Every year, Coachella draws in countless people from around the world to watch their favorite musicians perform online or in person. With all eyes on them, it’s hard for celebrities to not want to leave an impression.
Peso Pluma stunned weekend one with an all-white Prada outfit. The sleeveless jacket he wore is my favorite individual piece worn at Coachella 2024. His black checkered sweatsuit with a sparkly balaclava for weekend two was another bright spot for the festival, while the white t-shirt, black slacks and Louis Vuitton hat was uninspiring to be kind.
Maybe this is controversial, but I’ll say that Reneé Rapp had one of the most tragic looks for weekend one Coachella. All black seemed to be a trend this year, but this was a lukewarm take on it. With all of the money and attention behind Coachella, one would hope there was some innovation behind the clothing artists wear.
However, Rapp’s guest performer Kesha’s outfit was one of my favorite looks from weekend one. A pair of jorts and a white tank top reading “I AM MOTHER.” It’s camp. What else can be said?
Although she didn’t perform, Taylor Swift made an appearance at Coachella weekend one with her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Swift dressed in a simple all black outfit, and Kelce stole the spotlight in a mixed-pattern ensemble.
For Kelce, I really respect the white Converse high-tops in this look — you don’t see many celebrities still rocking those. I prefer mine a little dirty, whereas his were sparkly clean. One could even say they shimmered. His hat says “Happy Gillmore,” but the pants say Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack. There’s something respectable about trying to pull off a fit with normal clothing, but ultimately this was one of the weaker fits of the weekend.
Doja Cat was dressed exceptionally well once again. The hairy bodysuit was a standout for her weekend two outfits. The previous week had a litany of outright bizarre outfits, including a fur bikini and the white hazmat suit she arrived in. She might be the lone pop-star today evoking the same feelings Björk or Lady Gaga did with their swan and meat dresses, and we should be thankful.
To keep it simple, Tyler, The Creator’s best look was his beige park ranger themed suit during weekend two. The suit was backed by a fairy-tale stage with fires, tree climbing and explosions. The clothing is from his own brand Golf Wang. He has a long history of designing his own clothes and is coming off his most recent collaboration with Louis Vutton.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky looked fly twice this year. What’s new? The couple are known to be innovators in both the fashion and music world, making Coachella the perfect meeting place for these two passions.
Rocky’s eclectic fit is a mishmash of colors that shouldn’t work, but suit the rapper well. Some highlights of the fit are the four pairs of boxers, the two pairs of pants, the brown boots with turquoise laces and the two different tops reading “AMERICAN SABOTAGE.” Rihanna impressed with two outfits. The first, a black leather skirt and black jacket covered by an unshapely fur. The second, a mess of earth tone fabrics, and a gray t-shirt with green accents. At first look, these were some of my least favorite outfits, but their abrasiveness grew on me rapidly.
Fans are well aware already that Chappell Roan’s outfits and aesthetic borrows influence from drag culture. Her butterfly costume on weekend two might be her most elaborate look yet. Compared to her first outfit — thigh-high black boots, leopard print leggings with a black thong over them and a t-shirt reading “EAT ME,” — this is the most drastic improvement from week one to two.
Coachella 2024 was a mixed bag. While there were certainly standouts, I prefer Coachella outfits to feel halfway between the Met Gala and Sunday brunch. This year, the scale tipped too far in one direction before correcting itself and leaning to the other side, and never finding that equilibrium between classy and cool. Hopefully next year is a return to form, or maybe the artists and attendees were just holding out for the prior mentioned Met Gala on May 6.
