Best Types of Costumes to Wear at the Burning Man Festival!

Photo by Max Talbot-Minkin/CC-BY 2.0

By Dalton Tevlin

Cosplaying has become one of the most popular hobbies in the world. People just love dressing up as random characters, whether it be their favorite comic book superhero, television star, or a brand new character entirely, fans love cosplay costumes that essentially help them become someone else. Every year, the annual festival of The Burning Man takes place; it is truly a dream for the most artistic cosplayers in the world. It is one of the most popular festivals in the world and it is a safe haven for all abstract art and music alike. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in the most abstract way they see fit. Many people go for a simple and flashy design while some take it to a much farther extreme. Some cosplay enthusiasts spend months designing their costumes and have hopes that they will be the talk of the festival. Since the festival continues to grow each year, more and more newcomers come out and they aren’t really sure what to expect. If you are a newcomer and are looking to dress up for this year’s Burning Man, here are some of the best options for you!

What Exactly is the Burning Man Festival?

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The Burning Man is an annual music and arts festival that is held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. In this desert, a temporary community is erected, called Black Rock City, which is where creative minds set up shop. The festival is a time for experimentation of the arts.  People from all over the world come to this festival to exhibit their work and experiment in ways they never thought of before. Multiple sculptures and paintings are displayed all around Black Rock City and many of the attendees dress up in crazy, unconventional costumes. The festival is concluded by the titular event in which they burn a symbolic wooden man. Burning Man has become one of the most worldly popular events every year and it only continues to grow. While the festival has come under some harsh mainstream scrutiny for its abstract and free environment, there is still a community of loyal followers that continue to help this event grow and grow each year. The event is extremely community driven and as long as fans continue to support it, it won’t matter what the mainstream critics have to say. It’s a time to let loose and open up in the most artistic way possible, whether that be through painting, sculpting, or costuming, you are free to truly be yourself. Now, I highly recommend dressing up if you’re going to The Burning Man as it just adds so much more to the fun. So if you’re a first timer going to the event, here are some tips on what to wear if you take my advice and dress up for this amazing festival!

You Cannot Go Wrong Dressed as a Fruit! 

Dressing as a random piece of fruit can be pretty off-the-wall and abstract, which is exactly what the Burning Man Festival is all about! I know for a fact that there are a ton of fruit and food costumes that you could wear and even add some of your own personal twists. You definitely can’t go wrong with a banana costume. One of the funnest and random costumes in recent memory, a giant banana suit matches exactly the spirit that the Burning Man festival yearns for! Or you could even go a different direction and be a giant vine of grapes walking around! Whatever fruit your heart desires would be absolutely perfect!  Fruit costumes are a safe bet, however, any type of food related costume would be awesome for the Burning Man Festival! 

A Classic Steampunk Look Would Be Awesome! 

Steampunk is one of the most popular themes of the festival and you definitely can’t go wrong if you are trying to make a statement. This is definitely one of the more classic looks you can wear to the Burning Man but it still keeps up with the dark, abstract tone that the Burning Man is going for. Steampunk is just another costume category that you can find in our store. As a fan of the steampunk style, this would be my personal choice but it may not go above and beyond as you may be hoping for. With a few personal touches and added accessories, you can really add your own touch to any steampunk costume. I think this is definitely a great option if you want to do something "classic" for Burning Man this year!

In the End, Do What Your Heart Desires! 

Photo by Jennifer Morrow/CC-BY 2.0

Free spirit is what the festival is all about. If you want to mix match costumes and make a Steampunk Banana then go right ahead, because that is the beauty of this festival. You can literally dress up and become whatever your imaginative heart desires. If you check out WonderCostumes.com, you will find you have many options to mix and match and make the perfect costumes for the Burning Man Festival. The Burning Man is truly one of the greatest musical events and we hope that you get a chance to attend this year! Don’t forget to get a bit weird and express the most artistic side of you that is possible!