Burning Man was born out of Woodstock’s ashes, with fashion styles reminiscent of the hippie era. Today, the high-fashion, influencer, and celebrity-driven music festival Coachella turned into more of a fashion show than an appreciation of the music itself. So, let’s dive into how fashion at festivals has changed over time. 

Thus, fresh styles were born, challenging the previous way of doing things and dressing. The “hippie” or bohemian movement blossomed due to the attitude of rebelling against the mainstream. The youth began donning free-spirited, liberating clothing that symbolized peace, love, and the flower power state of mind. 

Other popular style trends included moccasins, bell-bottomed jeans, work shirts, headbands, tie-dyed shirts, medallion necklaces, ponchos, polka-dotted fabric, and love beads. And, women often ditched their shoes and went barefoot. 

Outfits were borrowed from other outfit ideas, echoing somewhat similar silhouettes of them. More popular styles included “lounging” or hostess pajamas (a tunic top placed over floor-length polyester or chiffon culottes), and flowing caftans (a one-piece dress). 

Taking place in the Black Rock Desert, Burning Man attendees must dress appropriately for the day and night. During peak hours, women wear long, flowy maxi dresses, lace tank tops, denim cut-off shorts, gladiator sandals, and other pieces that call back to the flower power style of the 1960s. Of course, this style has changed over the years. 

By 2003, neon became popular for many and turned out to be a stand-out piece. Others chose the route of wearing outfits that required less clothing and tall, green knee-high boots. And, the Burner style just kept evolving from there – it gets wilder and wilder. Move over, hippie clothing trend. 

Even when it’s a simmering 100-degree day at the festival, people still show up and wear their most crazy and unique ensembles. As the 2010s kept progressing, the style kept changing and the fashion choices were getting bolder. 

On the other hand, some decided to completely cover themselves up to shield the desert’s dust and sand. Steven Babson and Lila Wright donned head-to-toe layers of fringe jackets, scarves, tights, sweaters, and fuzzy hats. 

In 2016, crop tops became extremely popular, as seen with this person donning a ultra-cropped blue, long-sleeve slitted top. At the time, crop tops were typically dressed with accessories such as suspenders, bow ties, and colorful tutus. 

From a blue man with horns to an impressive dripping candle motif, Burning Man has always been a magical place where creatives flaunt their most daring outfits while not caring about what others think. It’s the festival’s pride and joy for Burners to fully express themselves. Now, let’s have a look at Coachella…

Coachella fashion in the mid-2000s was laidback and attendees didn’t take their style choices that seriously. Even in 2007, there wasn’t a “distinct” aesthetic. It was practical, comfortable, and reminiscent of typical summer fashion. Sandals, bikini tops, denim shorts, and standard tees were some of the main staples.

Suddenly, headbands, cropped flowy tops, wide-brimmed hats, and flower patterns were prominent. The flower power, hippie influence of Woodstock returned at Coachella and then re-returned in the coming years. It seemed that the general consensus was that the free-spirited bohemian look was in. 

Other attendees of the festival wore fishnet tights, belts, and hats, despite the fact that the Y2K style remained influential. Vanessa Hudgens was instrumental in creating the cool it-look for Coachella girls, bringing a bohemian craze to the festival. More unique styles were floating around the grounds, but the boho aesthetic remained supreme.

From 2016 to 2017, attendees started to move away from the strictly boho look and started to add onto it with other stand-out elements. Coachella 2017 witnessed rave-inspired looks, stemming from colorful hair to shredded tops and ripped denim shorts. 

Observing the evolution of fashion festival style tells you a lot about the various trends and aesthetics that dominated the fashion world at the time. That being said, while the music was still the main drawing force for regular festivalgoers, the outfits garnered more attention for celebrities and influencers.