Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Beauty

The Coolest Beach Beauty Looks From Hangout Fest

AKA the cool girl’s guide to standing out

Some might say the beach is where style goes to die. Those people have to look beyond the swimsuit and cover-ups. The beach is perfect stomping ground for really experimenting with your favorite beauty styles. If you can make your go-to lip work for a day spent under the sun, and possibly in and out of the ocean, you can make it work anywhere.

This year, the Cool Girls came out to play at Alabama's Hangout Fest. They brought dark beauty, mysterious allure, and pastel power. While the street style was more function than form (hey, there are only so many shoes you can wear to dance in while The Weeknd plays a set in the sand), the glam was rich and playful. Candy-colored hair, bright lips, and French braids for days abounded. See for yourself in the gallery below, and, you know, maybe take some notes. Memorial Day is just around the corner, which means beach weather—aka summer—is coming. Prepare accordingly.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

PHASES' Z Berg is an angelic beach goddess who knows a red lip is really all you need to make a statement.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Whoever said you can't rock a little dark mystery on the sand has never met Meg Mac.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

NYLON's own Catherine Rardin brought the pastel magic.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Vintage vibes.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

A moment, please, for this perfect cat eye.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Channel Emmie and match your nail polish to your bobby pins. 

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Peach perfect.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

This is what happens when SXSW meets Hangout Fest: a little country, a little punk, and a whole lotta cool.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Burgundy beautiful.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

GIVERS' Tiffany Lamson's two-toned hair is the future of beach cool.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

When in doubt, make like Jack Novak and accessorize with gold.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Steak's ocean blue-cool makes a case for rocking orange.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Sophia Eris and Quinn Wilson, two members of Lizzo's ultra-cool squad, live by the "sun's out, buns out" rule.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

The Muddy Magnolias brought a refined sense of Southern charm.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Braids for days.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

When your hair matches your lipstick, you know you're doing something right.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Two top knots are better than one.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Friends that dye together, stay together. Just ask Alison and The Griswolds' Chris Whitehall.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Of course Grimes' dancer Alyson Van rocked a look that was out of this world.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Mermaids are real and they happen to love cat ears.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

We're so down for summer reds and browns.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Is this season the summer of French braids? If Hangout Fest is any indication, it so is.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Here's how to rock 'em with short hair.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

Spotted this tattoo on the beach and, like, thought it was too cool to be true.

Photographed by Nina Westervelt

POWERS' Crista Ru's comic book hair is f*cking fantastic, and those nails are what festival season deserves.