Coachella: 3 Best Looks And A Survival Guide

With the dust having now literally and metaphorically settled on one of the globe’s most iconic music festivals, we give a nod to the looks that were quintessential Coachella.

1. Bralettes

As it turns out, it’s totally okay to wear lingerie at a festival.

Bralettes came into vogue last year and they continued to dominate festival fashion this year. However, the bralettes of this season were decidedly more sexy than their 2016 predecessors; all-out lace replaced the more solid and structured style we’d gotten used to seeing on Kimmy K and co.

Bralettes were worn under loose tanks, over fitted tees, or just on their own (it was certainly hot enough for it), and accessorised with chokers, layered necklaces and body jewellery.

Also from this look: Racy black bedroom bodysuits worn with denim shorts.

2. Black mesh

Festival-goers found a more modest way to wear barely anything through the revival of a 1990s fashion favourite: Black mesh.

The trendiest on the field threw full length mesh over a black one piece or bra and brief set. While a full brief was on point, braver folk went for a thong or G-string.

The look was given an edge with a pair of ankle boots or made sporty with white sneakers.

Also from this look: Fish net everything (tops, stockings, sleeves).

3. Metallic knits

Luxe yet still relaxed, there were multiple variations of this metallic salmon knit on the field. While some paired it with sneakers and a baseball cap, others went with an ankle boot and more glam accessories.

Also from this look: With some research, I discovered the metallic look was likely prompted by Kylie Jenner’s appearance in a gold mini at the Pretty Little Playground pre-Coachella party. Expect to see variations of it everywhere this year.

How to survive Coachella when you’re not a celebrity

Coachella VIPs have easy access to parking, shade, booze, clean toilets and excellent views of the main stage.

You, as a regular person, will enjoy none of this.

Here’s how to make sure the experience of being one of 126,000 people roaming 600 acres in the desert heat doesn’t get the better of you.

• Make sure your accommodation is nearby and if your budget permits, opt for a Valley Music Travel package that includes shuttles to and from the grounds. Palm Springs is big, and the roads around the festival get rammed. Stories of two hour waits for an Uber to get there or get home are not urban myths. Shuttle buses are one of the most hassle-free ways to travel.

We stayed at the closest resort to the grounds, La Quinta. La Quinta fully embraces festival season – think a $5 (US) street taco stand when you return sweaty and broken at 2am.

• Arrive early on your first day and get to know the grounds. You can lose up to an hour trying to move between stages, buy a drink or find a bathroom if you don’t know where you’re going.
• If you’re traveling in a big enough group, and you want to drink AND catch some music, pack a rug and set up base camp early in one of the non-VIP alcohol zones. The zone next to the main stage has almost as good a view as the VIP area next door if you get the right spot.

A note on alcohol zones: You may not know that you’re not permitted to drink across large areas of the festival grounds, including all the stages. So if you want to drink, you need to allocate time away from a stage to do it. It might seem like a pain, but it actually means the grounds stay relatively clean and people stay relatively sober (read: less obnoxious).

• It goes without saying – if you’re not a VIP, pack tissues and hand sanitiser. Port-a-loos are no one’s friend.
• Enjoy! With clean grounds, a plethora of excellent food choices, and some of the hottest music acts of the moment mere metres from each other, this truly is one of the best festival experiences you might have.

• Ilona travelled to California courtesy of Air New Zealand, and stayed as a guest of Visit California.