What to Wear for Music Festival Season
It is here, friends. Music festival season is upon us, and spring weather will be here soon (we hope). Whether you attend music festivals religiously or are going to your first one ever, we have some picks to get you out of your work clothes and dressed for the occasion.
You wouldn’t know it from some Coachella pictures (seriously, why do people wear heels to music festivals?), but the main thing you want to pay attention to is comfort. If you’re camping out for days (see Bonnaroo) or at the very least lounging on the grass for hours, you’ll want to wear something you can dance in and shoes you can walk around in. Here are our picks for what to wear during festival season.

Diane von Furstenberg “Ani Printed Jumpsuit” $498 (left), Rachel Zoe pulls off a festival-appropriate denim jumpsuit, and H&M patterned jumpsuit, $39. (Photos: Diane von Furstenberg, StyleCab and H&M)
The jumpsuit
Think relaxed fit and bold prints. As they’re easy to pack and eliminate the need to mix and match, the jumpsuit is a festival no-brainer. Go for a printed jumpsuit or choose bold accessories to liven up a versatile denim or solid one-piece.

Katy Perry at Coachella in vintage dress (left), Urban Renewal vintage lace dress (Photos: Fame Pictures, Urban Outfitters)
Vintage
Emulate Katy Perry’s look by snagging something vintage at District Flea (opening day is Apr. 5). A breathable dress is key. When shopping vintage, you can often find quality lace for a bargain in casual, daytime-appropriate styles like Perry’s.

Miss Selfridge Aztec printed shorts $68 (left), ASOS Daisy Printed Culotte Shorts $28.33 and Girl by Band of Outsiders silk drawstring shorts on sale at Far Fetch for $163.43 (Photos: Miss Selfridge, ASOS and FarFetch)
Printed shorts
Ditch the tired denim cutoffs for a pair of cute printed shorts. We’re seeing a lot of Aztec and floral prints this season on silk drawstring shorts as comfortable as pajamas.

Fringe Mossimo bag from Target $30 (left), fringe cross body $88 and Rebecca Minkoff Finn fringe leather crossbody $195 (Photos: Target, NeedSupply and Neiman Marcus)
Fringe crossbody bag
Whatever you do, don’t leave your purse at the campsite. Make sure to keep any valuables with you when you’re festival-going. A nice crossbody bag can be both practical and stylish, and won’t get in the way when you’re maneuvering the crowds to get close to the stage. Fringe will be everywhere this summer. If you want a touch of fringe without going over the top into costume territory, go for a fringe crossbody.
Just add some comfortable flats, sunscreen and glasses, and you’re on your way to a stylish music experience!
Erica Moody is a Louisiana-born writer who’s called D.C. home since 2010. In addition to fashion writing, she covers social events, edits The Citron Review literary journal and is working on a novel. Erica holds an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University.