I’ve worn these silver leather pants with everything. They’re a new item from my Sandro Paris family and I fell in love with them their Mick Jagger-ness instantly. At Coachella, I let them do all the talking with just a cropped blouse and my reliable Nike Cortez sneakers. I even wear them under dresses for a little unexpected pop of shiny metal.
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This season I went to Coachella sans kimono and crochet crop tops. I wanted to steer clear of the typical festival fashion. Instead of leaning towards fast fashion that you can only wear for just that weekend, invest in some statement denim pieces that will take you through Coachella and beyond. That’s why I went with 7 For All Mankind in my festival packing. Their new denim collection consists of jumpsuits (yep, it hugs perfect at the waist), mid-rise shorts in classic washes, and super comfortable low-rise flares. Denim is easy, and you can accessorize each piece to make it your own. The new 7FAM collection has a 70’s twist that I loved. One day I went with an adorable off-shoulder jumpsuit. The next, a bodysuit and black denim shorts. For my last day on Coachella grounds, I sported a full-on light blue denim crop top and matching flare pant. Edgy and unexpected with a pop of red. Less is more, believe it or not. Even at Coachella. But that’s the beauty of festival season…just do you, even if it’s against the norm, and listen to some good music.
Team Suarez has so far survived SXSW in Austin, Texas and we just tackled Coachella in Indio, California with our Reef Girls crew. Where to next? Can you say…BONNAROOOOOOO! This one may be the craziest festival of the bunch. There’s a lot more body paint, hoola hoops, and some of the best music all in one sweaty field. Yes, our hashtag is #justpassingthrough but there have been times when we were literally #justpassingOUT. I love Tennessee. The accents. Those Southern dishes. Walking around with a beer belly. I just remember the whole camping experience at Bonnaroo last year and boy, did I learn a lot about the best festival survival tips.
Tip #1: Don’t sleep in your car.
Unless there are BUGS in your tent. I’d just seen the midnight show of Billy Joel and headed back to our tent to find a gigantic spider right by the head of my pillow. Screaming, I grabbed my blanket and sweared the whole way to our SUV. Yes, I was the girl in the driver’s seat only to wake up with a really bad neck cramp. The next nights I sucked it up and slept on my cot with my wet towel as a blanket. At least I was laying flat.
Tip #2: Do take a shower.
Babywiping is acceptable for day 1. But after that, nobody wants to come near you.
Tip #3: Do sleep in.
You don’t want to go hard in the morning, and realize by 2pm that you’ve fallen asleep in the middle of the grass only to be woken up with a bad face burn. Oh, and you just got stomped on by a bunch of topless teenagers in booty shorts.
Tip #4: Pack snacks and always have a bottle of water on you.
Healthy snacks! Like grapes, nuts, and Cliff bars. Eating the festival’s pizza or Chinese noodles daily combined with your beer belly is not cute when wearing your tiny high waisted shorts. Plus, you’ll for sure be hungry at 2am when all the food stands are closed and you’re stuck crying to your friend for food.
Tip #5: Dry shampoo and deodorant are key.
They’re easy. You won’t look like a total bum. And you can still wave your arms up and dance like a long haired hippie to Florence and the Machine.
Tip #6: Bring a jacket.
Because if someone breaks into your tent and steals all of your things, you’ll have your jacket as a blanket to sleep with that night. Trust me, it can get freezing at night.
Tip #7: Dance.
Embrace your sweaty surroundings and let your freak flag fly.
Tip #8: Take a lot of photos so your friends get really jealous.
Even though half the time you’re crying in your tent wishing the band would stop playing at 4 am while you’re trying to sleep and you’re calling Mom to pick you up.
The beauty of festival season is getting a really bad sun burn, mosquito bites, and still trying to look fly for your Instagram pics. Happy Festival surviving everyone. See you at Bonnaroo.
– CAMP tee, Intermix leather shorts, Liebeskind backpack
– Roe + May white mini dress, Perverse red sunglasses
– Haute Hippie fringed leather skirt
– Reef sandals
I have survived my 5th Coachella! What a weekend! No crazy festival is never complete without my Reef squad from Southern California. They always say “How long are you staying in NYC? You know you’re still a California girl at heart!” It’s true. My heart still beats for the west coast. That tan you get on your left arm from sitting in the car. The gnarly beach waves the moment you step out of the salt water. But most of all, it is the ability to wear sandals every day of the year that always brings me back home. By now, you know all about my love for the Reef Rover. The Rover sandal. The new Rover fringed sneaker. There’s just something about the Rover that never gets old to me. It’s that I can go dancing, I can walk miles, hike, and walk through water in them because they are so comfortable. It’s that Swellular Technology, man. Your feet will thank you! They mold to you the moment you put them on. I leave them by my doorstep because they’re the first thing I gravitate to when running out the door.
Plus, I love dressing them up. They’re simple so I can go wild with the rest of my ensemble. Leave it to me to take my favorite surf sandal and pair them with a flashy gold spaghetti strap dress. Its the New York City in me too…I like to add a dash of glam. Or I’ll pair them with leather shorts by the pool. Climb rocks in them in my bikini. I wasn’t given the nickname “punk” in grade school for no reason. I’ve always been one who took the adventurous route and have fun along the way. There’s never a reason not to laugh and live in the moment. For this festival, we had a really awesome group. Professional rock climbers were in our house from The North Face and of course our Reef pro surfers: the awesome Mike Lay from Cornwall, England and Victoria Vergara from Biarritz, France. You may say we were a pretty random bunch, but that’s what made our Coachella weekend extra memorable. We all come together because we have many things in common. We all seek adventure, travel for a living, and like to bring that little extra excitement to whatever we put our minds to. I think that’s what I love about my Reef family. Living life a little bit on the edge and not being afraid to get down and dirty. Sometimes you don’t need the pretty festival dress. Just your bikini, my Rovers, and a good bottle of sunscreen.
Favorite gigs at Coachella?
Sia: For sounding amazing (even though incognito as always with her bangs) and for putting on a memorable, heart stopping performance featuring my favorite actors and dancers.
Guns n’ Roses: Even sitting in a chair due to an accident, the man can sing.
Ice Cube: Because the movie Straight Outta Compton was by far one of my favorite movies this past year!
// Reef Rover Hi sandal //
// Reef Rover low sneakers //
// Reef Day Catch sandals //
shop all shoes at Reef.com
also featuring: Haute Hippie gold and black sheer dress, Ax + Apple necklace, Halston metallic bag, Lack of Colour hat, LoveShackFancy top, Intermix leather shorts, Roe + May floral dress, and Solid & Striped bikini top + bottom + one-piece
// photographed by Dylana Suarez //