It's Coachella Season, So We Tried On 6 Stores' Festival Clothing And Here's What Happened

    Florals? For Coachella? Groundbreaking.

    by Sam Stryker, Crystal Ro, Stephen LaConte, Farrah Penn, Christopher Hudspeth

    It's the first weekend of Coachella, so you know what that means. Tens of thousands of people will be descending upon the Southern California desert to attend parties, "listen to music," breathe the same air as Beyoncé, and post a truly obscene amount of Instagrams.

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    Also, Vanessa Hudgens will be living her best life...if she attends this year!

    Because this is Coachella, celebs and normal folk alike will be rocking some truly crazy outfits. It's all about standing out, looking cute for the 'gram, and also being prepared to sweat (both because this is the desert and...other reasons).

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    So that's where us five non-Coachella attenders come in. We decided to try on festival outfits to see what it takes to get geared up for Coachella (and also by extension, Coachella Instagram) since we not only aren't attending this year...but never been before.

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    — Visit a range of major retailers to pick out our clothes. We decided no thrift stores or boutiques. They would have to be places most shoppers in the U.S. have access to.

    — To pick "authentic" Coachella outfits, we'd ask a sales associate for festival wear recommendations and/or select from designated festival wear sections (yes, these are really a thing).

    — Try two outfits at each store.

    — Photograph ourselves wearing the outfits.

    — We also linked out to the store websites for as many items as possible so you can shop our looks. If an item wasn't available online, we found the closest similar item!

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    Crystal:

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    Crystal's Thoughts: I just want to put this out there — I am in my thirties and the thought of going to Coachella alone tires me. That said, I was pleasantly surprised with how comfortable everything at Urban was. And comfort, IMO, is a top priority if you’re going to be standing around in 100 degree weather, covered in sweat, dust, and hipster stank.

    Get Crystal's Look: Flower Coverup, Henley Tank Top, Corduroy Shorts, Yellow Hat, Belt Bag, Overalls, Smocked Top, Felt Hat, Velvet Slides

    Stephen:

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    Stephen’s Thoughts: Urban Outfitters ended up being one of my favorite places to shop Coachella outfits — they had so much good stuff! For my first look, I was going for Florida-retiree-chic, and frankly I think I nailed it. For my second look, I kept things a little more simple: a plain white tee, shorts, a bandana, and sunglasses. Still capturing the ~Coachella vibe~, but practical for a day spent in the desert dancing to Beyoncé.

    Get Stephen's Look: Sunflower Shirt, Green Shorts, Hat, Bandana, T-Shirt, Purple Shorts

    Sam:

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    Sam's Thoughts: I think of all the stores we visited, Urban Outfitters' selection impressed me the most — it had basics like my wide-brimmed hat and animal prints, and also some crazier stuff like a mesh top that was recommended to me by a sales associate. I don't know if I really *get* the point of a mesh top, but a little breeze to your nips never hurt anyone, especially in the hot desert sun. Also, the entire store was packed with people ACTUALLY shopping for Coachella, so I felt like we were in the right place.

    Get Sam's Look: Mesh Tank, Track Pants, Shirt, Swim Shorts, Hat

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    Farrah:

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    Farrah's Thoughts: Target's looks were very... on brand for Target. Lots of floral and lace. They weren't my favorite, but both outfits definitely have festival potential. The romper would not let you down in the hot desert weather because the material is so lightweight, and it is VERY comfortable.

    Get Farrah's Look: Floral Romper, Shorts, Top, Overshirt

    Chris:

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    Chris's Thoughts: While I love Target, it was kind of difficult to find things I’d actually wear to a festival. I did find a hat that looks like something you’d find collecting dust in Pharrell’s closet, which works with any pair of shorts and a musical artist’s shirt. As for the cutoff shirt with jeans and a flannel around the waist, it was comfortable enough, but I might go lighter if I were gearing up to be outdoors for a long stretch.

    Get Chris's Look: Concert Shirt, Fedora, Shorts, Muscle Tank, Jeans, Button Down Shirt

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    Crystal:

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    Crystal's Thoughts: Zara is not the first place I’d think of for festival wear. Unfortunately, there weren’t a ton of options for me here because everything ran SUPER small. And, honestly, I hated both these outfits — it’s like I rifled through a circus performer’s closet.

    Get Crystal's Look: French Fries T-Shirt, Trousers, Banana Shirt, Denim Mini Skirt, Bandana

    Stephen:

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    Stephen's Thoughts: Zara’s selection was a pleasant surprise! As a brand, they’re a little too upscale to go full-blown flower crown on us, but they still had a bunch of stuff you could totally wear to the festival. My favorite item I tried on was that pair of floral pants. They’re probably a *little* too hot to wear during the day, but hey — it’s the desert. Shit gets cold at night!

    Get Stephen's Look: Tank, Pants, Hat, Shirt, Shorts

    Sam:

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    Sam's Thoughts: First of all I want to say I felt personally victimized by the lighting in Zara and it makes you look like a walking hot dog. Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised by what they offered for festival season. Some of it was a little generic — *Miranda Priestly voice*: "Florals? For Coachella? Groundbreaking." — but it was all very stylish and comfortable, which TBH is what you SHOULD be aiming for if you're spending a weekend battling dust, the blazing hot sun, and an army of straight dudes ironically wearing fanny packs.

