and Essence. She's appeared on "Good Morning America," NBC, and Fox 5 New York and spoken on various panels about fashion, hair, and Black culture.
