{"id":3920,"date":"2025-04-14T20:59:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T20:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/?p=3920"},"modified":"2025-04-30T10:21:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:21:45","slug":"the-coachella-looks-worth-talking-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/14\/the-coachella-looks-worth-talking-about\/","title":{"rendered":"The Coachella Looks Worth Talking About"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The West Coast heard a faint rumbling, as hordes of chunky boots and mini-skirts went clomping from Los Angeles to Indio, California this weekend for the first week of Coachella. Seismologists say there\u2019s little risk of aftershocks, considering the fast fashion en route aren\u2019t fit to last for a return journey. <\/p>\n

Thankfully, pictures last forever! And while the Instagram crowds huddled around pool floats shaped like miscellaneous branded goods, celebrities were onstage miles away in fits both thrown together and meticulously combed over by stylists. The contrast between these sets, small and large, with the festival\u2019s image as a largely influencer-led gathering of brand activations was particularly fascinating.<\/p>\n

As we often do at PAPER<\/em>, I\u2019ve meticulously combed over the first week\u2019s available imagery \u2014 the festival has never kept a tighter rein on its digital image rights \u2014 for the fits worth talking about. As the Coachella step and repeats bore me to tears, I\u2019ve instead focused on what was presented on its various stages. (With some caveats, of course.) In the shadow of the landmark \u201cBeychella,\u201d the production value of the various headliners and supporting acts varied widely, with Lady Gaga\u2019s full-on arena tour-style set hitting new highs alongside Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s impact. (The keyword here being alongside, not above.)<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve done my best to distill these various forces in the outfits seen below. Shall we?<\/p>\n

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Charli xcx and Benito Skinner<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to start here, because these two crazy kids are dressed exactly like it\u2019s 2007, and The Hills<\/em> is currently tearing apart the lives of various blonde women in Los Angeles. Some minor contrivances like the Chanel purse and the specific cut of this skirt aside, these two look like a photograph of a father and his daughter before he surprised everyone and ran off with that partner at the law firm during the second Obama administration. Kidding, of course. Everyone knew he was into men like that when he\u2019d cut his chinos off at the knee. <\/p>\n

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Jokes aside, Charli xcx made a real stir when she popped up at the afters in a sash poking fun at her spot in the lineup. Since nobody can take a joke anymore, and we\u2019ve already cast mine aside for the moment, I\u2019d like to say two quick things: First, I hope Little Miss Headliner keeps trolling for the rest of her very long career. Second, I think we need a serious inquisition into the proliferation of this specific dress shape with what can only be described as a low-rise belt.<\/p>\n

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Lorde<\/strong><\/p>\n

In sharp contrast to the Charli xcx\u2019s delicately manicured, free-wheeling energy, Lorde came through like a real carefree individual in slacks and a t-shirt. In conjunction with the mounting pressure around her impending return to music, it\u2019s the most memorable fit from the weekend! I mean, she totally bucked the festival\u2019s growing expectations for female performers during one of the most hyped sets of the weekend. Thank god!<\/p>\n

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Lady Gaga<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mother Monster\u2019s set captured the hearts and minds of her devotees, already soft and easily malleable from the ongoing effects of her own personal mayhem. The real fashion story here, however, is not her triumphant return to the Coachella stage, or the many nods to eras past and present throughout. It\u2019s her continued collaborations with Dilara Findikoglu, who made this dress and a variety of others for her in the modern era. What a stunner! The designer’s use of texture and distressing is a staple many have attempted to jack this past year, none to much avail, considering her mastery over draping and depth and structure. <\/p>\n

Of course, this could have been a simple white frock, but it\u2019s taken over the edge by her nod to the \u201cPaparazzi\u201d video and later, when she ties in the thematic resonance of her broken hip, an artistic journey it feels she\u2019s just now closed the loop on. <\/p>\n

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Clairo, Addison Rae and Mar\u00eda Zardoya of The Mar\u00edas<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to append this point with this trio of musicians, who all played with similar elements of the white dress to varying results. It\u2019s perhaps the most prominent motif from the festival! Clairo opted for a deconstructed look, which brought in elements of contrasting lace and mesh and pearls and polka dots. I find it a valiant effort, but ultimately unfruitful when seen against the real thing above. (Here\u2019s<\/a> another angle.)<\/p>\n

