The Best Shoes For Every Music Festival Scenario

It’s that time of year, friends — the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival is soon to descend on Indio, CA for a two-weekend-long orgy of music, surprisingly awesome food, and of course, the most outré and eye-candy-ish attire that concert-goers can pack into their cars. While “festival style” is met with its share of eye-rolls these days, we encourage you to put down that bottle of haterade — there's no denying that scrolling through those slideshows of the best looks provides at least a handful of Pinterest saves.

If you’re a seasoned attendee, you know that festival-friendly footwear requirements are Goldilocksian in their specificity. Temperature is a concern: desert weather is scorching during the day and cool at night. You don't want total foot coverage, but also need something that will protect your feet from mud, beer, rain, and maybe — ew — Porta-Potty fluids. The shoes also need to sustain you for hours of walking, dancing, and standing in line. You also, um, likely want to look cute.

Armed with these parameters, we set out to find the impossible — a stylish, comfortable, weather-appropriate festival shoe. We've outlined some scenarios you may encounter at the legendary music fest, along with the right footwear to help you navigate each one. Click through to find your magic pair, and know that they were all chosen for maximum function and cuteness.