It’s that time of year again- festival season! If you’ve been following me for a while, then you already know I love this time of year.  From the all-around amazing festival energy to the cool outfits, there’s just something unforgettable about attending a good music event. Around this time of year, we are starting to get bombarded with festival fashion ads and lookbooks. I have seen some amazing innovative outfit ideas and also some overplayed (and slightly tacky) ones. This year, as we kick off Festival season with Coachella, I thought it would be smart to talk about festival clichés and what kind of beauty looks and fashion faux pas to avoid!  It’s always nice to walk into an event feeling like you look badass, comfortable and most importantly feel confident.

Here are a few festival outfit cliches you should avoid:

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION

Let’s cut to the chase. Feather headdresses (obvi), face paint, bindis, henna tattoos, and cornrow braids should be avoided. Why? Two words: Cultural Appropriation. All these symbols have a strong cultural significance to other communities and cultures. Sure, it’s easy to overlook these as trendy and fun, but when we wear them without knowledge of what they represent we raise issues of privilege and respect. Before you pack your bags, definitely think twice whether your outfit is appropriate and respectful towards other cultures. Instead of taking from other cultures, maybe look for some really interesting stand out accessories that are festive and fun like an oversized scarf or a headband with pretty crystals on it. Instead of a bindi, you could opt for some fun little crystal stars to highlight your cheekbones (like shown above). Instead of cornrow braids, opt for a chunky purposely untamed boho braids.

WOODSTOCK FLASHBACK

1969 was a long time ago, so let’s leave the flower crowns, rainbows, smiley faces and gogo outfits at home. You know I love this era in music, but for fashion, you always have to make sure you are slightly referencing it and not looking like you are ready for Halloween. For a more boho, festival-friendly outfit I love micro florals, a light tie-dye print, matching two-pieces and flowy dresses! Keep it fun, but keep it modern.

FRINGE OVERLOAD

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good fringe piece! Yet, somehow festival season turns into fringe overload.  Instead of going for your basic fringe crop top or fringe vest, try a fringe belt bag or booties for a more low key look. Pieces with just a slight hint of fringe work best. Fringe is totally cool and appropriate, just remember to always “keep it simple, but significant!”.

FULL ON COWGIRL

Cowgirl inspired pieces have been trending lately, but I would definitely not run home to bust out the cowgirl or space cowgirl Halloween costume. Instead, pick chic statement western accessories to highlight like square toe booties, a statement belt or even some western-inspired jewelry. Sometimes highlighting just one statement western piece tends to work the best!

CHOKERS

This year we’re saying no to thick chokers. Instead, we’re swapping them for dainty, layered necklaces. I love the boho layered jewelry look for the desert!  It’s the perfect way to accessorize your festival look without having to invest in something you may never wear again. Gold dainty jewelry is huge right now so it should be super easy to incorporate with your look and wear over and over again all year long.

UNDER DRESSING

There is nothing chic or trendy about being basically naked at a festival. So many retailers push pasties, chain bras, barely there tops and way too cheeky shorts for festival season. There’s definitely a way to be sexy without being too revealing.  If you want to stand out from the sea of outfits at a festival, try balancing out the amount of skin that is shown.  For example: If you want to wear that tiny crop top, try pairing it with something high waisted! If you want to show off your bathing suit, maybe pair something slightly sheer over it to cover up a bit more. I went a bit more on the risque side with this outfit above, but made sure to downplay the sexiness on top with some slightly oversized high-waist boyfriend jeans on the bottom and covered up the pretty bra with a billowy sheer top.

Hope you enjoyed this post and if you’re heading to Coachella next weekend,

I hope this guide helps you plan your outfits out!

xx Francesca