By: Michelle Laurey
With Coachella fading off into the distant sunset, it’s time to return to the ho-hum of your daily life. But just because you have to return to your “real life” doesn’t mean you have to give up the essence of what makes Coachella such an amazing experience.
There’s something about festivals that brings out what is most alive and vibrant in us. You can keep that festival feel even when you return to your more mundane life.
Here are 5 great ways to keep the Coachella spirit flowing through the summer and throughout the rest of the year.
1. Add a Little Boho Fashion
With a number of great festivals still to come this summer, like Stagecoach, Pemberton, Lollapalooza and more, boho fever is reaching a frenzied pitch.
Even if you don’t attend another festival this summer there are still many tried and true fashion styles that are sure to bring out your inner flower child.
No matter what your style, just a few simple touches or accessories can add a bit of Boho chic to even the most buttoned-down styles.
A few great Boho pieces are:
- Lace
- Floral patterns
- Tie-dye
- Bright maxi-dresses
- Halter tops
- Rompers
- Fringe with or without beads
- Stripes
- Hobo bags and purses
- Vintage band t-shirts
Festival hair is anything but sleek and smoothly coiffed. While your place of employment might not be the best environment for the wind-blown summer messy fashion, you can still find small creative ways to add some summer flair to your ‘do.
Getting summer highlights is a great way to get a great summer look that will pass even the most rigid requirements. If all else fails, however, you can save the festival head style for the weekends.
For some hippy touches that pass even the most rigorous dress code standards, however, try a few of these hair accessories:
- Lace head band
- Beaded head band
- Flowered comb
- Leather tie for a sleek ponytail
- Bandana or bandana print headband
On weekends, or if you work in a less buttoned-down environment, you can make a half bun, messy bun or try securing a bun with chopsticks. Messy French-braids or loosely woven braids are also a great festival look that can still make the transition to a less formal office and keep the festival spirit alive even in the middle of the workweek.
3. Recharge with an Easy Playlist
Whether you’re roaring down the open road with the top down, stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic or dropping the kids off in the mini-van, music can help set the tone for your entire day. Get your day started right with a great playlist to pop in any time you need a recharge and the days to the next festival will simply fly by.
During the day, if you need a little pick-me-up at work, grab the headphones and try to take a brisk walk out in the warm summer sun. If all else fails, find a quiet, private spot and have a dance break for a sure-fire way to boost your spirits and put you back in that festival mood.
4. Keep Sharing the Love
Probably the best thing about every single festival ever is the festival “vibe.” People who may be the most upright, cranky and high-strung the other 362 days of the year have this way of unwinding, cutting loose and becoming fun, laid-back individuals.
Sometimes people relax more at festivals than they do on vacation. Maybe it is the lack of any expectations of being perfect or maybe it’s about being so close to a huge crowd of strangers all sharing the same experience.
Whatever the cause, the reality is the festival “vibe” is something you can create anywhere.
When someone cuts you off in traffic, smile, wave and spread the love. Whatever happens, just pretend you are at a festival, with no place to be and no hurry to get there. While it might not be the case, it can help you keep the festival vibe flowing all throughout the year.
Just because you may have a daily grind doesn’t mean you have to let it get you down. There are so many ways you can inject touches of the festival atmosphere back into your daily life throughout the year. And before you know it, summer will roll around once again, bringing a great another round of festivals to bring out your inner love child and keep your inner hippy chick happy.