Addison Rae took an entirely different route with her white dress, once again playing with the \u201ccarefree weirdo\u201d image her team are intent on crafting. Images of the dress, seen during her surprise appearance with Arca, show it flowing as she danced about the stage, tresses thrown to the wind, a grin plastered across her face. It\u2019s hard to watch footage from the night and not feel like she\u2019ll take us all the way there. <\/p>\n

This final fit, courtesy of Mar\u00eda Zardoya of The Mar\u00edas, will lead us to the next set of motifs from the festival. But before then, I\u2019d like to take a moment and soak it all in. The draping of the skirt and the plastering of the top, combined with that peek of lace and a nipped in waistline? And that big chunky wrapped necklace with a visible crucifix? Now we\u2019re speaking the language of the Coachella valley! Come down, spirit of Courtney Love, and bless this outfit. <\/p>\n

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Ciara<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vaquera is for mothers! Print that in your fucking fashion magazines, everyone. Ciara popped up in NYC\u2019s favorite designer, wearing about one million necklaces and the most interesting pair of skorts I\u2019ve ever seen layered over a sporty long sleeve. I found the contrast totally fascinating! There\u2019s clearly the desire to dress like one\u2019s job \u2014 that being one of the 21st century’s most successful women in music, while also playing to the spirit of the festival with the denim. And it\u2019s Vaquera at that! I mean, she practically wore this for PAPER<\/em> specifically. <\/p>\n

That said, mind what I said about the crucifixes! Where they made aesthetic sense with Mar\u00eda\u2019s outfit, here they power clash with both the denim and the shirt. An interesting reminder that tangled chains of pearls and crucifixes and teeny little gold chains hold the place of yesteryear\u2019s chunky turquoise necklaces and injection molded owls and charm bracelets and chokers. <\/p>\n

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Queen Latifah<\/strong><\/p>\n

Megan Thee Stallion also brought out Queen Latifah during this set. Off the top, I loved her glam, and these dangly braids and earrings and necklace. It all has an edge I always expect from the Queen, an edge further sharpened by this puffer trench vest. Just totally, utterly fab. <\/p>\n

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Ravyn Lenae<\/strong><\/p>\n

My personal diva supreme made her Coachella debut in white and cream, continuing the trend of layered white garments across the festival. While my feelings about exposed corsets are extremely Google-able, I love how it\u2019s been deployed here under the structured shrug jacket, expertly unzipped at the sleeves to provide that interesting silhouette. This skirt is also fab, as is her red hair and lace up boots. The whole thing is a resounding success to me, much like this most recent album and her gradual rise to pop dominance amongst the coolest people anyone knows. <\/p>\n

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Missy Elliott<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I couldn\u2019t find image rights to Missy\u2019s set, I did find this singular shot of her outfit that doubled as a car. It\u2019s an outfit that doubles as a car! I don\u2019t think it needs further input from me, really.<\/p>\n

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Arca<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to mention that it soars to extreme temperatures at Coachella. No matter, Arca here wore what seems to be head-to-toe leather. Gag it! She looks fab, especially the way that chain with the ponytail has been styled. What\u2019s its purpose? Genuinely who knows, but I\u2019m talking about it! <\/p>\n

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Lola Young<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had to hear Lola Young\u2019s song just about every time I\u2019ve opened the TikTok app for what seems like years. Then the video for it made its way to Twitter, and I had to hear and see it every day there. Now she\u2019s at Coachella, wearing this, and I\u2019m talking about her all over again. She won, even if this is my least favorite offering from the festival\u2019s Week One performers. It\u2019s a well designed garment and it fits her well, clearly, but I want nothing else to do with it. <\/p>\n

I mean, the thematic throughline of playfulness, \u201cmessiness\u201d and a lackadaisical Gen Z attitude is obvious in Lola\u2019s recent styling and artistic choices. These things clearly read here, from the hood to the gloves to the teddy shearling trim. It\u2019s just that they have no effect on me, as I\u2019m thoroughly immune to both earnest and ironic detachment, curated or sincere. <\/p>\n

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Photos via Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The West Coast heard a faint rumbling, as hordes of chunky boots and mini-skirts went clomping from Los Angeles to Indio, California this weekend for the first week of Coachella.<\/p>\n

Continue reading <\/use> <\/svg>The Coachella Looks Worth Talking About<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3920"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3920"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3955,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3920\/revisions\/3955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}