The Emerging Festival Fashion Trends I Saw at Coachella 2026

After years of watching from afar, I finally made it to my first Coachella over the weekend, and yes, it was every bit as joy sparking as I’d imagined, blisters aside. Major highlights included belting out “Baby” during Justin Bieber‘s set and, of course, taking in the sea of fringe and sequins, because everyone knows Coachella style is truly in a league of its own. As a fashion writer, I couldn’t help but clock all the emerging festival fashion trends.

Some buzzy looks felt par for the course—suede fringe boots and cheeky hot pants among them. Others, however, I didn’t quite see coming. Exhibit A: bikini tops worn in lieu of shirts. Then again, what better way to beat the heat in style? Meanwhile, a wave of low-rise denim nodded to the early aughts, cementing the silhouette as a defining trend for 2026.