For Julia Filippo, Coachella dressing unfolded less like a pre-planned fashion schedule and more like an instinctive, in-the-moment process shaped by weather, music, and mood. Working with pieces from UmaLu, her looks evolved across the weekend in real time, with styling decisions often made on the day rather than mapped out in advance.
On day one, her approach was the most experimental and ultimately became the most unexpectedly well-received look of the weekend. Built entirely through layering and instinct, the outfit combined a bedazzled top with a heavily styled skirt, knee-high boots, and multiple layered accessories including a hat and scarf combination. “I kind of tied a bunch of pieces together and layered things,” she explains. “I didn’t really have a specific inspiration—I just wanted to get out of my comfort zone.”
The process wasn’t without hesitation. The construction of the skirt in particular required improvisation in the moment, and she admits she wasn’t fully confident at first. “I was actually pretty stressed about that look because I didn’t like the way the skirt was sitting,” she says. “It was supposed to wrap all the way around, but I only tied it in one spot, so I ended up layering a mini skirt over it to hold everything together.” Still, what felt uncertain at the time ended up resonating the most. “I ended up getting the most compliments on that outfit,” she adds. “It actually felt the most like my style in the end, even though it pushed me out of my comfort zone the most.”
On day two, her styling shifted into a darker, more structured direction with subtle western influences. The look was built around a pair of vintage Cavalli pants, sourced from UmaLu vintage in Miami, paired with a La Perla piece that added contrast and texture to the silhouette. Rather than building from a single concept, the outfit came together through layering and adjustment until it felt complete. A key fur element helped anchor the look and bring cohesion to the overall styling. “Day one and day two were kind of similar, but I wanted to do something different with a similar type of vibe,” she says. “I added the fur because I felt like it tied the look together, and the base underneath didn’t feel like enough on its own. For Coachella, I feel like more is more, so I just kept building on it.”
By day three, the look had fully shifted into streetwear, influenced heavily by both comfort and the artist performing that day. The outfit came together in response to the cold, with practicality shaping much of the final styling. “We kind of threw it together because it was so cold,” she explains. “Young Thug was one of the headliners, so I threw on one of his hoodies and styled it with Rick Owens shorts.” The hoodie became the foundation of the look, while other elements
were layered in from previous outfits. “It was also kind of my airport outfit,” she adds. “So I figured I might as well throw the Spider hoodie on since he was performing—Spider is one of my favorite brands.”
Even accessories were repurposed at the last minute, including a headscarf originally intended for a different outfit earlier in the weekend. “I originally had the headscarf planned for a different look, but it actually worked better with this outfit,” she says. “At the end, I felt like I needed to add more fashion to it for Coachella, so I ended up combining two different outfits into one.”
Across all three days, Julia describes the process as fluid rather than fixed, with each outfit shaped by instinct and circumstance. Day one stood out as the most transformative—pushing her furthest out of her comfort zone while ultimately becoming the most complimented. “That one got the most compliments,” she says. “Even though it wasn’t planned, it ended up feeling the most like me in the end.”
By contrast, day three felt the most aligned with her everyday personal style. “The third day,” she explains. “My style is really streetwear, and I love Young Thug’s brand Spider, so I wear it all the time.”
She also notes how closely the outfits ended up aligning with the mood and energy of each day, even if unintentionally. “Yes, I think so, especially because I love Young Thug’s brand, so I knew that on the day he performed I wanted to incorporate that energy into the look,” she says. “He has a very street style, so it made sense for that day.”
Looking back, she admits the process was at times chaotic, but ultimately instinct-led. “Honestly, I wish I had switched the first and second day around,” she adds. “I was so stressed—I had no clue what I was wearing, so I was just throwing things on.”
If anything, the experience reinforced her preference for adaptability over rigid planning, while also highlighting what she would change next time. “Definitely having backup outfits and warmer clothes,” she says. “It gets really cold at night when the headliners come out. I’d probably go a bit harder next time and be more prepared. I feel like everyone wasn’t fully ready for this year—it all happened so fast.”
