Palm Springs is a desert, so facts: it’s very hot there. But what’s really hot is the 2-day long festival that retailer Revolve hosts at a private ranch adjacent to Coachella, aptly named #RevolveFestival. Anyone who is anyone at Coachella makes an appearance. OK, fine, I didn’t see Rihanna there but basically everyone else.
Hip-hop’s most elite all took turns on the stage, performing for a crowd of well-to-do models, influencers and generally sexy humans. The alcohol flowed in the form of branded Ciroc coconuts and while the temperatures climbed upwards of 90 degrees, not a single soul got in the pool.
Revolve Fest has got some serious influence and it is rivaling Coachella in terms of cool points, especially given the roster of attendees. Here’s some names if you’re curious: A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, 21 Savage, YG, Nipsey Hussle and oh, by the way, a surprise set from Chance The Rapper fresh off his on-stage appearance with Cardi B. Aside from Diddy’s own Combs Fest, it might have been the Blackest party of the weekend. I shudder to think how much a party like this costs, but it’s all worth it in the end because not a single person is having a bad time. But even more than that, the amount of posts celebrating Revolve Festival on Instagram alone is enough to make someone want to skip Coachella. Well, if it wasn’t for Beyonce.
There, I shouted the lyrics to "Bodak Yellow" alongside Jasmine Tookes, Chanel Iman and the gorgeous Joan Smalls, who let me pull her aside to bother her about her braids. The Puerto Rican model is a mainstay on runways like Fendi, Victoria’s Secret and Fenty Puma, but I’ve never seen her with her hair like this, so excuse me for fan-girling. “I’ve always wanted to box braids, but I am doing a hybrid so it’s box braids and cornrows.” And by the way, I’m right, she’s never had braids before. “This is my actual first time. I’ve always seen people with it but it’s such a full on commitment but I thought this is my one chance I can actually wear them and enjoy it. Because of my work, they don’t allow me to switch it up like that.” Her braids are just basic though, they have a soft burgundy color woven subtly throughout and, might I add, they’re pretty lit.

As a Coachella veteran (not to mention a super model), Smalls knows that the look is everything. “This time I worked with a stylist and wanted to have some fun. This is the one time you can actually do what you want. This is your own personality.” She says this as Snoop Dogg preps to take his DJ set, and while there are curious clouds of smoke blowing from his area, I’d agree. People are really just able to do whatever TF they want here.

She points to her top, “This is from this brand called H:ours and these are Fenty Puma,” she says gesturing towards a heavy camel colored boot, which is no doubt a gift from RiRi herself. “I saw Rihanna wearing them in an Instagram post and I said, ‘Snap! I want those.’”
Not long after, I run up on Jasmine Sanders, otherwise known as @Golden_Barbie. She was gracious about it though, greeting me warmly in a LPA leather mini skirt with a flame motif. She’s literally on fire. Boyfriend Terrence J gracefully stepped to side so Jasmine and I could get to some girl talk and, besides her resolution to do Coachella the low-maintenance way (same), we also got to chatting, and though she’s looking like her look took a minute to put together, she lets me know, that actually it didn’t. “I’m pretty sure this is the only outfit I’m wearing for Coachella that has heels because you’ve gotta be comfortable when you’re having fun and the only way you’re really gonna have fun is if you’re in a sneaker because anything else it gets kind of crazy.”
Speaking of crazy, though, I almost don’t recognize Jasmine since she’s taking a break from her signature curls for the festival weekend. The hair, in particular is a wig that she’s had for a long time but since it's Coachella, she decided to experiment with color. “I just decided to go a little edgy. I have never done crazy colors with my hair. I’ve done purple on the tips but I decided to go rainbow colors and do pink, blue and white. I don’t know what other colors are even mixed in with all of this madness. I’ll probably add a little bit of glitter and do some fun things with my makeup.”

She’s rocking a blunt cut bob with a soft wave in a shocking array of pastel colors. It’s definitely a departure from her signature blonde curls. But she says that festival season is a time to experiment with your look and have fun.
At the moment, we’re at a party peppered by fashion and Hollywood’s most elite gliteratti, so I am curious how she steels herself against the pressure to do the absolute most when it comes to dressing for the occasion. To this point, she says, “I don’t have anyone here with me. I had my guy install my hair when I was in LA, and I had a colorist that I worked with in New York, and they ended up hooking this wig up for me very early in the year, and we cut it two days ago. And for makeup I just do whatever I want.”
Either way, it’s pretty easy to have this attitude when you’re closer on the perfect side of the human to God spectrum, but Jasmine assures me that she has a very humanly secret. “It’s really about being creative. I don’t go too crazy and I don’t feel the pressure because my secret is to have sunglasses wherever you go. It’s crazy hot outside and you’re gonna be blinded by everything and there’s usually dust flying everywhere. It’s not that glam. The way to look cute at all times is to make sure you have sunglasses at all times, because you’re going to be drinking, let’s be realistic. It’s time to turn up and see Beyonce.”
And turn up, we did.