When it comes to Austin music festivals, Austin Psych Fest is still considered to be one of the smaller ones. But this year marked its 8 year run and drew in the biggest crowd the fest has seen yet. Despite the muddy conditions and sticky humidity caused by rain, the weekend was still beautiful and so were the attendees. Austin Psych Fest has always brought out a specific fashion sense; one that is directly reflected in the music and the entire vibe of the festival. 1960s and 1970s psych rock influences can be found in everything from round frame circle sunglasses, fringe, lace, and colorful kimonos. These are things that seem pretty typical for music festival fashion, but at Psych Fest this style is taken to another level, and the fashion looks much more authentic than what you might find at other more mainstream fests. The people who attend Psych Fest, including the artists, are very much into creating looks that are a nod to the past and unique for today.
This year though, the fest became a little less about pscyh rock as the Flaming Lips headlined the lineup and the fest was referred to as “Levitation.” I think this slight change in the music could be seen in the fashion choices as there were more trendy looks on display. Overall though, vintage fashion is always king at Austin Psych Fest, and I think this is one of the reasons why the style is always so killer at this music fest and why it is one of my favorites to photograph.
Joanna Wilkinson