Coachella Edition
by Jen Labbett.
Festival season is rapidly approaching and, with it, the trials and tribulations of attending such events on a multi-day basis. When I think of festivals, I think of summer, I think of tribes of random friends and friends yet to be made, I think of dust and losing one shoe, of watered down overpriced beers and of incredulous outfits galore. I don’t know about you, but my Instagram feed is currently flush with the bright and sparkly outfits, DJ sets and star sightings of the “Olympics of Influencers” Coachella.
The premiere west coast festival to kick off the season, Coachella is equal parts performance art, fashion show, major labels show off ground and rave. As well as the fact that every available surface is sponsored by something, there are a host of sub-festivals within Coachella, like the ever prestigious Revolve festival, the Neon Carnival, and the Do Lab. With house rentals going for around £20k for the weekend, doing Coachella in style for us mere mortals is quite the feat, but if you want to catapult yourself in to celebrity culture, there’s no better way to do it than armed with this year’s western theme (thanks Beyonce) and a tote that will carry all your festival goodies – let’s hope you somehow make it into the gifting tent.
Festival Season Handbags
While you do stand the danger of being everyone’s go to gal for storage needs, for purely practical reasons the Marc Jacobs The Tote Bag in leather and fire engine red means that not only will you never get lost – in fact you’ll be the beacon of the festival with everyone’s eyes automatically drawn to this oversize tote, but you’ll literally be able to fit everything except the kitchen sink in this sturdy bag with adjustable and removable shoulder strap. Made of comfort and ease, the Marc Jacobs The Tote Bag is fashionable and will come in handy for festival season this year.
Marc Jacobs
Large Leather Tote
Even Taylor Swift got the memo going for comfort & style this year when she stepped out with boyfriend Travis Kelce at night 2 of Coachella. Wearing the Stella McCartney vegan Logo Small Shoulder Bag, Taylor gives a nod to the environment, as this bag is carefully crafted from McCartney’s signature Alter Mat animal leather alternate material. This festival season handbag is clearly doing its job being worn as a cross-body to ensure it stays safe in a crush of crowds and that it’s easy access to the ample storage the bag provides.
Stella McCartney
Logo Crossbody Shoulder Bag Natural
Stella McCartney
Logo Crossbody Shoulder Bag Black
When I’m at a festival, it’s the length of time and the number of outfit changes required that I find daunting. Coachella is no different – in fact it’s worse as in order to attend the whole festival you’ve got to dedicate two full weekends to the dessert. But at least this year, outside the regular array of neon fishnet wear and parachute pants with crop tops, there is a distinct Western theme being championed and who doesn’t have a little wild wild west in them that craves a Kemosabe hat and a Chloé Marcie Small Saddle Bag? This bag is at the forefront of the western trend, paying homage to the rancher’s saddle and giving a whimsical feel of times long ago but with a modern flare. Paired perfectly with a flowing dress or a pair of boot-cut jeans, the traditional dark beige colour of this bag, made from 100% calfskin, will add a chic touch to your festival vibe.
Chloé
Marcie Small Saddle Bag
And if you want to really have the wow factor, try adding a Kurt Geiger Mini Kensington Bag to your outfit – this pop of colour handbag can be worn as a crossbody or carried as a clutch (although I’d be a little wary of carrying anything as lovely as this purse at a festival – think mud, think sticky, think stains). Not only does this bag give a sense of vibrancy that is totally en vogue with festival trends, it can be a statement piece if you’re outfit is one colour, particularly black, lighting the way in the dark under the flash of the neon lights.
Kurt Geiger
Mini Kensington Bag
Whether you’re in line to catch the second weekend of Coachella or you’re planning ahead for summer 2024, dressing for festival season is never dull. I’ve never been one to be so daring, and goodness knows as the years go on the clothes get racier and racier, but I’ve always found that choosing the perfect bag for a festival can be a make or break from a fashion point of view and from a functionality point of view. That’s why this year i will be leveraging the trend towards small backpacks like the Loewe Small Convertible Backpack in nylon and calfskin. This bag is truly the height of fashion and function, with high comfort padded straps, a mesh back and a branded metal buckle that can adjust the bag’s capacity, this bag will keep all your sundries safe and you comfortable for a long day of drinking and dancing.
Loewe
Small Convertible Backpack
As I continue to scroll through the celebrity sightings at Coachella and marvel at some of the outfits, I’m taken back to festivals of my youth – even on those very grounds – back then we were writing the amateur playbook on festivals and now, in the Coachella culture, it definitely feels like they’re professional festival-goers. Whatever your level of rave, having a handbag that suits the occasion can be a game-changer and shopping for one is half the fun. As I prepare for my next festival, NOSLive in Portugal, I thank Coachella for the fashion-forward inspiration.
