I’m a pro stylist – Coachella’s best ‘underwear as outerwear’ looks avoid ‘cliché’ and ‘juvenile’ pieces
OVER the course of two weekends in April, celebrities, influencers, and music fans flock to California for Coachella.
Revelers at the festival are often infamously underdressed, sporting bras, briefs, jewelry, and little else.
While the "underwear as outerwear" trend is nothing new, attendees are still reinventing Coachella's signature look.
Sara Acevedo is a who's worked with clients including Constance Wu, Lily Singh, Marisol Nichols, and Erika Christensen.
The style expert spoke to The U.S. Sun about the festival's first weekend and identified which skimpy looks had the most substantive style.
According to Acevedo, outfits that struck a healthy balance were the most fashion-forward, like Teyana Taylor's edgy slime-green look.
"It’s not the cliché bohemian that so many always wear at Coachella," she told The U.S. Sun. "It feels like a modern take on festival dressing."
Taylor, a choreographer, singer, and actress, gives the look an on-trend feel with "'90s elements."
Her choker and low-slung pants looked made for her daring top.
"The top has a lingerie feel but it’s also very clearly a crop top,"; Acevedo explained. "I think it feels balanced with the heavier pant and boots."
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That's key for anyone trying to recreate the look at home (or during weekend two of Coachella).
"For the underwear/lingerie trend to work, it needs balance," she said.
If you're showing a lot of skin in one area, Acevedo recommended, "It's better to cover up a bit more in another."
"Visually, it's more pleasing because you are drawing the eye to one place," she said. In Taylor's case, that's her super-toned midriff.
Actress Madison Pettis is another celeb with a good handle on the trend, Acevedo said.
Two of the outfits Pettis wore over the weekend won accolades from Acevedo, who pointed out a common thread between the outfits.
At the Revolve Festival, a party at Coachella attended by superstars like Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian, Pettis held her own.
She showed up in a floor-length fishnet dress with a halter neckline and lots of skin-baring cutouts.
Pettis stuck to a pair of plain black briefs beneath the sexy look. That simplicity was key, Acevedo said.
"This look isn’t overdone," she said. "It’s clean and has a red carpet feel while still giving festival."
In a strategic move, Pettis chose to emphasize her long legs under the fishnet skirt, leaving the rest of her ensemble uncluttered.
"I love that she wore the same color boots," Acevedo said.
Pettis did something similar at the Tao Desert Nights party, keeping the crochet but swapping sophisticated black for sunny yellow.
This time, she wore a unique, structural top in the same color as her skirt, shoes, and jewelry.
"Love the color and the corset vibe," Acevedo said. Pettis kept the focus on the unique textures and hand-picked accessories.
"For something this busy, I appreciate the monochrome," the pro added.
To make the most of an undergarment-inspired look, Acevedo provided a few more rules celebs and civilians can follow.
"It’s best to choose pieces with more structure and polish," she recommended.
Beads, frills, jewels, and tie-dye can overwhelm a look, rendering it more costume-like than sexy.
Acevedo warned, "Too many ruffles or patterns make the trend look juvenile."
And while sky-high heels and bedazzled sandals are tempting, they can sabotage an otherwise flawless festival outfit.
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It's better to seek out a practical pair of kicks that disappears into the look. "Rugged shoes are essential," Acevedo said.
"Sticking to a monochrome look or limited color palette helps the trend look a bit chicer," she added.