Festival season is underway, and that means music, food and perfectly curated outfits to post on your feed. Some festivalgoers plan weeks in advance by booking hotels and getting transportation in order, while others spend that time making Pinterest boards and scrolling social media to get ideas for their garb. No matter the festival, fashion is a big part of the culture; you want your gear to be suitable for the weather and on-theme with the sets you are watching.
CMA Fest, which wrapped up on Sunday, is about the biggest gathering of mainstream country music fans there is (though you can point out some alt-rockers and the like interspersed throughout the lineups, par for the course in a genre where tradition and innovation are so often at odds). Most of the fashion includes cowboy hats, boots, denim and plaid — a very Western-wear aesthetic, with the added need for clothes to be breathable in the Tennessee summer heat. A lot of people stuck to this guide when choosing what to wear to the fest, but others wanted to explore a different route, putting together ensembles that were a little more unique and fit their own interpretation of Western wear.
With an assist from Scene writer and photographer Hamilton Matthew Masters, I checked in with some standout dressers for the details on their fits.
Singer-songwriter Anna Vaus wanted to bring a mix of comfort and style to the festival, so she traded in the traditional cowboy hat for a woven bucket hat that more fit her aesthetic. She says Margot Robbie is one of her biggest style influences.
Statement belts are all the rage right now, so of course Lexi Nowotarski had to add three. A lot of the elements of Nowotarski's outfit were inspired by Ella Langley, but she wanted to put her own spin on it with the lighter colors and her blond curly hair.
This was TJ Agnew's first CMA fest and first time in Tennessee. He’s from Ireland, so when tasked with putting together an outfit for the festival, he started by envisioning what Southerners would wear. He wanted to bring some of his own style with the sleeveless graphic Iron Maiden T-shirt, but naturally had to throw on a cowboy hat.
Mickeda Frankie wanted to spice things up and incorporate her scene aesthetic — something of a Coachella vibe — into the traditional Western wear. Wearing all black in the summer heat is no joke, but one must make sacrifices for the look.
September Rose pulls a lot of her fashion inspiration from Y2K style. The big sunglasses and little purse are two staples from the time. But when you bring in some plaid, it makes the outfit all the more CMA-ready.
Dylan Mount chose lightweight fabrics to help him beat the heat while staying stylish, giving coastal cowboy. Dylan doesn’t normally dress in Southern style, but he borrowed a friend’s hat for CMA Fest to complete the look.
Johnny No Cash had one of the loudest outfits we saw at the festival, but in a good way. With his suit pants tucked into his boots and a cold drink in his hand, No Cash's colorful look said he was here to party. He got this suit for a themed party a while back, but he wanted to bring it out for a special occasion like this.
Caroline Stelte brought “it girl” style to CMA Fest. Her jorts, tiny sunglasses, statement necklace and half-up slicked back hairstyle give "as seen on social media." But when paired with the snakeskin-type boots and matching belt, the look has a more Southern festival feel.
