Music festival fashion guide: How to nail the bohemian chic look


 By BRITTANY ANAS
 SHOPATHOME.COM

 The guiding principle of
the bohemian-chic look is
effortless, yet cool. It says,
"Oh, these perfect beachy
waves? Just bedhead ac-
cented with a floppy hat."
This maxi dress/strappy
sandal/ layered necklace
look? "Pfft. That outfit
practically just jumped
out of the closet and put
itself together."
 But as you might
remember from your
high school years being
so effortlessly cool, well,
takes effort. Lots, actually.
We'd be willing to bet the
celebs who embrace a
laissez-faire, boho style
actually have a lot of styl-
ists helping them perfect
that look exacting
proportions and temper-
ing prints with solids.
 With music festival
season ahead of us,
where music and fashion
come together with the
underlying theme of


 MCT PHOTOS
The guiding principle of the bohemian-chic look is effortless,
yet cool. But being so effortlessly cool, well, takes effort. Phenia
Hovsepyan hula hoops at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in
April 2013, in Indio, California.
self-expression, stylists are says celebrity style
sharing tips and tricks for expert Pandora Amoratis
accomplishing a perfect (www.twitter.com/
look, all while staying pandoraamoratis). "Don't
true to your individuality, use a music festival as
Because your friends will an excuse to pile on just
never be able to pinpoint anything. Pack pieces that
you in the masses if you together create eclectic
say something like, "Over ensembles that appear
here, in the floral crown effortless even though
and cut-off denim shorts." they actually took some
 "The desired look thought. Keeping in mind:
is bohemian cool, not Layering is a balancing
bohemian chaotic," act."


Jay Judah, at Coachella in 2012, proves music festival fashion
isn't limited to the ladies.


 Amoratis, who has cre-
ated looks for "Orange is
the New Black" star Taryn
Manning, former reality
star Audrina Patridge and
country singer Kellie
Pickler, lends this helpful
formula for building a co-
hesive festival-ready look
with prints: Start with a
printed flowy bottom -
skirt or pants and pair
it with a solid-color crop
top. The top should be a
color that's in the print of
the skirt. Wear a printed
string bikini underneath.
 To prevent clashing
with two competing
prints, the designs
should be in similar color
palettes, but different
sizes, Amoratis says. Keep
your footwear a solid
color. Fringe booties or
strappy flat sandals go


"The desired look is bohemian cool, not bohemian chaotic,";' says
celebrity style expert Pandora Amoratis. Exuding cool are Jake
Burnett, right, and Ashley Tveten at the 2011 Coachella festival.


with everything, she says.
Complete the look by
layering pieces of jewelry
in varying lengths. Try a
ring on every finger.
 Preston Konrad, style
director for American
Eagle Outfitters, loves the
mix of grungy and pretty
for festival looks.
 "Try a destroyed denim
boyfriend short paired
back to a more bohemian,
pretty top for a vin-
tage-inspired look, or with
a crop top or band tee for
a more rock and roll feel,"
Konrad says. "Accessories
with fringe or crochet
always complete the look."
 A few festival-ready
pieces in the American
Eagle (www.ae.com)
collection include crop
tops, cut-off denim shorts
(boyfriend or high rise),
acid-washed flannels, per-
fect for tying around the
waist and lace camisoles.
 For guys, printed
half-sleeve button downs,
cloud-wash denim cut-
offs and photo-real tanks
and floral-printed shorts
lend themselves to a
festival look.
 Whether you're headed
to a music festival this
spring or just want to
give the boho-chic look


a try, Kimberly Smith,
who runs the blog
PennyPincherFashion.
corn, suggests starting
with a flowing maxi skirt
or dress.
 "It's a chic way to
embrace the trend at any
age," she says. "I'm partial
to ditsy, floral-printed
styles, which also play
into the carefree vibe of
the boho style."
 Maxi dresses can be
versatile, too, lending
themselves to be remixed
throughout a multi-day
music festival.
 Smith, who lives in New
York, warms up her maxi
dresses this time of year
by layering a denim vest,
moto jacket or airy knit
on top.
 For musical festival
style, Smith says smaller-
scale floral prints working
well this time of year. Try
an A-line skirt with a basic
T-shirt or a silky cami with
denim, she says.
 Her easy style tips that
work well for festival-go-
ers of all ages? Mix a
flowy, knee-length dress
with low-heeled leather
ankle boots or try a loose,
open-knit sweater with
denim shorts and gladia-
tor sandals.


 "Fringe is one trend in
particular that was all over
the runways and pairs
perfectly with boho styles
for festival wear," Smith
says."l would incorporate
this into my accessories,
like a bag or tasseled
sandals."
 Amanda Sonnenfeld,
Karmaloop's (www.
karmaloop.com) women's
stylist, sums up spring
2014 trends as being "TLC
meets Nirvana"- '90s-
inspired streetwear that's
mixed with elements of
grunge. Sub out flannels
for a bomber jacket for
a tomboy look that's on
trend, she suggests.
 Floral paradise is also
a major trend for 2014,
Sonnefeld says.
 "The floral prints we're
seeing for spring are
bolder and more vibrant,"
she notes.
 Find the tropical-
inspired florals in mens-
wear and womenswear
designs from T-shirts
and skirts to jackets and
snapbacks.
 "Coachella and other
festivals are an opportu-
nity to let loose, have fun
and truly express yourself
- so this is your chance
to go all out," she says.
 If you've emptied out
your piggybank, splurging
on tickets to shows, check
out the thrift stores for
some worn-in looks.
 Sara Gaugl, spokes-
woman for Savers (www.
savers.com), says thrift
shops can be a goldmine
for boho-chic looks -
with patterned dresses,
skirts, scarves and other
accessories.
 "You can get creative
with making your own
DIY looks," she says. "Scuff
up a pair of boyfriend
jeans or cut a vintage tee
into an open tank."


