COACHELLA PACKING GUIDE 2018
Yes, it is THAT time of the year. Spring break fever has reached its peak and now we all want summer to come as fast as it can. This feeling comes right before a certain event, which unofficially marks the seasonal transition we’ve all been waiting for so patiently. By this, of course, I mean the one and only Coachella. People flock each year to this festival for the music, yes, but in truth they really come to see/be seen as a part of the spectacle. There are a lot of clichés walking around the grounds with their latex bikinis and flower crown regalia, but as someone who typically promotes the function over fashion philosophy, I’m not about to ditch my standards for the sake of “looking cool.”
This is my first time going to Coachella, but from the stories I have heard over the years from friends and family I feel like I get the general gist of how things go. Unlike Outside Lands, Coachella is not a festival where you can really truly appreciate the music. Yes, some concerts will have less ridiculous crowds, but for the most part you are there to join the rave, as opposed to standing in the back nodding your head to the beat. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy both types of concert experiences, but I know that Coachella is mostly going to be a really intense version of the first type I mentioned (hopefully in a good way). My goal is to get the best of both worlds when it comes to seeing performances, but more importantly, I want to have a good time with my friends!
As I said before, Coachella is one part music and two parts fashion, so of course I started planning my outfits long in advance. At these kinds of festivals it’s fun to experiment with styling and makeup in ways you typically wouldn’t in “the real world.” So yes, that means pack that super cute (but super short) top and swipe on that crazy blue eye shadow you said you would never wear in public. If you aren’t going to wear those things anywhere else, then Coachella is where you want to show off everything that’s been hiding in the back of your closet/deep inside your makeup drawer. So here is what I’m bringing for my weekend trip to the desert…
Outfits – The festival lasts only three days, so that’s not a lot of time to bring out all of the good stuff. Lots of strategy is involved when it comes to outfit planning! The weather forecast predicts some triple digit temps, so that means short, lightweight tops only! The three tops above are all cropped tanks that I’m planning on wearing with jean shorts (see below). I know they may look relatively simple, but it’s all about the styling. A pair of shorts, some cool accessories, and awesome, sparkly makeup will add just the right amount of unique personality to each of the looks I wear.
For bottoms, I’m bringing two pairs of jean shorts: classic blue and black. Timeless classics. Nuff said.
Accessories – Here are the real game-changers when it comes to outfit styling. I love my three pairs of budget-friendly, fun glasses since they will add a bit of spice to my relatively simple outfits. I think the heart-shaped lenses are especially going to come in handy since they’re cute and dark enough to protect my eyes from the intense UV rays of the desert sun.
The most important, and practical, accessory I plan on bringing are my bandanas. I’m probably going to wear my navy one the most, but I’m bringing the red one in case I decide it looks better with my outfit of the day. If you haven’t noticed by now, my “planned” outfits are actually subject to change. Bandanas are great for tying up your hair and wearing on your neck as another cute accessory. You can wet it with some water to give yourself a quick midday cool-down, and even use it to protect your face during a potential dust storm. All and all, they’re pretty handy to have on you.
Jewelry is another great way to dress up an outfit. I’m planning on bringing some of the bigger earrings I own because they’re more fun and also not what I typically wear on a daily basis. The big hoops are a recent find from Madewell and the other earrings I recently got while I was in NYC for a few days last week. I’m super excited to debut these new additions to my jewelry collection. :)
And last but not least, some of my beloved scrunchies will be making the trip with me to Coachella Valley! These babies are super comfortable, a little bit retro, and also manage to hold up my incredibly thick hair (that's a big win for me). The candy-colored hues will definitely help make some of the similar hues in the details of my shirts pop too!
Makeup – And of course, the final touch to any perfect festival outfit is expertly applied fun makeup. I’m not too adventurous when I wear makeup, but I’m really going to go for it at Coachella. I have some adorable star stickers leftover from Halloween, as well as some cool temporary face tattoos (which I experimented/fell in love with at Outside Lands back in August; find them in my festival bag here), that I plan to incorporate into my looks each day. I also bought this amazing new liquid highlighter from Milk that looks like fairy dust + some new eye shadows from Glossier (review coming soon) to give my face some sparkle. I’m bringing the usual suspects when it comes to my face makeup and my favorite lipstick shade Undone from Kosås.
I want my first (and maybe last) Coachella experience to be as memorable as possible, so I’m going all in. There are so many performers I can’t wait to see live, and I’ve been listening to their music in preparation for the big weekend. My friends and I are driving altogether, and I can’t wait to blast music in the car with them and get ready together each day! I’ve heard plenty of rumors and horror stories, but I know that my bandana, Mario Badescu rosewater facial spray, and water bottle will definitely help when it comes to staying healthy and hydrated. I’ve been waiting for a long time to go to Coachella and I can’t believe that the time has finally come! Let the countdown to the weekend begin!! :)
xoxo,
Emma
P.S.: I’ll most likely be documenting my outfits + some of the shows on our Insta Stories, so be sure to follow along!