Videos posted by Coachella influencers are being mocked after they revealed spending thousands of dollars on ‘tragic’ outfits put together by professional stylists.
Influencers usually post elaborate ‘get ready with me videos’, but this year has seen several social media stars admit going to painstaking lengths to ensure they stand out at the Californian music festival – including splurging as much as $10,000 on the services of stylists.
While some were pleased with their outfits, others like TikTok user @montselewin complained she ‘didn’t like almost every single piece’ while trying on the clothes that followers said were ‘a joke’.
Wearing a pink scarf wrapped around her chest as a skimpy top with a crochet mini skirt that left little to the imagination, @montselewin told her followers: ‘I’m trying not to have a panic attack right now.’
The influencer admitted ‘part of me wants to blame myself’ after modelling an eclectic selection of garments – from a pair of grey basketball shorts, a gold bikini, a leopard print headscarf, and a brown sequinned skirt – that all felt ‘poorly sourced’.
Her followers were left scratching their heads as one person asked ‘is this satire’ while another admitted ‘I’ve laughed at this for 10 minutes’.
But @montselewin isn’t the only influencer whose decision to hire a stylist for the festival backfired, social media users felt, after her original video racked up nearly five million views.
In the caption, the creator revealed she decided to work with a stylist who ‘thrifted’ the outfits (bought them secondhand).
She explained: ‘I sent a separate Pinterest board for each outfit with a LOT of pins and filled out a detailed form about everything I like and don’t like. In hindsight, I’m not sure if it’s even possible to perfectly match every single preference someone has.’
While the TikToker said she knew there was a ‘chance I might not love one or two pieces’ but did not expect to dislike ‘almost every single piece’.
She confessed to having a hard time styling outfits herself because ‘fashion has always been something I struggle with’ as she asked her followers for styling advice and outfit ideas.
While some people offered helpful suggestions for how @motselewin could salvage the pieces, others expressed their disbelief at the quality of clothes she had been sent.
‘Look two [of basketball shorts and a graphic t] is my cleaning outfit,’ one person wrote. ‘Please get your money back.’
Another incredulous TikTok user said: ‘You hired someone for this?’
‘Is your stylist from Disney Channel?’ one person quipped, while another suggested @montselewin found them on Craigslist.
‘I have never seen anything so bad. I’m so sorry,’ a sympathetic TikToker added.
But @montselewin isn’t the only influencer whose decision to work with a stylist for Coachella has been criticised online after TikTok user @jooshica said she paid $10,000 for her outfits to be chosen by a professional.
The first ensemble she tried on comprised a purple puffer worn under a white denim jacket, along with cream trousers and a matching purple hat.
‘Please tell me you didn’t actually spend 10k on that,’ one follower reacted to the look.
However, some of the other looks garnered praise, with one person writing: ‘All of them are good except the first.’
Instagram user @missdarcei said she ‘hired a stylist’ after her followers ‘hated’ her past Coachella outfits while sharing all the looks that were created for her.
In one post, she showed off a corseted dress with a pastel floral print that fans said was ‘cute but not Coachella’, as one person said: ‘You look conflicted a bit’.
Another urged ‘fire your stylist’ while a third user said: ‘Ask for a refund, sis.’
Reacting to the backlash, Darcei later quipped she was going to attend the festival ‘wearing a t-shirt and jeans’ before fans said the criticism was aimed at the unnamed stylist.
‘If you hired a stylist prior to plan your outfits for Coachella, then they did a horrible job making the outfits cohesive and vibrant,’ one person explained.
Elsewhere, TikTok star @adee.ah said she spent hundreds of dollars on a stylist as part of her Coachella prep after she noticed other influencers were seeking professional help to create festival looks.
The first outfit she tried on was a black, figure-hugging top with sheer sleeves and a matching skirt that the stylist asked her to pair with a neon pink bra as fans said ‘this has to be ragebait’.
Another said the looks, which also included a white t-shirt and a mismatched, printed skirt, were a waste of money, while a third added: ‘Girl, sue someone, ANYONE.’
These ‘stylist for Coachella’ videos have also triggered spoof clips, with people humorously donning the ugliest and most outrageous clothes they can find in a lighthearted dig at the influencers.
The star-studded Californian music festival returned to Indio this weekend with a heavyweight lineup, including Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter, as social media feeds were typically flooded with Coachella content.
It comes after an Australian influencer revealed the eyewatering price tag of one of her Coachella outfits in a bid to be the best-dressed festivalgoer.
On Sunday, Pia Whitesell, 42, took to Instagram Stories on Sunday with photos and videos of herself posing at the event, clad head-to-toe in designer labels.
Showcasing her svelte physique, the mother-of-two sported a white lace-trimmed silk mini dress by Magda Butrym, which retails for $3,260.
She paired the dress with a $3,550 black leather Balenciaga hobo bag and a pair of Bottega Veneta sunglasses worth $995.
Her ensemble also included a pair of black high leather boots by Fendi, which retail for $3,460, for a total cost of $11,200.
