Another Coachella has come and gone, and as a first-time attendee, I have to admit, I had no idea what to expect. What was once an item on the bucket list I kept as an angsty 13 year old on Tumblr has now been crossed off more than 10 years later. As someone who grew up watching Vanessa Hudgens and Alessandra Ambrosio frolic along the Polo fields in Indio, California, to attend the country’s largest music festival, I thought I knew what to expect from attendees: cowboy boots, cowboy hats, cowboy vests… you get the idea. Coachella, as a concept, has been torn apart and put back together by shiny TikTok algorithms. In a digital-first world, it’s the fashion community’s first stomping ground to set trends for the upcoming summer. This year was no different.
Based on data from Trendalytics, there are already a few hero items the fashion crowd is starting to try and buy post-Coachella. Things like cowboy boots, sheer tops, cargo pants, and leather dresses all surged in searches week-by-week compared to last year, setting the tone for aesthetics and trends we’re set to see as we head into May, June, and July. Numbers aside, the sheer number of celebrities and influencers sneakily dressed in the same items has proved our point: When it comes to Coachella, anyone who’s anyone is already wearing these things.
Scroll below to discover the three main aesthetics returning from the desert after the first and second weekend of Coachella. We’re calling it now: You won’t go anywhere without seeing these celeb-approved warm-weather trends.
What’s Coachella without a bit of Vanessa Hudgens-inspired imagery? Since the early aughts, the music festival out in Indio, California, has been the host of many a bohemian-inspired fashion and garb— from colorful gladiator sandals and dip-dyed jean cut-offs to intricate, flower crowns sprinkled with glitter and notes of Lana Del Rey. While Hudgens herself didn’t attend Coachella this year (and lamented about it on Instagram), her spirit was basically still there given the amount of sheer, crochet dresses, oversized jewelry, and floppy hats attendees were wearing. While we can’t fully chalk it all up to Coachella queens of years past, younger attendees have fully been leaning into the retro, ’70s-inspired laid back aesthetic for their summer fashion needs. Instead of hyper-trendy crop tops and neon accessories, today’s fashion crowd is opting for raffia bags, vintage-looking jewelry and flowing, maxi dresses.
The most surprising thing about this year’s Coachella? Frankly, how normal it felt at times. While I know feather mini skirts and over-the-top glitter makeup isn’t on the agenda for everyone, I was shocked to see how toned-down some celebrities and influencers were, opting for stealth-wealth inspired casual outfits like white tank tops, trousers, and denim jackets instead of the usual roster of sequin mini skirts and pink felt cowboy hats. In an era where everything seems like a chore and the rise of subdued, if you know you know fashion has been on the rise, low-key summer ‘fits are sure to reign supreme in the coming months. If everyone’s favorite rising It girl Camilla Morrone is any indication, it’s that we’ll have a quite a chill summer when it comes to the trend circuit.
Zendaya can do no wrong in my eyes. Whether it’s by her surprise weekend two appearance with artist Labyrinth or the Dune-ification of festival fashion, I know we have to owe it all to her. This year, Coachella fashion veered more towards the technical side, with attendees opting for leather jackets, motorcycle boots, slinky bikinis and baggy cargo pants in lieu of sparkly mini dresses. Playing into fashion’s rising cool girl image, this year’s Coachella proved that sometimes, the best way to look on-trend is to look like you’re straight out of a Sci-Fi movie. Cargo pants and bikinis-as-tops aren’t new to the summer fashion lexicon by any means. My prediction? Technical wear will still reign supreme for the second summer in a row, with aesthetics like gorpcore and brands like Salomon and Carhartt taking a front-seat into the Dune-ification of festival fashion at large. Expect to see a earth tones like greys, browns, greens and blacks to dominate as well.