COUCHSURFING

FROM PAGE 1


We arrived at the Cairns Airport
to a nearly empty passenger
pick-up terminal. Leaning
casually against a white pick-up
truck was a 6-foot-something
stranger of a man with a bald
head and hands that could
easily palm my skull like a
basketball. This was our couch-
surfing host.
 To say that KC and I slept with
one eye open on that first night
would be an understatement.
Despite having a room to
ourselves, complete with two
single beds and freshly laun-
dered sheets, we didn't sleep
a wink. The locks on both our
bedroom door and the attached
patio door were broken. Was it
deliberate? For hours KC and
I lay in the dark, blinking and
sweating, every bump in the
night making our hearts beat
twice as hard.
 And then it was morning.
We spent the next three days
boating, wake-surfing, jet-skiing
and taking scenic drives.


 Since then, I have couch-
surfed with more than 20 hosts
throughout Australia and New
Zealand, some of them while
flying solo. I've even met up
with a few couchsurfers in
America. To date, I have not
had a negative experience. That
doesn't mean that people don't
have them, but the amount of
risky business involved with
couchsurfing is incredibly low
considering how frequently it
is used.
 Unfortunately, some people
think couchsurfing is simply
about free accommodation for
travelers on a budget. They're
wrong. Though the project is
aimed at a cultural exchange
rather than a monetary one, ev-
ery host and surfer participates
on their own terms and for their
own reasons. There are no hard
and fast rules.
 If you're a parent whose
children have grown up and
moved out of the house, may-
be you just want to fill those


Andrew Rivlin has made his couch availa
some couch surfing around the world hi
empty beds once in a while
and pay forward a kindness
that was paid to you in the
past. If you're a travel-curious
non-smoking vegan, it's within
your discretion to decline any
carnivorous chain-smoker who
asks to stay on your couch. In
the end, the terms of where
you stay, how long you stay,
who you stay with and what


 s another with common courtesy
 S_ and respect. It's important to
 S9 T" remember that you are not only
 stepping out of your own com-
 fort zone, but you are stepping
 into someone else's.
 When I was couchsurfing,
 nearly every single host invited
 S' me to a sit-down dinner or a
 meal of some kind as away
 ^to break the ice. To show my
 appreciation, I always washed
 the dishes and offered to plan
 the next evening's meal if I
 was staying for more than one
 u d w night. These seemingly simple
 Interactions and small kindness-
 es can pave the way for lasting
 friendships, or at the very least,
 they can freshen your perspec-
 MCT PHOTO tive and open your mind to
able to couch surfers and has done something new.
myself, including China and India. That's not to say that
you do while you're staying are Couchsurfing hasn't had its fair
all negotiated on an individual share of social, technical and
basis. financial challenges, but the
 While couchsurfing may not project continues to thrive be-
be for everyone, anyone can cause of the ideas it represents.
do it. I've surfed the couches It's easy to shake your head
of mature 20-somethings and sum it up as a foolhardy
and wild over-70 retirees. The endeavor, but it's changing lives
only expectation among all in every country in the world.
couchsurfers is for members To learn more about couch-
of the community to treat one surfing, visit couchsurfing.org.


RIDE
FROM PAGE 1

kind of thrill ride than
a roller coaster," said
Hornick."It's really polar-
izing. You're either really
going to want to ride it or
not want to ride it at all '."
 Park officials say it's the
tallest, free-standing drop
tower in North America
and the only one in the
world to feature forward
tilting seats.
 "Drop towers have been
popular at theme parks
for many years, but what
you see with Falcon's Fury
is the industry's relentless
drive for innovation," said
Jeremy Schoolfield, edi-
tor-in-chief of Funworld


Magazine. "Ride designers
are always looking for
new twists on classic
attractions, and Fury's
pivoting seats certainly fit
that bill. Putting riders in a
facedown position as they
drop toward the ground
is definitely a new take on
this type of ride."
 There are taller drop
towers in the U.S., but
they are integrated with
other rides or buildings.
Lex Luthor: Drop of
Doom at Six Flags Magic
Mountain in California
has a 400-foot drop and
the Zumanjaro: Drop of
Doom at Six Flags Great
Adventure in New Jersey
will have a 415-foot drop
when it's constructed later
this year. Both of those are


attached to other rides. A
famous drop tower is the
Big Shot, the ride atop the
Stratosphere hotel and
casino in Las Vegas that
catapults riders 160 feet in
the air.
 Falcon's Fury stands
alone, and Hornick says
guests can see downtown
Tampa and even St.
Petersburg some 30 miles
away once at the top.
 Guests must be 54 inch-
es tall to ride. A circular
gondola of 32 seats takes
the riders to the top of
the tower once there,
a computer program
determines how long the
riders will stay at the peak
before the gut-wrenching
plunge.
 Hornick said the wait


time at the top will be
randomized, anywhere
from one to five seconds.
 "The only thing you're
going to hear is your
heart beat;" he joked.
 On the 60 mile-per-
hour drop, the seats will
be pulled back, to give
riders a feeling of"ripping"
a parachute cord, said
Hornick.
 The park wanted more
of a scary, thrill ride to
debut this year, he said,
following a few years of
new family friendly rides
and stage shows.
 Falcon's Fury is the
centerpiece of a newly
designed section in the
park called Pantopia that
includes new retail and
food areas.


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