    Get Sam's Look: Bucket Hat, Pink Tank, Swim Shorts, Floral Polo, Denim Shorts

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    Farrah:

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    Farrah's Thoughts: Forever 21 has AN ABUNDANCE of festival wear. Patterns, stripes, bright colors — you name it, they have it. I'm digging the pattern/stripe look. It's bold and not necessarily my normal style! Would I wear it out in public anywhere else? Probably not. The yellow one-piece luckily buttons at the bottom so you don't have to strip naked every time to pee, which is very convenient.

    Get Farrah's Look: Yellow Bodysuit, Striped Shorts, Floral Pants, Striped Top, Overshirt

    Chris:

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    Chris's Thoughts: This was actually my first time in a Forever 21 and I was pleasantly surprised by the selection. The red shirt with white shorts felt like something a hip dad (who unironically uses the word “hip”) would wear to a cookout, but I sort of dig the denim shorts paired with a thin floral shirt. While I felt pretty ridiculous in both, I think they’re a look for anyone who wants to be dressed in light, bright clothes, and I think I’ll check out Forever 21 for non-festival clothes in the future.

    Get Chris's Look: Red Shirt, White Shorts, Navy Shirt, Denim Shorts

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    Crystal:

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    Crystal's Thoughts: Topshop, by far, had the most ~fun~ Coachella clothes. In fact, I got pretty overwhelmed by all the options. The feather capelet is perfect for minimal-coverage, maximum-fun and the sequined poncho is like comfort on ecstasy, which…seems appropriate?!

    Get Crystal's Look: Cape, Top, Shorts, Sequin Poncho, Ripped Shorts

    Stephen:

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    Stephen’s Thoughts: K, I’ll be honest: I normally LOVE Topman, but their Coachella offerings for guys were pretty boring. They had so much fun stuff in the women’s section — feather capelets and sparkly ponchos galore. I was a little bit jealous, TBH!!! I liked the stuff I tried on just fine, but it’s not a great place to go if you’re looking to make a STATEMENT.

    Get Stephen's Look: Tank, Jorts, Shirt, Shorts

    Sam:

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    Sam's Thoughts: Echoing Stephen's sentiments, the section we were directed to was pretty bland in comparison to the women's section. I felt ATTACKED. But there were some (limited) options that I was here for. The tank top was my fave (as a gay man, I'm allergic to Ed Sheeran's music and any shirt with sleeves), and I liked the red print shirt, but nothing else blew me away. And I feel like you really need to DRESS UP for Beyoncé, ya know?!

    Get Sam's Look: Red Shirt, Denim Shorts, Tank Top, Black Shorts

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    Farrah:

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    Farrah's Thoughts: H&M's selection was more "cool mom" versus Forever 21's, which felt more like "cool teen." The off-shoulder top paired with the shorts was a very simple look and not an extreme Coachella look. I'm also into the big floppy hat—mostly because I'm all about looking fashionable while protecting my face from that desert sun.

    Get Farrah's Look: Denim Shorts, White Top, Daisy Top, Shorts, Hat

    Chris:

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    Chris's Thoughts: The selection for festival-ish stuff was somewhat limited. I mean, they had options, but they were all so similar. It felt like they said, “Oh, you’re going to Coachella? Cool, here’s 52 floral, short-sleeved, button down shirt options and a bunch of slightly different shorts to choose from." Still, they definitely work for a festival, but I also look like a tourist who is vacationing in Hawaii for the first time.

    Get Chris's Look: White Shirt, Denim Shorts, Purple Shirt, Black Shorts

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    Crystal: Coachella’s become a low-key hipster fashion show in the dirt, so I really have zero desire to attend. But, for those into it, it seems like a good excuse to reinvent your ~look~ for a few days. And as much fun as it was to try on these outfits in the stores, I would never wear these in public. Except for the black top (underneath the feather capelet) from Topshop. I legit bought that.

    Stephen: Was dressing up in a whole bunch of Coachella outfits fun? Yes! Did it make me want to go to Coachella someday? No! I love Beyoncé, but I love air conditioning more.

    Sam: Do I want to spend a weekend with 100,000 sweaty inebriated people (and Vanessa Hudgens!) in the desert? HELL NO. But honestly, I'm kind of into the whole Coachella outfit vibe — it feels like picking out a fun outfit for Halloween, just with more dehydration. Maybe I'll just rock some Coachella looks this weekend, pose and take pictures with my succulents, and just pretend that I went. No one will know any better!

    Farrah: If you're going for a festival look, I say GO ALL OUT FOR THAT LOOK, BABY! I've never been to Coachella, but it seems like a place where everyone has fun and takes extreme fashion risks. Dare to be different and make a big statement!

    Chris: For anyone looking to find festival options, I definitely think Forever 21 or H&M can satisfy your needs. Forever 21 had a variety of clothing and colors that would allow someone to get super creative. H&M had their fair share of options, just limited looks. And Target, well, who needs a men’s festival clothing selection when you have EVERYTHING ELSE? Wherever you shop, it’s about showcasing a style you like and feel good in, so basically disregard all of my opinions on the clothes and do you!