Jazz Fest is no Coachella.
In these parts, we tend to opt for sensible — and yes, often a little dorky — walking shoes and outfits that provide a bit more sun coverage, a la the Jazz Dad.
And while we here at Gambit totally love and support the classic Jazz Fest uniform of BayouWear or a Hawaiian shirt, every so often someone will come along and wow us with a festival look. You know, the kind that stops you in your tracks and demands you point it out to somebody before carrying on with your fest.
Here are our favorites in Fair Grounds Fashion from Weekend One.
A Jazz Fest attendee proudly shows off his custom blazer.
Spotted in the Jazz Tent, this custom neon lemon-lime blazer has bejeweled and ruffled shoulder pads with a banana in the center of each. The back uses fabric to spell out “JF 24,” giving us a sense of both time and place.
Mary McCarthy and Brad Walton are a dynamic duo
Mary McCarthy and Brad Walton rocked an eclectic look that helped them stand out from the crowd. The strawberry shortcake hat is adorable and creative, and we love the sarong and sparkly skull necklace. One really can't go wrong with the combo of comfy, colorful and festive.
Dancing at the Cultural Exchange Pavilion
Dancing to her heart’s content in the Cultural Exchange Pavilion, another attendee was rocking a green shawl over a cactus dress, shiny statement earrings, a fedora and flame-shaped sunglasses.
Spotted on Day 2
The next day, the flame sunglasses were back but with the accent piece of a washboard tie, shaped like a fish, over a flamingo dress — firmly cementing her status as a festival fashion legend.
A light fabric set paired with elite jewelry
This light flowy set would be elite on its own, but pairing it with coordinated intricate silver jewelry takes it up several notches.
A custom beaded purse pairs perfectly with BayouWear
One festivalgoer in line at — where else? — the BayouWear tent sported a custom-beaded purse emblazoned with the JazzFest logo and a strap that read, “Guardians of the Groove.” It perfectly complemented her “Second Line Parade” patterned BayouWear wrap skirt as she shopped for more garb.
Sam getting her groove on at Jazz Fest
If you got it, flaunt it, and take a cue from Sam, who is always rocking iconic and well-planned outfits at festivals and shows across town. On Saturday, she had on floral sneakers and brightly colored, psychedelic short shorts and a crop top, all accessorized with fabulously oversized sunglasses, a heart-shaped purse and floral earrings.
Chris Litten rocking a miniature festival on top of his head
Jazz Fest Dad Chris Litten came in from Florida, sporting a remarkable— and meta — handmade accessory depicting the Fair Grounds itself. A straw Quicksilver hat had been transformed into a celebratory scene, with fake grass, a bandstand, and figurines depicting both happy festival attendees and musicians.
An eclectic look for an eclectic festival!
As evidenced by her WWOZ Brass Pass, this woman clearly goes all in for Jazz Fest, including her outfit. A bright tropical patterned dress is juxtaposed with a black top hat festooned in what looks like Spanish moss and ribbons. It's also all about the details. Her bright blue mani-pedi combo looks fresh, and her earrings and necklace have a seafood theme. She has a lot going on, and we’re here for all of it.
A dress by Queen of Sparkles
We were mesmerized by this brilliant orange dress adorned with sequined (!!!) instruments, and unsurprised to learn it wasmade by Jaime Glas Odom aka Queen of Sparkles, a designer whose motto is “Life is too short to wear boring clothes.” We agree, and we love how this attendee accessorized with cateye sunglasses, a festive fanny pack and sensible but cute rubber boots. Of course, a strawberry lemonade in hand completes the look.
A colorful, butterfly-themed festival look
This look pairs a bright pink dress with a colorful pink, orange and green embroidered floral shawl, accented with face glitter and earrings that spell out “fest.” But at the heart of the fit is a sun hat adorned by hand with faux butterflies, flowers and even a bird.
The hat also lights up, which although not necessary on a sunny Jazz Fest day, “comes in very handy in a dark porta-potty,” the creator said.
She gave us a fake flower on a clip from her hat as a parting gift and way to spread the love, a practice she said is called “sprouting.” We later passed it onto “Criminal Minds” actor Matthew Gray Gubler as he greeted fans at the fest. He stuck it onto his VIP lanyard proudly.
