Alright guys, settle in. Today’s share is all about prepping for my first Coachella trip. Was scrolling Instagram feeds from past years, drowning in all that festival fashion inspiration. Thought “Yep, gonna step it up this time.” Needed outfits that were cool, comfortable for desert dust and dancing, and didn’t make me look like I tried too hard. Let me tell you, it was a JOURNEY.
The Hunt Begins
First thing, hit up my own closet hard. Pulled out EVERYTHING remotely boho or colorful. Felt like a tornado hit my bedroom. Found some decent basics – a worn-in denim jacket, couple simple tanks – but man, statement pieces were MIA. Knew I needed that one killer look everyone would remember without looking like a costume.
Took myself thrifting the next weekend. Spent hours digging. Felt like forever. My best finds?
- A super faded band tee: Perfect vintage vibe.
- Distressed denim shorts: Covered in intentional rips, comfy enough for hours.
- This crazy patterned silk scarf: Super bright paisley. Grabbed it thinking “tie around my neck? Hair? Waist?” Figured I’d decide later.
Putting It Together (and Falling Apart)
Started playing dress-up at home. Had the bright idea for the first outfit: cropped graphic tee under the denim jacket, denim shorts, fishnets, and my trusty old combat boots. Added the scarf tied around my ponytail. Looked cool in the mirror! Then I did the reality check: walked around the living room, sat down, pretended to queue for water. Combat boots suddenly felt like concrete blocks. NOPE. They were banished back to the closet.
Panic started to creep in. Needed comfortable shoes, STAT. Dug out some chunky platform sandals buried in the back. Still gave height but didn’t weigh a ton. Okay, disaster avoided… for now.
Second outfit idea sparked after seeing someone wear mesh online. Had this long black mesh skirt lurking unworn. Paired it with a simple black bralette and the cool band tee knotted at the waist over the skirt. Sounded great. Looked… okay. But something was off. Felt a bit heavy in pictures. Remembered the scarf! Threw the paisley one around my hips like a mini-skirt-over-skirt deal. BAM. Pop of color fixed it.
Accessories & The Final Nightmare
Knew accessories were key. Rummaged through my jewelry box. Found chunky plastic rings, layered necklaces, and big hoop earrings. Dusted off an old wide-brim straw hat I almost donated. Perfect for desert sun. Planned tiny sunglasses too, obviously.
Pack everything? Felt proud. Ready? Thought so.
REALITY CHECK AT THE FESTIVAL: Day one rocked the band tee/scarf/skirt combo. Comfy shoes worked! Celebrated dancing… a little too hard near a food truck. Got some kind of bright purple dragon fruit freeze thing. Felt a drop on my skirt. Looked down.
DISASTER.
A GIANT purple stain right on the front of my mesh skirt. I froze. That statement piece NOT feeling so smart. Grabbed water, tried rubbing. Just spread it. Panic! Then remembered the paisley scarf tied on my bag. Yanked it off, wrapped it tightly around my waist like a sarong, covering the mess entirely. Looked intentional, even cooler maybe? Dodged a bullet.
Moral of the story? Comfy shoes are king, layer for the temps (hot day/freezing desert night!), embrace thrift finds, and ALWAYS pack a backup statement accessory that can double as a disaster cover-up. Oh, and maybe don’t wear precious white mesh near brightly colored drinks while dancing. Just maybe.
