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This Friday marks the kickoff of Coachella, the buzzy, boozy, famously star-studded music festival that spans two weekends every April. And after much time spent stalking the many street style galleries this fest has birthed over the years, I've concluded that the celebs who attend the fest tend to fall into one of two different camps, style-wise: Either they go for colorful, chic warm-weather looks that nod to Coachella's desert setting without looking costumey (Kate Bosworth and Solange Knowles, I'm looking at you!), or they go balls-to-the-proverbial-wall crazy and pile on the face paint, crocheted hot pants, body chains, and other Coachella sartorial clichés with gusto.
In case you were wondering, it's way more fun to dissect the looks of the latter group. To wit, I've rounded up 17 looks from Coachellas past that are arguably the Coachelliest of them all. Hold on to your flower crowns, kids!
Vanessa Hudgens
Photo: Fame FlyNet
Let’s kick things off with the star who might as well hold the key to the city of Indio. Hudgens is undoubtedly Hollywood’s biggest Coachella supporter, and as such, she really goes all out when it comes to dressing for the fest. Case in point: This getup from 2011, which ticks nearly every box on the Coachella style checklist. Bare feet? Check. Macramé crop top? Check. Face paint? Check. Fringed accessory, high-waisted cutoffs, and oddly-placed body jewelry? Check, check, and check. She even threw in a gratuitous tambourine for good measure. Props for going above the bare minimum for pieces of Coachella flair, Hudge.
Photo: Fame FlyNet
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also call out this ensemble from 2013. Here, Hudgens eschews color-blocking in favor of tie-dye-blocking, teaming a psychedelic scarf and a maxi skirt seemingly (ingeniously) designed to hide grass stains. Meanwhile, she’s got on a see-through crop top comprised entirely of jewels — which, though Prada-esque, is a curious choice for a daytime event in the desert. The finishing touch? That oversized sunflower, which Hudge wields as proudly as Moses did his staff.
Alessandra Ambrosio
Photo: Driely S.
This supermodel loves Coachella so damn much, she launched an entire clothing line inspired by it. Here she is in a two-piece look from her Alé by Alessandra line that, while adorable, would probably look ridiculous anywhere outside the festival grounds (and on anyone other than Alessandra Ambrosio, for that matter).
Photo: Fame FlyNet
"Bad Blood" goes boho.
Selena Gomez
Photo: Fame Flynet
What does the most-followed celebrity on Instagram do when she's Coachella bound and can’t decide between her sheer lace dress and her cutoffs-crop top combo? She wears them both at the same time, of course, along with a bindi left over from her "Come And Get It" days.
Jared Leto
Photo: Fame Flynet
It’s hard to tell which is the highlight of Leto’s look here (from 2014): his strong print-mixing game or that flawless ombré ‘do. (Just kidding. It’s obviously the ombré.) Side note: His logo muscle tee is by a brand called Enfants Riches Déprimés, which translated from French means Depressed Rich Kids. If that doesn’t scream Coachella, I don’t know what does.
Diane Kruger
Photo: Fame Flynet
Is there any outfit Kruger can’t pull off? In 2013, she managed to make printed hot pants and fringed suede boots look like a perfectly stylish combo — something every college coed tried (and failed) to do in the early aughts with their denim miniskirts and Uggs. Also of note: the actress' Mick Jagger tee (because music!) and the casually-slung Chanel bag that reminds you that stars, in fact, are not just like us.
Rihanna
In 2015, Rihanna showed up at Coachella wearing a dreamcatcher as a top. More specifically, Tokyo brand Ambush’s Dreamcatchers breastplate, which retails for roughly $3,000. This alone would have been enough to land her a place on this list, but don't overlook her Kokon to Zai leggings and cape, which feature a Native American-inspired print. If there’s one thing Coachella-goers love, it’s Native American culture and imagery! Also, fun fact: Kokon to Zai’s creative director is none other than Marjan Pejoski, the man responsible for the infamous swan dress Bjork wore to the 2001 Oscars. Sounds about right.
Paris Hilton
Photo: Fame Flynet
Printed maxi dresses had a maxi moment in the early-to-mid aughts; today, Coachella is one of the few places they’re still deemed acceptable. That’s great news for Paris Hilton, a woman who, like the maxi dress, embodies everything that was wonderful about the 2000s. The Coachella regular almost always opts for some sort of ground-dusting number for the fest — along with, oddly enough, ballet flats.
Kendall and Kylie Jenner
Photo: Fame Flynet
In which the Jenner girls subtly rebel against Mama Kris’ commandment to make an appearance at Coachella by turning up in sexy mourning attire.
Cody Simpson and Gigi Hadid
Photo: Fame Flynet
While we're on the topic of matching couples, let's discuss Gigi Hadid and former flame Cody Simpson's getups above. Hadid's doing her darnedest to channel a blonde Pocahontas, from her turquoise necklaces down to her bare feet (at least there's no feathered headdress), while poor Simpson glumly schleps along in a fringed suede cape and bolo tie his lady love probably forced him to wear. Love, apparently, means never having to say "I'm sorry I made you cosplay Neil Young."
Fergie
Photo: Fame Flynet
Listen, I applaud 41-year-old Fergie's commitment to keeping up with the kids and going hard at Coachella. But by my count, she's got on seven fringed or otherwise tasseled items here: three skinny scarves, tattered cutoffs, a shredded tank, fringe-trimmed booties, and of course, that vest. Even by Indio standards, that is at least five too many things with strings, unless you're a piñata.