It’s that time of year again. Coachella has come and gone, leaving Stagecoach to trail in its dusty wake. Though I’d like to say that I’m above the frivolity of it all — the drama, the heat, the VIP wristbands — there’s nothing I love more than that one week in April when my social media feed stocks itself full of Coachella content.
As an avid follower of any and all music-related media, I feel that I have more than enough expertise to claim the following: Coachella is so much more than a festival. In the years after its rise in popularity, that is, the 2010 Tumblr days of old, Coachella has quickly grown into an iconic hub for fashion, music and pop culture galore. Because it’s somewhat of a mandatory event for celebrities and influencers, Coachella is as much a barometer for rising trends in fashion as it is a showcase for the biggest names in the music industry.
This year’s festival garnered some particularly fascinating looks and attendees which, when assessed collectively, hint at incoming trends for the summer months. First popularized in the 1970s, then the early 2000s, micro shorts paired themselves with knee-high boots and sky-high temperatures at Coachella 2025. Part of a much larger movement toward boho-chic looks from the festival’s earliest days on social media, denim cutoffs and tailored suede were well-received by many nostalgic internet users craving a return to 2010s fashion.
Bloomer-style pants and leathery, often studded belts were carelessly thrown over crochet ponchos, juxtaposed by structural denim pieces and chunky boots. Though flower crowns and aggressive fringe have yet to make a full comeback, the overwhelming resurgences of brands like Isabel Marant and Roberto Cavalli harken back to a time when mixing bohemian style with classic grunge reigned supreme. Fast-fashion brands like Urban Outfitters have already made noticeable shifts toward the revival of earthy palettes and boho-chic in their latest collections.
Going hand-in-hand with the flowy layers and billowing tiers of traditional festival style, a plethora of indie sleaze and gothic-inspired outfits made their way onto the stage this year. In her first-ever Coachella appearance, Jennie Kim wore one of the most stand-out looks of the festival in a bright red Western ensemble. Keeping with the overwhelming popularity of statement belts in the past year or so, Jennie wore three over a pair of croc-embossed micro shorts.
Bunched around her thighs were, you guessed it, chunky camel-colored boots. Equally on trend with her ripped fishnet tights, embellished bikini top and wide fabric belt was Tyla, who drew inspiration from the grungier side of Coachellas past and present. Menswear, ever-reminiscent of James Charles’ 2019 backless chaps, leaned heavily into Western fashion.
Canadian tuxedos and belts with intricate buckles were the more daring outfits worn, almost always topped off with a cowboy hat. Travis Scott, in one of my favorite looks of Coachella 2025, wore a studded outfit custom-made by Chrome Hearts. On the whole, though, men’s fashion didn’t make too much of a statement this year, sticking closely to the comfort of beachy and Western fashion, as is already quite popular in the industry.
Fashion aside, Coachella’s most noticeable trend this year was the drastically widening gap between general admission and VIP attendees — between the normal people and the elites. While one side of my For You page spent their weekends in villas sponsored by fast-fashion labels (Guess, Revolve Festival and Fashion Nova were the most common), thousands of non-influencers braved intense heat, overpriced food and extreme exhaustion while camping out of the trunks of their cars. Founded in 1999 as a relaxed and affordable alternative to festivals like Woodstock, the Coachella of today is a far cry from the original intent of its creators.
It’s become practically impossible to ignore the blatant class divides so casually woven into a festival whose primary purpose has devolved into the promotion of mass consumerism. So yes, Coachella is the same cultural hub it's always been, and this year was no exception. Somehow, a music festival in the desert lands of California managed to capture a snapshot of not just the trends we wear, but the values we monetize and the disparities so deep amongst us that we’ve started to scroll past them without blinking.
Charlotte Feehan is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at cgf47@cornell.edu. Read More
