If you’re unfamiliar, The Governors Ball (also known as Gov Ball) is New York City’s biggest music festival. Falling at the beginning of June each year, the festival is a marriage of some of the industry’s biggest artists and some new and emerging talents.
This year’s headliners included Tyler, The Creator, Olivia Rodrigo and Hozier with newer talent including the likes of Stolen Gin.
All of this made for an incredible festival weekend and attendees were clearly excited to be there, often pushing through less than ideal weather.
Rain or shine, music lovers will show up for artists they love and in turn performers did the same. We’ll be taking a closer look at fashion and vibes found at 2025 The Governors Ball music festival.
Fashion’s Role at Gov Ball
While music and performers obviously take center stage at festivals, fashion definitely doesn’t take a back seat. For designers, this is a huge opportunity for their work to be displayed on the big stage and in front of a large audience.
For attendees, it’s a chance for them to share their love and appreciation for the artists they came to see as well as express themselves in a way they normally wouldn’t.
This could be seen during Conan Gray’s set where he performed his hit song “Heather” and while doing so, numerous fans could be seen on the concert jumbotrons wearing shirts that read, “I’m Heather”, showing their dedication to Conan and his music.
Conan carved his own path and took to the stage in a vintage inspired sailor outfit. Generally speaking, fashion at Gov Ball, as compared to Coachella or Lollapalooza, had an evident, practical New York City flare.
Festival goers donned Dr. Martens (both for the undebatable fashion statement, but also practical for the rain), blue jeans, retro concert tees amongst a melange of accessories including bandanas, baseball caps and statement glasses.
The fashion was functional and real and not aspirational to what festival fashion should look like. Interestingly, rain ponchos seemed to be the hottest trend for the weekend, but this seemed to compliment each look.
Headliner Fashion
While every performer took the stage in their best looks, there were some that seriously stood out. While Gov Ball is a music festival, these artists did not cut any corners when it came to putting looks together for their sets and leaning into fashion. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best-dressed for evening.
Olivia Rodrigo
Continuing with the energy from the release of her album, “GUTS”, Olivia Rodrigo brough out Talking Heads’ David Byrne and continued to channel her edgy, cool-girl fashion ethos.
Rodrigo expertly navigated the stage in a bold mesh matching set in red, which was matched to her lipstick color. This was styled with a pair of Audrick 20-Eye Leather Knee High Platform Boots by Dr. Martens.
In another look, the pop star donned a short sleeve baseball tee and paired this with micro-leather shorts which featured a statement chunky belt and buckle.
Tyler, The Creator
Tyler, The Creator kicked off Gov Ball weekend with an intense and impactful energy and of course stunned on stage while doing so. Just ahead of his world tour for his album, Chromakopia, the artist made an incredible display of his fashion prowess.
He wore a wig styled with a middle part with two upward sloping quaffs on either side. Attached to it was a mask which matched his complexion. He also wore a green suit with exaggerated shoulders, and sleeves marked with three white rings.
The look was accessorized with white gloves and braided rope at the shoulder. Overall, the look worked perfectly for the theatrical nature of the set and added perfectly to the atmosphere.
Tyla
The South African star, best known for her songs “Water” and “PUSH 2 START” wowed while she sang and danced on stage. Following another amazing Met Gala appearance, her Gov Ball debut brought that same fashion savvy to a different setting.
Tyla took the festival stage in a pair of gold, lace up, knee high boots with a crocodile skin like pattern. These boots were styled with a pair of camo shorts and a white t-shirt that was gathered in the front to make a crop top like fit.
The look was accessorized with layers of body jewelry including a cross pendant. Her style was fun and flirty, seamlessly matching the singer’s vibes on stage.
Benson Boone
One of pop’s fastest rising stars, Benson Boone performed on Friday night. Ahead of release of his album, American Heart, the singer brought his signature back flip to Governors Ball stage for the very first time.
For his look, Boone took inspiration from one of the original pop superstars, Freddie Mercury. Boone wore a white tank top and paired it with a pair of blue jeans that were light washed and distressed at the knee.
They were styled with cuffs at the ankles, which evoked an 80s sensibility, and a white belt which paired nicely with the tank. He wore white sneakers which were reminiscent of vintage boxing shoes. Earlier in his set, he wore a navy jacket with suede patches in beige and tan.
Marina
Marina, the Welsh singer, formerly going by the stage name ‘Marina and the Diamonds’, returned to the Governors Ball stage for the first time since her performance at the festival in 2015.
The star just released her sixth studio album PrincessofPower on June 6th, which marks her first full independent release. Marina donned an aqua dress which also included a hooded detail.
The dress included criss-crossed layering details and fell at a miniskirt length. It also included a belted detail in the same color.
The whole dress shimmered with sequins, which Marina color matched to her eye shadow. Finally, it was completed with a pair of clear heels featuring statement rhinestones throughout.
