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Here's a shocker: Burning Man festival fashion isn't quite the free-for-all that it's made out to be. New York Times reporter Sarah Maslin Nir discovered that Burning Man has its own set of fashion police that has patrolled the grounds in past years, handing out citations to those whose outfits fail to inspire. Thankfully, there's a general fashion code to follow that'll keep the fashion police at bay:
This year, holographic spandex onesies for men are big. For women, sparkling booty-shorts worn with nothing else are a perennial favorite. The perfect Burning Man costume, experts say, will be lightweight enough to keep the wearer happy in the desert sun, showy enough to turn heads and accommodating of such essentials as heavy boots and sunglasses.
Other general rules of thumb to follow includes taking the time to make your own unique costume, and try not to pack anything too messy (the festival practices a "leave no trace" cleaning philosophy). Women who come dressed in feathered headdresses and bras have been not-so-nicely nicknamed "playa chickens," and one San Franciscan named Peter Wilczynski told the NY Times that the current festival is regarded as "a playground for rich tech people who mooch off hippies who build art."