Here’s an interesting question to ponder that gets often thrown around, especially by those new to raves and EDM - are raves and music festivals essentially the same, or are these events different? Experienced ravers will have their own opinions and answers to this question, but if you’re just putting together your first Coachella outfits, this may not have occurred to you. As for us, we can’t help but throw our hat into the ring (or onto the dance floor) when it comes to those big questions - so here’s our take on it.
What Makes a Rave a Rave?
If you’ve been to a rave, it will be an experience you can’t mistake for any other. In many ways, raves are all about the spectacle. Compared to music festivals, raves generally take place at night, or even indoors. This means that there is ample room for neon, light shows and anything else that glows in the dark. The stage at a rave is generally an impressive piece of artistry all its own, with any good rave having some kinda crazy cool set up for the DJs.
Speaking of the DJs, the music at raves tends to be focused in the Electronic Dance Music genre. That’s because the whole point of raves is, well, dancing! Of course, there can be a wide variety of styles within EDM, which will depend on the DJ playing in question. Still, no matter the music, you can expect some very intense beats, since the purpose is to let it all hang out.
Speaking of letting it hang out, rave festival outfits are very distinguishable from festival clothing. Rave outfits are just as iconic a part of raves as the dancing is! When it comes to rave clothing, pretty much anything goes. Raves are supposed to be a safe space where you can really go wild with your fashion choices. Want to wear just a thong and pasties? Go for it. Want to dress in vivid neon colors? At a rave, that’s encouraged! Rave outfits are also distinguished by their accessories, from colourful sleeves, to big sunglasses, to sexy fishnets, to glitter. At a rave, you want to stand out.
What’s a Music Festival All About?
Unlike a rave, exactly what a music festival is can be a bit harder to pin down. Every music festival can have a unique spin to it. Generally, music festivals take place outdoors, during the daytime, and can even take place over multiple days. At a music festival, there can definitely be some cool set ups, but it's less about the visual display than a rave, and more about the music.
As the name suggests, that music is really why you want to go to a music festival. Generally, a music festival will have a much wider range of types of artists and performances. These can be from a wide range of genres, depending on the theme of the music festival - or just on the whims of the music festival organizer!
Generally, music festival fashion tends to be more chill. Many people simply dress in their everyday clothes for maximum comfort. When people do develop specifical festival clothing, generally you’re going to see less swimwear, and more “hippie” or bohemian inspired getups. Generally “chill” is the vibe you will get from a lot of music festivals. Not to say that raves can't “feel good” as well, but raves are generally going to be a lot more hype.
So that might just be our opinion, but hopefully it helps clear some things up for you! If you're ready to rave, then make sure to check out our great outfits and accessories to help you stand out from the crowd!