Festival Fashion at Austin City Limits

By Amy Gabriel
September 19, 2011

ACL Festival Fashion

The annual Austin City Limits Festival, which wrapped yesterday for 2011, is the kind of three-day phenomena that sells out of tickets long before the line-up is released.

Being that the host city has been dubbed the “live music capital of the world,” fest-goers from all over the map have no qualms blindly opening up their wallets for what has proven to be an annual star-studded musical line up. This year's 10th anniversary was no exception. With the music festivals' headliners including the likes of Coldplay, Arcade Fire, Kanye West and Stevie Wonder, and upwards of 100 other bands and musicians taking to the Festival's eight stages, trusting ticket holders were once again rewarded. Purchase perk? The finger-crossing hopes of running into visiting celebs. Enter this year's most talked about moment: Christian Bale, equal parts stoic and biceps, in the pit during the Iron & Wine performance.

But the music and celebrity sightings are not the only catalyst for financial commitment. A music festival, by definition, is the merging and emerging of bands and brands, tunes and trends, and styles vying for a spotlight. The unspoken, though hardly understated, draw of the masses is to take in (and tweet out) the fashion trends traipsing their way across the green carpet typically known as Zilker Park.

Fashion's most featured opening acts were a line-up of looks including feathers and fringe, as seen in boots, t-shirts and vests; crowning achievements like fitted fedoras and wide-brimmed floppy hats; and, of course, the frenemie of festival footwear, the rubber wellie—a hard-to-deny concept that runs the risk of pressure cooking calves, considering that this southern city sees triple digits well into fall.

In addition to the boho/retro/rock-n-roll live lookbook, this year's dominating fashion trends, explored below, included a field of florals with an alternative twist, an invasion of Brit-inspired apparel and accessories that would inspire a Kate on either side of the pond, and a parade of animal prints that all deserve a repeat performance.

The Floral To The Story

The Floral To The Story

Flower children have represented the quintessential concert-goer since the daisy chain-making who's who of the Woodstock set. At ACL the fields were alive with chicks that you'd think would dig thorns over buds, but nevertheless, they found a way to bring the floral fashion look into full bloom. From sheer vintage flowery button down dresses draped over rocker tees and combat boots to grunge-meets-garden party frocks paired with floppy hats and patterned vests, these petals were pushing far past Austin's city limits.

Catch the look on eBay.

Punk Rock Floral Zipper Dress

(buy it now price, $11.55)

Vintage 70s Boho Prairie Hippie Dress

(buy it now price, $72)

Vintage Bohemian Sheer Floral Maxi Gypsy Dress

(buy it now price, $38)

British Invasion

British Invasion

Months past Will and Kate's “I do's,” and we are still enamored with all things Brit. Umbrellas baring the British flag peppered throughout the crowd when rain drops fell on Saturday afternoon, Union Jack socks peeking out from the tops of knee-high Hunter boots clomping from stage to stage, and flag-adorned t-shirts and purses rocked by both the blokes and birds alike made it clear that this fashion trend is living strong and carrying on.

Catch the look on eBay.

UK British Flag Union Jack Scarf Retro Punk T-Shirt

(buy it now price, $15.99)

British Flag Clutch

(buy it now price, $8.99)

UK Ladies Punk Rock Tank Top

(buy it now price, $12.99)

Animal Attraction

Animal Attraction

When it comes to fashion trends that seem to continually make a comeback, it's really all about survival of the fittest. So its no surprised that styles derived from the animal kingdom continue to live on. From leopard prints to zebra patterns, both day performances and after-shows had people seeing spots and stripes. And these appearances were not just relegated to nature's subtle innuendos—literal references of the animal trend, by way of indie tees with deer and steers (yep, it's Texas) were also on the prowl.