Jessica Mccormick and Erica Whitman at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
Jessica Mccormick and Erica Whitman at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
Jane Hu/For SFGATE
The Burning Man event in Black Rock City is better known for art, music and dust, but one of the most striking things about the event is the fashion. Attendees revel in the opportunity to compose outfits that mix desert utility, runway chic and a dash of Bay to Breakers silliness.
Part of the style of the festival comes down to utility. Although they may seem like a steampunk affectation, the goggles worn by most participants are actually a must on the playa, as wind gusts can at a moment’s notice turn a calm afternoon into a dust storm. One of the most common, albeit less photogenic, elements on the playa involves footwear adaptations that Burners made to deal with muddy conditions caused by rain. (Socks over shoes seemed to be the way to go.) Although this year was less hot than usual, many participants dress for the desert conditions with a bare minimum of clothing — for instance, armored bikinis — or in the case of many people found along the trash fence, no clothing at all.
Sasha Ivanova at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert of Gerlach, Nevada.Oswaldo Toro at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert of Gerlach, Nevada.
Sasha Ivanova, left, and Oswaldo Toro at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev. Jane Hu/For SFGATE
John M. Brett at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
John M. Brett at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
Avia Sahrai at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert of Gerlach, Nevada.Casey at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert of Gerlach, Nevada.
Avia Sahrai, left, and Casey at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev. Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Another formative rule of Burning Man fashion is not to incorporate any materials that easily become “moop,” Burning Man parlance for matter out of place (aka, trash). That means no glitter, sequins or feathers — though furry boas and jackets are in no short supply (and plentiful at San Francisco Burning Man fashion outlet Kimono Dave).
However, for most participants, style simply comes down to a matter of following one of the festival’s core principles: radical self-expression.
Daniel Saxe, left, and Priscillia Lupter at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Participants at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Michaela Alexander, left, and Nicole Giovanni at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
A unicyclist, left, and Nicoll Mischel at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Kevin Dillon, top, and Farah at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Tobias Meier and Elise Tao, left, and a participant at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Jenae "Jenger" Jones, left, and Haana and Marlowe Bassett at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Partcipants at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Scroll down to see all the best fashion photos from this year’s Burning Man by freelance photographer Jane Hu.
Jessica Zivcovitch at Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, shown in 2023 and 2026.
Jessica Zivcovitch at Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, shown in 2023 and 2026.
Christine Zhang at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
Christine Zhang at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.
Sebastian Belmar with a Native American flute, left, and Henry Wu at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE
Participants at Burning Man 2026 in the Black Rock Desert near Gerlach, Nev.Jane Hu/For SFGATE