Brandon Ferrell has been a blessing to music fans at Firefly.
And all it took was him strutting around in a nun’s costume.
On a sunny Friday afternoon in The Woodlands, the 23-year-old from Wilmington garnered praise from wanderers for his religious outfit during day two of the four-day festival.
Fashion at Firefly is often festive. Part of it is rooted in folk’s desire to look cool. But at the heart of it, Firefly fashion has more to do with folks wanting to feel free enough to wear whatever they want, without the fear of feeling like they’ll be convicted in a court of public opinion.
That’s a big reason why Firefly first-timers Cage Crissman and Erika Kapushinski, both of Pennsylvania, made bold fashion statements Friday.
Crissman wore a denim cowboy-themed outfit from singer Beyonce’s clothing line Ivy Park, topped off with a custom white cowboy hat featuring the Firefly logo and Cage’s name. Kapushinski, Cage’s bestie, rocked a pixie haircut and a floral-print, bell-sleeved top with matching high-waisted shorts.
“We come from a really small town in Pennsylvania where we don’t really get to express our creative freedom. It’s very judgmental. And we’re both part of the LGBT community,” said Crissman, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania.
“The fact you get to come to things like this where everybody is free and everyone is thriving … it feels different,” the gay 23-year-old said. “The energy at the festival grounds feels accepting.”
Kapushinksi, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, was inspired to wear her floral-print ensemble because it had a flower-power vibe.
“Ever since I cut my hair, I’ve felt more liberated. So I wanted to be a bit more confident in my body and my style,” the 23-year-old lesbian said. “That’s why I’m wearing something a little more revealing.”
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Alien queen and friends
Random strangers chanted “yass, queen” as they strolled past Brooklyn resident Georgie Williams, who wore huge lime platform shoes with matching alien earrings and a metallic wedding dress that she purchased at a thrift store.
The 23-year-old Williams, a first-timer at Firefly, said, “You have to be on drugs” to believe that extraterrestrials are a myth. “I personally have not [seen aliens]. But I know people who’ve had a lot of supernatural experiences, so it’s something I’m familiar with.”
Williams was spotted in The Woodlands with three other friends; all but one being new to the festival this year.
Her friend Kelsey Riordan said she wasn’t concerned about getting cold at the festival when she slipped into fishnets, black Spanx and an orange crop top. The 23-year-old from Ocean City, Maryland, ended up styling in an ensemble with Halloween vibes, although it wasn’t intentional. “But it works.”
Riordan is new to Firefly and she appreciates that the fashion police seem to have been defunded. “I just love that everyone’s coming together from different walks of life and nobody’s judging.”
Their buddy Amelia Baker, of Dagsboro, is a Firefly fashion veteran. Baker, 18, admitted that the festival landing in the fall for the first time this season almost scared her into wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, especially after the miserable rain on Thursday.
But she took a leap of faith and put on a plaid, pink bikini top with matching high-waisted shorts, complete with black sunglasses and a fanny pack.
Tessa McNeill, the fourth member of their group, was dressed the most conservative of the group, styling in a lavender tank with high-waisted shorts. The Ocean City resident loved how eclectic the attire was at the festival.
“Some people are wearing dresses and some people are wearing blazers,” she said. “It’s so cool to see diversity in the crowd.”
Festival fairies and chic puffy sleeves
Madison Hernandez, 24, decided to make her Firefly debut this year because she didn’t have any money in college. “Then I graduated, and now I have a job and money.”
The resident of Columbus, Ohio, showed out on Friday in a gold crop top with puffy sleeves, shorts and two-tone pink and red hair.
Her friend Erica Johnson, of Seattle, Washington, also made her Firefly debut this week. On Friday, she rocked a fairy queen-themed outfit with pink and green wings.
She hadn’t gone to the festival until this year because “I live far away and the lineup is killer.”
She especially loved Thursday’s lineup. “Billie Eilish was amazing… so was Phoebe and Girl In Red.”
‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ comes to Firefly
Mason Wells, 16, grew up as a kid watching the card game-based anime “Yu-Gi-Oh!” And he still collects cards for the beloved game.
So naturally when he saw a Yu-Gi shirt was for sale at the festival, he had to jump on it.
“I wasn’t sure if I was gonna find another one,” the Magnolia resident said. “So I was like, ‘let me get this.’ It’s awesome. But I paid $60 for it.”
Nun of your business
This Firefly marks the sixth for Brandon Ferrell. So he played off that number, even if it was an unconscious decision. “My friends and I were looking for something funny to wear and my entire campsite bought like six nun costumes.”
The love he received from folks for wearing it gave him a positive boost, because festivalgoers embraced him, he said.
With Firefly back in full swing this year, the 23-year-old from Wilmington is finally back in his element.
“I get energy from other people.”
For more information about the festival, visit fireflyfestival.com.
Andre Lamar is the features/lifestyle reporter. If you have an interesting story idea, email Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com.
