Every Cowboycore Must I Packed For My First Stagecoach

I spent the last weekend in April yeehaw-ing my way through Indio, California, for my first-ever Stagecoach. This year, the country music festival included performances by stars like Ella Langley, Teddy Swims, and Post Malone — plus, I knew influencer-and-reality-star crowd would be milling around the festival grounds. Long story short, I needed to bring my fashion A game.

Ahead of the trip, I made a point to stock up up on cowboycore essentials that would (hopefully) help an East Coaster fit in with the western crowd. I had a few specific qualifications in mind: pieces that could survive desert dust, stay comfortable for hours on end, and photograph well enough for an Instagram photo dump. Most important, nothing could read as a Woody from Toy Story costume.

Below, every cowboycore piece I stuffed into my carry-on for three days in the desert.

Denim On Denim

Denim is a must-have for me regardless of the occasion, and Stagecoach was the perfect excuse to upgrade. Cowboys wear jeans, after all. I packed a few pairs of jorts and these bowed pants from Free People, which became an instant favorite. I styled them with a black Tank Air top, black boots, and a turquoise necklace.

Fringe Benefits

Fringe is hard to weave into an everyday New York wardrobe, so Stagecoach was the perfect chance to load up. The fringe jacket? Made for windy late-night sets. The fringe micro-shorts? A festival staple for good reason. I packed the jacket in my bag on Day 2, but the wind picked up so dramatically that an emergency evacuation hit before I could even put it to use.

Belted Up

Belts are the easiest way to transform a basic ’fit into cowgirl territory. I packed a few options and rotated between a skinny cow print belt and a horseshoe-shaped brown leather one. The thinking: Even if an outfit crisis sent me back to my comfort uniform (tank and jorts), I could still add a little Western pizzazz. On Day 3, the realization that my spray tan had faded at an alarming pace cued that exact panic, and the bovine belt earned its keep.

Studs Galore

Metallic accents add subtle glam to the otherwise casual vibe of Stagecoach dressing. This Reformation top hits every mark (comfy, cute, showstopping), and it’s already worked its way into my regular rotation post-festival. I’d planned to wear it on Day 2 with barrel jeans, but my friend showed up in the exact same shirt, prompting an emergency tank top swap.

Rodeo-Coded Tees & Tanks

IMO, country-coded tees are always a good idea, Stagecoach or not. For this trip, I packed two oversize options: one for lounging around the hotel, the other for wearing to the festival. I’d planned to style the festival tee baggy over mini shorts, but the sizing wasn’t quite right (not quite long enough to be a dress, not quite short enough to layer), so it got demoted to hotel duty. I also brought a tank for good measure.

Boots (Plus Shoes For Recovery)

I was literally boots-on-the-ground at Stagecoach, so chic boots were nonnegotiable. I also packed a pair of Birkenstock clogs for breaks between sets. They’re breathable and comfortable, and they saved my feet more than once.

Howdy-Worthy Hats

Cowboy hats are nonnegotiable at a country festival, both for the obvious sun protection and for the way they top off literally any outfit. On Day 1, I wore a dark brown straw hat that was a gift; my plus-one paired a black hat with a white lace maxi.

Pro tip: Pack a foldable hat so you don’t have to wear it on the plane. On the way home, I spotted multiple women in the Palm Springs airport with three cowboy hats stacked on top of each other. Cheers to them, but I was glad it wasn’t me.