Major Lazer performs at the Coachella Music Festival, Saturday, April 20th, 2013. Jay Calderon, The Desert Sun
No two Coachella weekends can truly be alike. Despite talk about the lack of surprises – organizers tipped their hand the first weekend as the second Saturday of the annual music and arts festival began, there was a marked difference in the air.
It was hotter, at times gruelingly so. And there was a celebratory air wafting across the festival grounds.
Bandanas seem to be the new thing for men at the Coachella fest. Tatiana Sanchez/The Desert Sun
During the time I’ve spent people watching around the polo grounds, I’ve picked up on what might possibly be the latest festival trend.
Flowered garlands may be the thing for female concert goers right now, but bandanas seem to be trending for the fellas.
I’ve seen handfuls of guys wearing bandanas and scarves around their necks and also over their mouths.
Taking cues from the stage: Coachella is known as much for fashion as music. Trends quickly move from the runway to the polo field each spring, but not without some heavy influence from the musicians who take center stage. Mydesert.com breaks down the sartorial highlights of Weekend 1 to help you get the look of your favorite icon.
Janelle Monáe performs during Weekend 1 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Gerry Maceda/Special to The Desert Sun
Emily Haines rocked this season’s dominant color palette – black and white – with fringe. Fashion trailblazer Janelle Monáe, instantly recognizable as the face CoverGirl, gives the trend her own signature twist with suspenders.
Men’s wear for women is hot, and who better to derive inspiration from than the icon who is instantly recognizable – both in music and fashion – for her glamorous riffs on tuxedo chic.
Our friends at PopSugar and ModaMob were scouring the Coachella festival grounds and off-site parties for celebrities and the famous fashions they wore to weekend one. Continue Reading
On model: Diane's solid tassel scarf in gray ($16, Diane's Beachwear), Boys and Arrows fringe bandeau in canary ($102, Diane's Beachwear), mint harper shorts ($34, Fancesca's), update zipper envelope ($44, Francesca's). / Marilyn Chung, The Desert Sun
Showing off your fashion choices for Coachella? Spot an interesting look you want to share?
If you’re still looking for awesome fashion ideas, we’ve got you started with a comfortable but stylish Coachella look here.
Back at the ranch, I’ve got my eye on the steady stream of photos from Desert Sun and Associated Press photographers covering Coachella.
The AP spotted some British royalty at the Empire Polo Club as this fan watching Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds paid tribute to both Prince William and Queen Elizabeth:
 (Chris Pizzello, The Associated Press) |
 (Chris Pizzello, The Associated Press) |
Desert Sun photogs have also spotted some fun — though decidedly less regal — headgear at the festival today:
 (Richard Lui, The Desert Sun) |
 (Michael Snyder, The Desert Sun) |
• Coachella 2012: Saturday photos of bands, fans and the scene
The Empire Polo Grounds seem enormous when tens of thousands of people crowd in for Coachella. I accidentally walked from one end to the other, though, hitting every stage right as each set started this afternoon.
Here is the quick and dirty:
– Gary Clark Jr. is worth stopping by for sure. The crowds were loving his falsetto on the sexy songs, and the extended guitar riffs were unreal.
– Grouplove hit the Mojave stage with crazy high energy, and the cheers were almost deafening. I can’t wait to see more next weekend.
– Feed Me has a rockin’ light show in the Sahara, and the bass was pounding so hard I swear my hair vibrated. I am callling it now: That one will be a sweaty mess next weekend.
Of course, what would a stroll through Coachella be without the hippie fashion show?
As always, there are plenty of bikinis, ’70s throwback clothes and big bling, including the sweet gold outfit Jimmy Cliff is wearing on the main stage next to me as I type. I can’t wait for warmer temps next weekend to see the full fashion show.
But can someone please explain the cardboard boxes that some men are wearing as clothes?
The dark cloud that is hovering over the music extravaganza that is the Coachella Music and Arts Festival must be the most oddest thing I’ve seen in all my years attending the festival.
Even weirder? The fact that it hasn’t fazed festival-goers who decided to say “F*** you, Mother Nature” and still rock Coachella in a hot bikini, short shorts and sandals.
Yes, I’ve bumped into the occasional “Boy Scout” prepared with galoshes, an umbrella or at the very least garbage bags-turned ponchos, but for the most part Coachella revelers look like the festival-goers of Coachella past when the blazing sun brought the mercury up to 100+ degrees.
But hey, it’s Coachella fest weekend where everything and anything goes so rock on!
Vanessa Hudgens talked Coachella fashion and more in a recent interview with PopSugar:
In the interview, the actress gave some hints about clothing she’s making for her trip to the festival.
“I really get to wear what I want to,” Hudgens said. “It’s fun. You get to think outside of the box and fully commit to a bit of craziness.”
She also reveals that she’ll be rolling in style — by way of an RV and a bike — at this year’s Coachella.
Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the captain hats seem to be the new Indian chief head dress of this year’s Coachella – and both are a bit played out.
I don’t know if the captain hat-wearing festival-goers are paying homage to Lou Adler, but just by looking at the ones I’ve seen they don’t seem old enough to appreciate Adler’s producer credits, which include The Mamas & the Papas, Sam Cooke and Carole King.
But what do I know?
It’s Coachella – rock whatever you want.
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MyCoachella.com is a blog dedicated to covering the desert music scene, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Meet Our Team
For the second year, this year's Coachella Music Festival is two weekends: April 12-14 and 19-21. Stagecoach is one three-day fest: April 26-28.
And visit our sister news site at mydesert.com, the No. 1 source for news in Coachella Valley and owned by the Palm Springs-based The Desert Sun, a Gannett site.
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