(Fashion)

How To Master Music-Festival Style (And What To Avoid)

by Jennifer Ash

Heading to a music festival in the near future? Before loading up on fringe, flower crowns and metallic temporary tattoos, we recommend taking a moment to reevaluate the outfits you’ve packed for your epic escapade. If they read more groupie cliché than desert fabulous, don’t panic. Follow our lead to avoid the common style mistakes of festival-goers—we’ll make sure you’re the chicest one at the show. Keep calm and rock on.

6 Festival Style Mistakes Not To Make

Photo: Vanessa Jackman

The problem: Do you really want lots of metal around your neck heating up in the desert sun? We thought not.

Get The Look

The solution: Forgo strands of necklaces in favor of a delicate lariat. An easy way to add a little sparkle to your look, this versatile piece is our current go-to festival accessory.

The problem: Fringe may be in, but it can go so wrong when overdone.

Get The Look

The solution: Be selective with your fringe, and avoid wearing heavy pieces rendered in leather and suede when spending the day in the sun. Instead we recommend finding a jacket like this one, which fuses delicate fringe with a free-spirited vibe for a boho-cool look that doesn't go over the top.

The problem: Wearing a itty-bitty bikini top as a top isn't exactly the classiest approach to festival dressing.

Get The Look

The solution: Trade in a barely there two-piece suit for a one-piece instead. A classic silhouette in a fun print doubles as a body suit, allowing it to transition to a top more easily (and more attractively) than a bikini. Pair with high-waisted denim cutoffs for a perfectly sexy effect.

The problem: Heels do not belong in the desert. End of story.

Get The Look

The solution: As much as a great pair of wedge or high-heeled sandals sound like a good idea to complete your festival ensemble, we assure you they are not. We don't even suggest you wear open-toe footwear (hello, blisters), so instead invest in a pair of sturdy, flat leather booties. Find a pair that improves with age and can be worn with socks for extra support. Trust us on this one.

The problem: These days, feather headdresses read more cliché than cool. Pass.

Get The Look

The solution: Decorate your tresses like a fashion girl with a delicately embellished head piece. Bonus points for wearing it with messy, textured hair.

The problem: No one wants to carry a huge, bulky handbag around all day. What a pain— literally.

Get The Look

The solution: Bringing an oversize carryall to a festival usually results in all your friends stashing their necessities in your bag, which is both uncomfortable and annoying. Wearing a hands-free belt bag requires you edit down what you bring to what you really need—and a lighter load often translates to an all-around better day.