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The History of Raves

For those of you who are new to the rave scene, the community can be an intimidating place to break into. However, this piece will go over all you need to know about what raving is and how it started, and how you can start to enjoy the experience with our rave fashion. 

What Is A Rave?

The best way to describe a rave is to call it a large dance party. Usually, raves have DJs and other musical artists perform, with fans attending to dance the night away. The music is usually electronic dance music (EDM), house music, techno, and a wide range of everything in between. Most musical festivals offer a wide range of musical talent for every type of attendee. 

People come to raves dressed up in EDM outfits which can be loud, bright, fun, and sexy. You might be familiar with Coachella and how every year Coachella outfit fashion pops off. Raves and music festivals are where sexy EDM outfits are brought out to play, making fashion a large player in the EDM, rave, musical festival culture. 

We would argue that music festivals have become just as much about fashion as they are about music.

woman showing her party outfit outdoor

What Is The History Of Raves

Raves emerged after the introduction of European techno music and American house music hit the scene in the late 1980s. Lovers of these genres would all come together to have massive dance parties.

Raves were anunderground movement that originated in Europe. Raves were often secretive and organizers limited the number of attendees invited. Raves were often held in gay clubs where they were able to control attendees and limit exposure to both the general public and law enforcement. However, this did not stop the rave from growing in popularity with more and more popping up across Europe, eventually growing into the United States. 

In the 80s and early 90s raves were known for, and sometimes still are, drinking, drugs (MDMA), and sex. Fast forward to 2021 raves are more known for light shows, EDM music, and rave fashion. Since the 80s the rave culture has continued to grow and grow. This is why we see so many music festivals and EDM concerts pop up every year. Raves are some of the highest-grossing forms of live entertainment in the modern world.

The History Of Rave Fashion 

One of the most important parts of rave attire is to ensure that the raver is comfortable and can dance all night long. This is why you see EDM outfits covering less skin and being more on the sexy side. The original point of less clothing was to keep the raver cool, so they would not overheat while dancing in a hot underground club all night. Ravers love to layer so they can peel off clothing as they deem necessary.

woman showing turquoise outfit

The history behind some of the more creative outfits and accessories was to help rave goers better hide their MDMA pills as a part of their outfit. Avoiding detection from law enforcement. Ravers also began to pin blinking lights, bright stars, jewels, and anything visually stimulating to their outfits as well. They originally did this to heighten their hallucinations from the MDMA drug. 

While there is definitely still a drug scene at most raves, many come to raves to explore fashion and music. The rave fashion industry has taken off, with ravers all over the world finding a passion for creating fun and creative EDM outfit ideas to share on their social media. This is why Freedom Rave Wear exists! FRW owners fell in love with the people, culture, and fashion of raves and took their love for it one step further with the launch of theFRW online shop.

Music Festivals & Rave Fashion Go Hand-In-Hand

Raves and music festivals are extremely popular all over the world. Festivals like Coachella or the Hive Music Festival see millions of people flock through their gates every year. Other popular festivals include Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) in Las Vegas, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Imagine Music Festival in Atlanta, etc., etc. Honestly, the list of different festivals and EDM shows is endless.

woman wearing black and gold ravewear

EDC outfits and Coachella outfits are just some of the different forms of EDM outfits you can see on Instagram with a quick rave search. The EDM outfit a person chooses to wear is very individualized and personal to them. This is one of the reasons we love EDM outfits and rave attire so much. Everyone adds their own spin to an outfit and no one looks the same. A community of individuals coming together to enjoy a shared love for music and dance. 

Come explore Freedom Rave Wear’sNew Arrivals of EDM outfits. You will become inspired by all of our different styles of EDM outfits and the amazing rave outfits our collaborations and Social Squad put together. We promise you will find the perfect Coachella outfit, Hive Music Festival Outift, or EDC outfit at FRW.

Rave fashion is magical, colorful, unique, and creative. Join the FRW community!

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