By Liam Solomon. Tuesday 14th May, 2019.

Are festivals becoming more of a fashion show than a music event?

Before the advent of social media, festival-goers were less concerned with outfit choices. Music fans were happy to roll around in the mud at Glastonbury wearing the same outfit for five days.

In 2019, however, festivals offer the Instagram generation a perfect backdrop for a selfie - festival-goers are posting an incredible 5 TIMES MORE at these summer events than they were in 2017, and plans for outfit choices and designer labels stretch months in advance.

Over 15 million Instagram posts were shared at last year's Top 200 Festivals.

Posing at a big festival in your best outfit on Insta is now a lifestyle must-have for many. And because it is playing a major part in the festival experience, we wanted to find out which one has the most 'Instagram posers'.

To set the scene, it's worth knowing that the average Instagram user posts once every 5 days. Festival posers, however, way more...

We assessed the top 200 music festivals worldwide to see which one has people reaching for the 'gram?

1. Burning Man, USA

24 posts per Instagram user

Burning Man is officially the most Instagrammed festival, with Instagram users posting on average 24 times over the 9 day event.

The desert-dwelling music fest offers attendees the chance to lose any inhibitions and go all-out on style. You'll see the craziest of outfits and the most outlandish garments fashion has to offer. It offers festival goers a completely unique experience that mainstream festivals cannot match.

With ever rising popularity and a short supply of tickets, it's a must attend event. Resale tickets have been posted for as much as $1,000,000 dollars online. No wonder people want to let every precious follower know how they look.

2. Coachella, USA

21 posts per Instagram user

Perhaps the biggest surprise on the list, Coachella comes in at the number two spot.

Offically deemed the 'Superbowl of Fashion', Coachella is only growing in its influence on fashion trends. Celebrities and fashion influencers flock to the event each year. Indeed, many fashion brands now have a presence at the festival just to capitalise on the Instagram buzz. A massive hit with attendees was Sephora's DIY make-up bar, as was H&M's festival pop-up, featuring exclusive items and celebrity hosts.

3. Tomorrowland, Belgium

17 posts per Instagram user

The elaborate stages and colourful scenery make Europe's largest Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festival the perfect place for fans to post on Insta.

The event has gained viral status online, with its official 'aftermovies' notching up 100+ million views on Youtube. Given its online reach, it makes sense that it ranks so highly in the top 10.

4. Ultra Music Festival, USA

15 posts per Instagram user

Given that Ultra has the second highest Instagram following of the top ten, we thought it would appear higher in the list (Tomorrwland has the highest).

The EDM festival, set with a backdrop of Miami, has a following of 3.5 million people on Instagram, but with 15 posts per Instagrammer it only makes up the Top 5.

5. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, USA

14 posts per Instagram user

Harking back to the roots of early festivals, such as Woodstock, the onus is very much on experience, inclusivity and being social with your fellow festival-goer.

The festival has been around since 2002 and encompasses a wide variety of musical talent across genres. Voted 'best festival' by Rolling Stone magazine in 2008, Bonnaroo is well known for attracting rock fans from around the world.

6. Glastonbury, UK

12 posts per Instagram user

As one of the most well-known festivals in the world, everybody wants to go to Glastonbury.

The event takes happens has a two years on one year off cycle, so it's no surprise that their 2019 tickets sold out in under 20 minutes.

If you're lucky enough to get a ticket in that 20 minute window, you're most likely to hit up Insta 12 times to let the world know how you look.

7. Creamfields, UK

9 posts per Instagram user

One of the largest EDM festivals in the world in terms of attendance, Creamfields has been an integral part of the UK music scene since 1998.

Its birth towards the end of the UK's rave culture established its popularity with Gen X, but perhaps has hampered its position in the top 10.

8. Electric Daisy Carnival, USA

6 posts per Instagram user

As much a carnival as a festival, EDC won 'Festival of the Year' at the Electronic Music Awards in 2017.

Known for its weird and wonderful music stages and its colourful atmosphere, EDC has an ethos of inclusivity and non-discrimination. Its inception fell around the same time as Creamfields, so perhaps Gen X has affected these guys too?

9. Lollapalooza, USA

5 posts per Instagram user

The 4 day music event got its start 27 years ago in Chicago and has become a festival powerhouse across the world, holding successful events in Chile, Brazil and Germany.

The musical juggernaught appeals very much the masses, attracting hugely popular acts which bring along a swarm of adoring fans. Headliners last year consisted of Bruno Mars, Arctic Monkeys & Travis Scott.

10. Mysteryland, Netherlands

4 posts per Instagram user

Known as 'the oldest festival in the Netherlands', Mysteryland has been growing in popularity across the globe in recent years.

In 2015 it grew from a one day event to a three day camping experience. As a result Instagrammers now post 4 pics whilst attending the event, thrusting it into the Top 10.

Viral Festival Fashion Trends in 2019

During our research into festivals with the most 'Instagram posers', we saw a number of fashion trends gaining attention ahead of the summer festivals. And with such an onus on fashion, we thought it only fitting to bring you the three that stood out the most to us. Using global search data of over 2 million shoppers on Love the Sales, we analysed browsing and buying behaviour of the last 3 months.

Janties: +1169% in searches

The most bizarre trend set to appear on festival Instagrams across the summer is a new take on Jorts.

A concept first launched by luxury brand, Y-Project, in their SS19 fashion week collection, the high rise denim hotpants received instant online attention, and the term 'Janties' garnered over 1.1 million social mentions.

Two weeks after their mid march release Y-Project had completely sold out of the denim briefs.

As the start of festival season kicks in, searches for 'Janties' has shot up by a staggering +1169%. Festival shoppers from around the world are actively searching for this unusual trend.

Would you give them a go?

Cycling Sunglasses: +780% in searches

Kim Kardashian might just be this years biggest influencer of festival fashion.

Last summer the reality star made bike shorts an instant hit, and she has now turned her attention to shades. She recently launched a collection of cycling inspired spectacles with eyewear brand Carolina Lemke.

Searches for the sport shades increased by +780% the following week, with many celebs already jumping on the trend.

Specs are a huge part of festival fashion. Last years top trend was narrow framed, tinted specs. This year, however, it looks like festival goers will opt for a larger frame with a sport style finish.

Neon: +188% in searches

The classic colours of a raving festival goer have come back into the mainstream recently. Since March, searches with the phrase 'neon' in have increased by +188% with pink and yellow being the prefered bright colour choices. Most popular accompanying searches with the word neon include 'playsuit', 'swimwear' and 'cycling shorts'.

The trend has been an early hit of the festival season with Levi's presenting a 'Neon Carnival' themed show at Coachella which was attended by a huge host of celebrities supporting the glowing look.

LovetheSales.com is a fashion search engine which brings together over 6 million fashion items across 950 retailers onto one platform.

Trend data and search volumes were taken from over 2 million consumers that shop on LovetheSales.com, alongside, Google search volumes for 2018/19.

For more information on the above please contact.

Liam Solomon

Editor

liam@lovethesales.com

+44 7414 633 197