SHEIN Kicks Off Festival Season: New Trend Report Reveals Gen Z Is Planning Earlier, Packing More & Styling Harder Than Ever

A survey of 18,000+ shoppers reveals how today's festivalgoers are planning earlier, bringing more looks, and making comfort just as much of a priority as style!

LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Festival season is here, and Gen Z and Millennials have never been more ready. Today, SHEIN, the global online fashion and lifestyle retailer, releases its 2026 Festival Trends Survey, a study of more than 18,000 U.S. shoppers, revealing how the next generation of festivalgoers are planning, packing, and styling their way through the season's biggest events.

Festival fashion is becoming a multi-look affair. Nearly 58% of attendees prepare two or more outfits per day, a clear sign that festival fashion has become a full-event styling experience.

When it comes to festival fashion, the planning starts early. Nearly 69% of festivalgoers start putting their looks together at least one month ahead of time, nearly double the 35% who said the same in 2024. Turning to social media for inspiration along the way, shopping haul videos (43.4%), Get-Ready-With-Me content (40.5%) and online mood boards (38.8%) rank as the top influences driving outfit decisions this season.

And when it comes time to shop, affordability remains the top priority. Nearly 62% of festivalgoers say price is one of their top three factors when shopping for festival looks, followed by comfort (49%) and wearability (39%). Shoppers are stretching their budgets further too, targeting $25 or under for individual apparel, including shorts and tops, and under $10 for accessories such as sunglasses, bandanas and jewelry.

When preparing for multi-day festivals, practicality is essential. Comfortable shoes rank as the most important item, with 73% of attendees saying they are a must-pack, followed by sunglasses (67%) and shorts (66%). Tank tops (58%) and lightweight dresses (57%) round out the top picks, reflecting a preference for breathable, easy-to-wear pieces built for long days in the sun.

"What stands out this year is just how early and how intentionally shoppers are planning their festival looks," said Lisa Zlotnick, U.S. Head of Brand PR for SHEIN. "They know what they want, they know what they want to spend, and they look to social media to determine exactly how to pull it off. SHEIN is built to deliver on all of it, down to the last accessory."

To bring the survey findings to life, SHEIN is popping up with the ultimate festival season lineup, a pop-up shopping experience in the heart of Los Angeles. Guests can shop for showstopping trends IRL, perfect for any music genre, including Boho Festival, Cowgirl, Retro Streetwear, Punk Rock, and Desert Rave, score free gifts, and soak up the pre-festival vibes.

The SHEIN Festival House Pop-Up will be located at 8175 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, California, open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST, Thursday, March 26, through Saturday, March 28 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 29.

Survey Methodology: Conducted via the SHEIN app from March 2 to March 9, 2026, among 18,603 U.S. customers aged 18 and older who plan to attend music and arts festivals in 2026. Respondents self-reported their shopping priorities and festival preferences.

About SHEIN

SHEIN is a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer offering SHEIN-branded apparel and products from a global network of vendors, all at affordable prices. Headquartered in Singapore, SHEIN is committed to making the beauty of fashion accessible to all, promoting its industry-leading, on-demand production methodology for a smarter, future-ready industry. To learn more about SHEIN, visit www.sheingroup.com.

SOURCE SHEIN