The dog days of summer are fondly known for their carefree spirit, sun-soaked beach trips and sticky popsicles. And, if you don’t eschew social media, television or newspapers, then you already know that summer is the heart of music festival season. Music festivals are where the worlds of music and fashion beautifully collide leaving lots of boho-chic Instagram posts in their wake.
Nearly every weekend between May and August, there is a festival jamming somewhere in the U.S. of A – from California’s Coachella to Florida’s Ultra. For many girls, these festivals provide yet another opportunity to showcase their beloved sunflower print high-waisted shorts. Other girls see festivals as a free pass to dress up like a slutty Pocahontas. Unlike a Halloween party, music festivals don’t serve as an excuse to dress up in outfits fit for your local strip clubs. My point? While music festivals are the perfect place to flaunt your hipster wares, you don’t have to dress up like a cliché.
So let’s address the common fashion faux pas so you can channel your inner flower child without looking like a try-hard.
1.Hackneyed Headgear
I’m all for wide-brimmed hats and flower crowns, but please step away from Native-American feathered headdresses. Not only do you run the risk of offending someone but also headdresses are boho-dressing overkill. Plus, you would most likely block the view of someone behind you – don’t be that person. Instead, stick to baseball hats or a pair of on-trend neon sunnies.
2.Gratuitous amounts of jewelry
Metal is a conductor of heat, so your preciously curated stack of bejeweled bracelets will quickly become a scorching hazard. Also, it’s wise to leave your pricy trinkets at home when attending music festivals – you wouldn’t want to ruin your experience by damaging or losing (gasp!) your trusty Michael Kors watch.
3.Caked-on makeup
At some point in your music festival escapade, you’ll become hot and sweaty. Once your sweat stains set in and your mascara begins to run, you’ll regret ever opening your makeup bag that morning. So, don’t. In the carefree spirit of music festivals, dare to go bare (on your face that is). If you absolutely must, keep the makeup application to a minimum and you’ll avoid looking like a literal hot mess.
4.Delicate sandals
If you wear flip-flops to a music festival, you will have a bad time. Your toes will only get muddy and trampled if you wear sandals and seriously, few things are worse than a broken toe at a music festival. If that doesn’t scare you enough, you might ruin your much-adored strappy shoes. Instead, opt for a pair of converse or tough leather ankle boots.
5.Trend overkill
If none of my other tips resonated with you, just remember to stick to one trend. If you think rocking tribal prints, fringed jackets, neon short-shorts and knee-high gladiator sandals at the same time is a good idea, you are painfully wrong. The only instance I can see this working is if you are making an ironic fashion statement. Further, remember to always keep it classy – if you are baring skin up top, then keep it modest down below and vice versa.
With these tips, you can don an outfit worthy of the front-row that'll combat the heat and become a perennial favorite in your closet far beyond the last encore.
"Coachella 2013 -- Indio, CA" by Thomas Hawk, used under CC BY-NC 2.0