Rain, Mud & NYC Authenticity
Unlike California’s steady and relatively consistent sunny weather for festivals like Coachella, New York City’s weather is unfortunately not as reliable.
Any New Yorker reading this article can attest to irregularity of weather every weekend so far this season. This absolutely remained the case this weekend for Gov Ball. Friday’s weather was relatively smooth; however, Saturday and Sunday brought most weather issues.
Saturday’s weather was so intense that the festival started with a delay at 4:30PM. You would think this would prevent festival attendees from enjoying themselves, but it appears to have done just the opposite.
Through intermittent rain for rest of the evening, attendees totally embraced the vibes and could even be seen jumping in puddles and dancing in rain queue Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten”.
Those who were not as keen on embracing rain could be seen with rain ponchos and DIY trash bags or hiding under tents throughout festival grounds.
All of this transformed festival into a more gritty and real experience. It was clear how it impacted fashion, from all of the boots and other rain-appropriate garb that could be spotted in crowds.
It also positively shifted vibes, creating intimacy between audience and performers who kept expressing their gratitude for everyone pushing through rain to enjoy the show. It became more and more clear throughout evening that rain positively added to festival experience.
The Crowd Vibes & Fan Energy
What is any concert or festival without fans? The fans at Gov Ball completely shaped the atmosphere with their dedication, creativity and energy making it more than just a series of concerts.
The crowds consisted of all ages and backgrounds, but the turnout for Gen Z could not be missed. It was thrilling to see a generation so passionate about performers that they loved and showed up with expertly planned and designed looks that showcased that.
As a result of this, it was also clear to see who each person was there for based on what they were wearing. From various shades of purple for Olivia Rodrigo, to fashion-forward Tyla fans and a slew of ‘I’m Heather’ shirts for Conan Gray, factions were all easily identifiable.
As with any concert, there was also an incredible amount of hand-painted signs with messages for performers to read from stage. Overall, Gen Z brought the best vibes and energy for the weekend.
Gov Ball as a Cultural Barometer
Gov Ball, and music festivals in general, are barometers for where youth culture is heading. All of this can be ascertained through genres of music present, aesthetics, and way fans and performers communicate with each other.
Gov Ball had no shortage of genre diversity from pop and alternative to Afrobeats and folk. Artists like Tyla and Amaarae brought Afrobeats energy to the festival, while artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Clairo, and ROLE MODEL showed up and showed out for pop category.
Emerging indie bands like Stolen Gin performed for the first time at Gov Ball, and huge folk artist Hozier would close festival on last day. Even jazz was present at Gov Ball with acts like Berlioz. All of this is indicative of broad taste and interests of this generation. Aesthetics and identities even told their own story throughout three days. Young Miko represented queer and Latinx voices at the festival, and the artist shared their excitement to be performing in New York City during pride month.
A sea of Puerto Rican flags could be seen waving during their set. RAYE, British artist who recently left her label, represented an almost rebellious nature and empowered her crowd through her vocals.
With all of this, it’s incredible to see how quickly sound bites and video clips are translated into viral TikTok moments. This keeps momentum going and allows those not present to experience these moments in person and join in on cultural conversation.
Something that hasn’t always been present at top music festivals and is a new facet of the experience. It allows for broader interconnectivity for the generation and shows the positive direction things are moving in.
Brands Booths and Festival Activations
Music festivals are an incredible opportunity for brands to showcase their latest and greatest as well as connect with target consumers. At this year’s Gov Ball, over 25 brands activated on site in different categories, from spirits to beauty and fashion.
These brands and booths they set up added an important layer to the festival, providing attendees with entertainment while they weren’t enjoying performers on stage.
Brands like Kiehl’s made their mark as the first beauty brand to sponsor a stage at Gov Ball, while also offering goodies at their “SPF Remix Booth.” Pacsun, the popular clothing retailer, took a different approach and designed a festival-exclusive collection available to shop on-site.
There was also no shortage of beverage brands activating, including Stella Artois with Hot Ones, Grey Goose and their lounge, Electrolit Hydration House, Kona Big Wave and their sitting lounge, as well as Beatbox, NÜTRL, Smirnoff Ice, and Coca-Cola Village.
400 Conejos Mezcal took it a step further and hosted a silent disco, bringing a nightlife sensation to the festival.
Overall, these activations deepen the festival experience, act as a great advertising opportunity, and allow for multi-sensory engagement for attendees.
The Governors Ball: What to Expect at NYC’s Iconic Music Festival
New York City’s Governors Ball was not just about the outfits and performances. It was all about presence and self-expression. From the artists to the attendees these qualities were a strong through-line for each day of the festival.
It was clear that no amount of rain or thunder could dim the spirit of Gov Ball. It’s interesting to see how a festival like Gov Ball differs but is also similar to those like Coachella or Lollapalooza.
At the end of the day, they all bring people together through fashion, self-expression and search for fun and good music. Festival season is an exciting one for this very reason and something we look forward to every year.
