Another year of Coachella is upon us, and Vanessa Hudgens still reigns supreme.
The longtime Coachella Queen has been holding on to her high post since at least 2010. She turns up to the Empire Polo Club year after year, always dressed to the nines in her full bohemian garb and ready to be the living embodiment of carefree.
She wears floppy hats. She wears see-through pants. She goes barefoot. She tosses her hair back and forth. She runs across the festival grounds with a look of glee that only the most worry-free person could have. She twirls. She brings her own picnic blankets. She worships the sun. She carries giant flowers. She probably listens to music, since that is the technical reason for being at Coachella, but who can really know for sure.
This year will be, approximately, her 57th trip to the festival. She is now a seasoned vet, the wise old sage who shows the new Coachella-goers the way. She's the boho Svengali, and she's even bringing along new recruits (Ashley Tisdale, that's you.) It remains to be seen which version of Coachella Vanessa will emerge this time around—will she go prints-on-prints? Will she wear a wig?—but we do know one thing: Examining her past appearances can teach we festival laypeople everything we need to know.
She should really be in a Coachella museum, but until that moment we will observe her as such. Look, here, at this most perfect embodiment of all things Festival.
Eye stickers that come dangerously close to cultural appropriation? Check.
Layered chain necklaces? Check.
Crochet? Check.
Jean shorts? Check.
A personal tambourine at the ready for any moment that the music moves you? Check.
Fringe? Check.
Feathers that are not part of a headdress? Check.
1970's color palettes? Check.
Friendship bracelets that look like they were made by a middle school girl but are in actuality very expensive? Check.
Turquoise stones? Check.
An anklet? Check.
Take notes, everybody.