COACHELLA 2018
THE DESERT
MOUNTAINS
Coachella 2018 didn’t fail me one bit. Maybe it’s the escape of the hot desert air or the fact that the drive up to the desert reminds me of countless family road trips to visit my grandparents, who lived in Palm Springs for over 20 years. I remember driving by the iconic land marks along the way, knowing with each one spotted that we were approaching closer and closer to our destination. The Dinosaurs meant we were 35 minutes away, the windmills were at the 20 minute mark, and the tiny dip in the road meant we were exiting. We had every detail of the route there memorized, since this was back before every kid had their own iPad, and all we had was the road to look at and our imaginations to paint it with the most colorful stories we could think of. I guess what I’m trying to say is I feel as though I’ve come full-circle, given that I’m traveling the same journey in my 20’s, yet I still reminisce of the happy days visiting my family. Part of me is convinced that the only reason I keep going back to Coachella is just to ride the nostalgia high of being in Palm Springs once again.
THE EXPERIENCE
With every Coachella I attend, I take away a new experience. By now, the whole world knows that this year was all about BEYCHELLA. Man I ain’t gonna lie, this was the most crowded I have ever seen Coachella bee (get it? Beehive? Bees? Smh I know I’m corny…moving on). We have all noticed that Coachella has taken a more mainstream shift in recent years into the commercial world, and sure while that may be beneficial to some, I ditched the influencer label and went solely to enjoy the music and the vibe, and of course I snapped hella pics to capture my style throughout the weekend. Life is a runway, so why not run with it?
SURVIVAL CHELLA TIPS
This year was be my 3rd Chella. So I guess this junior going on senior has learned a thing or two that I can pass on a guide to all future Chella’s.
⁃Always wear closed toe shoes (no matter how hot it is cause your feet will thank you and you don’t want to have ur toes exposed to rocks)
⁃When putting together looks, always ask yourself “do I feel comfortable in this?” The days are long and if you don’t feel good then that will translate to your body language and you won’t look good.
⁃Light layering and pops of colors
⁃There’s a vintage charm to the desert so translating that into your looks is key
⁃Western Vibes like booties, leather, suede, cowboy hats, buckles
⁃Run to your sets with your friends cause that builds the excitement lol
⁃Enjoy the music, Imma be honest no one wants to see a snap FROM EVERY SINGLE SET YOU GO TO. So maybe pick like top 3 and even then only snap like 7 seconds of your favorite song and close ur phone. I learned that in my first chella taking a moment to see Drake do a surprise appearance with Jhene I was like “damn I can see his beard!! Omg I’m so close!” And then when I look back at the video I took, I was like oh this is nothing like how it was live. Take advantage of making memories for yourself is what I’m trying to say. Not everything needs to be blasted on social media, and scrambling to record every second can detract from your own experience. It’s okay to enjoy things for you!