Opinion: Coachella—the Fashion Peak of the Year?
By Georgina Wraith
Coachella is the highlight of the year for many, many people. It is two weekends of music, celebrities, fashion, and posting on social media. Usually, people take this weekend very seriously. Outfits are planned weeks, if not months, in advance. People go all out—except for this year, apparently.
First, let's talk about the things we expected to see. My list going into this analysis was as follows: cheetah and other animal prints, booty shorts, big belts, hair and body jewellery, layering lots of jewellery, boots (it is the desert), and sheer lace. I expected it to be a “Bratz dolls at a rodeo” type of event, where the style of Charli XCX was combined with the heat of the desert and classic Coachella cowboy accents.
All of my predictions—which were very broad and entirely based on currently popular trends—came true. Most of the girlies were in darker colours and booty shorts, led by their queen brat Charli XCX. These shorts are definitely more practical than the previously popular ultra mini skirt, so I’m happy for the girls and gays. They were finally able to sit comfortably. These shorts were often in cheetah print or paired with a cheetah print accessory of sorts. Other than cheetah, there was a decent amount of Y2K snake and zebra prints in lots of bright colours. Interestingly, there was a popular presence of one-pieces that were very trendy two years ago. Last year, these one-pieces made a comeback in animal prints.
Belts, as per usual, accompanied almost every outfit. Unsurprisingly, the big buckle cowboy belt seemed to be the most popular choice. I really enjoyed seeing people creatively layering multiple belts. Jennie’s red, belted stage outfit quickly became iconic for weekend one.
As for our newest South African icon, Tyla’s outfits were unfortunately quite underwhelming. Now let’s be real—this is Tyla. She would look good in anything. She is gorgeous. But… I was expecting more. She’s still new on the celebrity scene, but she has pulled out some phenomenal looks. The sand dress—need I say more? And so, for Coachella, I hoped she’d wear something a bit more fun, take a risk. When is a better time?
As for a phenomenal performer look, Lady Gaga and Benson Boone's outfits were amazing. Gaga, as per usual, is an icon and worked some iconic looks (yes, plural) for her performance. Commenters are calling it “Gagachella” because she absolutely stole the show. She did not just sing to the crowd—she PERFORMED. She put in the effort, all while in the desert heat—no more weather excuses, people!
As for Benson Boone, I just love him. His little moustache has become so iconic for him. He is the reason I no longer let men off the hook for fashion. Benson made a plan. Billy Porter walked so that Benson could dance on stage in a sparkly jumpsuit. He continues the legacy of destroying every status quo that says, “Men can’t wear that, it’s for girls.” As we all know, that is absolute nonsense. Men can wear whatever they want. So men, please, I beg—this is your chance to have some fun!
Naturally, there was tons of lace, sheer, and maximalist accessorising. These are classic staples in the festival scene. These are always welcome. However, there are some things that I won’t welcome at Coachella…
Guys, please stop with the baggy jorts and a t-shirt. That is not a Coachella-worthy outfit. If you’re not Lorde, don’t wear a plain t-shirt to this festival. Sorry, Post Malone, not even you! Coachella is not the place to wear an outfit you could wear to a cafe or campus. It’s the perfect opportunity to have some fun!
I was even disappointed with Emma Chamberlain, who rose to stardom because of her quirky fashion. She usually pops off during Coachella. Don’t get me wrong, she looked cute. But that’s something she could wear to grab coffee or go to Erewhon in. Emma, you’re meant to lead the masses to quirkiness and adventurous fashion. Similarly, Izzipoopi is a new fashion influencer who rose to stardom for trying the most outrageous clothing she could find online. Even one of her outfits was boring!
Yes, the desert is hot. But there are many ways to work around that. For example, this chainmail-esque dress worn by fashion influencer Somrutai Rattanawaraha. This was cute and lightweight. I’m sure she was super breezy at Coachella.
Another way around the heat is to wear your little shorts and tiny top but with some fun pattern mixing. I loved what the Kuan sisters wore. It was a comfy, chilled vibe but with some spice. It had patterns, colours, accessories, and hair, yet it was still super laidback and effortless.
Something I want to see much more of is layering. Light, whimsical, flowy layers that look like they are fun to dance in. We need more Lana Del Rey energy! Clairo brought some with her, including patterned layers and winged eyeliner. She mixed lace, sheer, polka dots, flowyness—mwah.
This leads me to ask… is Coachella losing its fashion spark? It seems like everyone this year tried to go for the effortless aesthetic but instead it just ended up looking like they didn’t want to put effort in. Only a few people pulled out all the stops for their outfits. Most settled for trendy items I would wear to school—if they were slightly less revealing. There were a few whimsical looks that made me happy, which were reminiscent of the iconic Coachella days, but more modern and trendy. Yes, some outfits were good. But ultimately, I was very underwhelmed.
I love this take, Georgina! I wont lie, though, I think a small part of me is happy that the micro-trends aren't as big because fashion waste is a huge issue linked to these massive festivals. So maybe its a reflection of a movement towards more personal style and away from microtrends- and people are still figuring that out. Either way, I hope its less boring next year.