If you’ve followed me on Instagram for a while, it’s no secret that I love music festivals.  Over the last decade I’ve been fortunate enough to attend numerous music festivals all over the world.  While it’s the music that initially attracts me to a festival, it’s the experiences that keep me coming back.  While each festival has its own unique vibe, the atmosphere and concept are essential the same: different people on a quest to escape reality all coming together to be a part of something greater; something that makes them feel alive. 

Festivals are an interactive experience.  It’s not just performers playing to a crowd.  The festival goers are equally important as the performers, each fueled by each other’s energy and passion.   This energy is cultivated by fostering an atmosphere of openness and acceptance among one another.  When this happens, a festival becomes a place where you can be free and lose inhibitions.  A place where you can sing at the top of your lungs and dance your heart out without judgement. It evolves into a community where each person becomes connected to one another by this heightened energy that permeates through the crowd.  You become overwhelmed by an indescribable sensation that makes a music festival an experience that’s like no other.

Festival fashion is an important element of the festival culture that helps immerse you in the experience.  Each festival goer contributes to spirit and energy through what they wear. Festival fashion is by far my favorite because it’s a rare opportunity to experiment with different trends and explore looks you can’t wear anywhere else. You are free to express yourself and push boundaries in your outfit choices.  The “vibe” and “style” of each festival may be different, but you still have the opportunity to express your personal style and make it your own.  

No matter what festival you might be off too this year, here are some festival inspo looks that incorporate the latest trends for 2019.

Festival Inspo 2019 Outfit #1: Crochet Desert Hues

Coachella is one of my favorite festivals because I love incorporating the desert attire with the bohemian style.  Even though I am definitely a beach girl, there is something special about the desert.  The sunsets and sunrises over the desert hills in Coachella Valley are truly magical.  In this outfit I wanted to incorporate the brown and red hues of the desert horizon into my outfit.

Crochet is super popular right now and a great trend to incorporate into a Coachella 2019 outfit.  I’ve been searching high and low for a pair of crochet pants for the last year now and have been coming up empty, because I am so short.  Crochet pants that fit petites are near possible to find. They look ridiculous if they are too long, and you can’t hide the extra length by rolling them up like you can with other pants.  They are also impossible to tailor, so unless you find a pair that fit off the rack, you are out of luck! Just when I was about to give up on my search, I hit the jackpot.  I found this pair at the Zara sale in January after they had been marked down to $5.99!  The only reason the length fits is because they are supposed to be flared and cropped at the ankle!  These ones fall exactly above the ground on me, making it the perfect full-length pant.  The built-in shorts are also super comfortable and light weight which makes it easy for your skin to breathe in the hot desert sun.  Unfortunately, they are sold out at Zara, but I found a few on Poshmark you can still snag!

I originally had wanted to wear this camel color suede crop top I had with this outfit but I must have given it away because I couldn’t find it!  I experimented with a lot of tops but then settled on this rust color top I had bought a few years ago.  It’s actually got a trapeze shape to it, but I just tied it up to make it a crop top to fit in with the look.  I ended up liking it better than the top I couldn’t find.  I decided to continue the brown look all the way through and add a hat and nude suede booties to round out the spectrum of desert hues.

Festival Inspo 2019 Outfit #2: Marigold Desert Sun

I got this marigold dress last year and I am obsessed.  Marigold is a SUPER popular color right now, and it’s perfect to mirror the hues of the bright desert sun.  I love the texture and off the shoulder sleeve detail.  All of these elements give a wow factor to the dress that I didn’t didn’t need to overkill it with accessories.  It’s easy to get caught up with all the fun body jewelry, hats, scarves, etc., but it can be distracting if you’re not careful.  Remember, the goal of accessories is to accent and highlight the key pieces you want to show off.  I decided to go with this paisley head scarf as my key accessory for this look.   My grandmother gave it to me years ago I don’t even know how old it is!  I absolutely love incorporating vintage pieces like these into festival looks because they are one-of-a-kind so you know nobody else will be wearing them!  Retro prints, like this one, are trending right now and great way to enhance the chic factor of a festival look. Head scarfs have also been popular on the runways, but I haven’t seen a lot of them explode into mainstream fashion yet.   A festival is the perfect place to get ahead of the trend before it explodes.  It’s also a great functional festival accessory.  Coachella can get windy and dusty, if it does, take it out of your hair and tie around your face to avoid breathing in the dust.  Lastly, I topped of the look with some gold chain earrings to add some extra texture and shine.

Festival Inspo 2019 Outfit #3: Boho CowGirl

I think this is the perfect outfit for Stagecoach 2019.  I have never made it to Stagecoach, but I am hoping I’ll get to go one of these years!  I’m not a huge country girl, but I think it’s fun to embrace the look! As I mentioned earlier, festivals are about embracing the culture, but still making it your own. I love this outfit because it’s got that country flare, but not overstated!  It’s got more of the “boho-western” vibe going on which is much more me.   You might remember this skirt from my tie-dye post.  It’s such a fun, flirty piece that is super versatile.  You can incorporate it into a beachy look, or a festival look like this one.  I went with a western style belt draped over it to give it a bit of cowgirl flare.  I decided to keep this look more classic on top, by just tying it up with a white tank top.  To make the look more “boho” and not so “country cliché,” I went with my wide-rim brown hat instead of a cowboy one, and tan ankle booties instead of cowgirl boots. 

Top Festival Trends for 2019

Here are some pieces try try for the top festival trends this year

Crochet

Marigold

Head scarves

Retro prints

Fringe

Desert Hues

2019 Festival Outfit Tips

Incorporate functional accessories

Okay normally I am ALL about sacrificing comfort for fashion, but NOT when it comes to a music festival.  You are going 24/7 and eventually that cute little belt that keeps falling down your waste is going to drive you crazy and take away from your overall experience.  Be thoughtful about your accessories, they should enhance your experience, not detract from it.  Fanny packs, bandanas, and scrunchies are great accessories that serve a functional purpose AND add style. 

Don’t over accessorize

Festivals are a great time to pile on the accessories, but make sure you are not drowning in them.  They should accent an outfit, not overtake it.   Before you head out in the morning, take a look at yourself in the mirror, does your outfit have a clear focal point?  If you’re getting dizzy just looking at yourself, take something off. 

Make it your own

Incorporate your surroundings and the vibe of the festival, but don’t be afraid to add your own personal flare into the mix.   You don’t have to wear a crochet cardigan just because everyone else is.   If chunky combat boots don’t look good on you (they don’t on me) don’t wear them.   If everyone looked the same, it wouldn’t be fun!  Be unique and don’t be afraid to stand out for wearing something different.  It adds to the vibrancy and overall experience of the festival. 

Do you guys have any plans to go to festivals this year? If so, which ones? Do you have a favorite trend your looking forward to wearing? Let me know in the comments below!