The wildest costumes at Burning Man over the years

• When it’s nearly 100 degrees at Burning Man, an annual, nine-day art event and temporary community in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, clothing tends to be limited, and oftentimes even optional.
• But for those who do choose to wear clothing, Burning Man is all about the costumes.
• Bikinis, body paint, tutus, masks, headdresses, wigs, floral crowns, and feathers – it’s all there and often worn all at once.
• Burners, as the festival-goers are known, pay no mind to global fashion trends at the yearly festival – the only branded style they’re concerned with is their own.
• Take a look at some of the wildest Burning Man fashion over the years.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

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With a festival that’s all about art and self expression, it’s only natural that costumes have become a huge part of the Burning Man culture.

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It’s not uncommon to see burners — as festival-goers are called — riding bikes around The Playa — the festival grounds — dressed in bunches of tule …

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… or lots of feathers.

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Feathers have a fairly strong presence at the festival.

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Whether they’re attached to clothing as an accent feature …

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… used as wings …

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… worn as a crucial part of a costume …

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… or worn as part of an elaborate headdress, you can’t go a day at the festival without seeing some feathers.

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Some burners wear them on their heads while others wear them around their waists.

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Headdresses are a popular accessory unto themselves, though.

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Some headwear comes in the form of unicorn horns …

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… or deep-sea-diving helmets …

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… while others take the form of different animals like these twin, bird-shaped hair accessories.

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Some headwear takes on more of an EDM — electric dance music — festival vibe with colorful, mesh tubes …

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… while others have more of a DIY feel.

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Wigs are also a popular choice for Burning Man headwear.

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People even match them to their outfits.

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Colorful hair, in general, is a big trend on The Playa.

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Check out this black and white mohawk.

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Sometimes headwear is part of a full look like this ethereal outfit fully-equipped with wings …

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… this wearable crate with dalmatian-patterned accessories …

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… this springtime look with a watermelon top and shorts and a floral headband …

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… this carrot-themed costume …

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… this praying mantis …

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… and this genie-themed outfit.

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You’ll likely spot couples coordinating their costumes.

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These two are wearing matching striped outfits.

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And these two are wearing matching wrap-around sunglasses and metallic necklaces.

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Groups of friends also tend to dress in themes …

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… like this regal-looking group …

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… and that means sporting similar accessories, too.

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Popular accessories include beautiful umbrellas …

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… backpacks for carrying around water, snacks, or offerings for fellow burners …

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… scarves — both for the look of them and to help block the dust during a storm …

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… tutus …

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… seriously, so many tutus …

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… wide-brimmed hats …

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… goggles to protect against the dust …

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… and possibly the most ubiquitous of all accessories, bicycles.

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Some festival-goers make their bikes look as funky as their costumes.

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This red, devilish bike and costume is a full theme.

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As is this bike and cart decked out like a horse and chariot.

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But some are stand-alone works of art like this scorpion-themed bike.

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Some accessories aren’t as explicit. We’re not sure what this was meant to be, but it looks like a mythical sea creature.

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As do these guys.

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This woman is sporting horns, forehead jewelry, some sort of wig, and a white tank top.

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This woman has the wig and high-socks combo going on.

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Water guns seem like a very useful accessory in the heat of the desert.

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One big style trend at the festival is the absence of clothing.

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It’s pretty common to see people without shirts or pants …

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… and sometimes without anything at all.

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Some people wear full-face masks.

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Check out this person who made themselves look like a dog.

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Others just choose to cover parts of their face.

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This guy spread the love in a red tutu, blue crop top, and a bowtie.

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It can get so hot that burners can be seen wearing simply bathing suits and bra tops.

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Swimwear is everywhere.

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Some add flair to their swimwear, like the furry additions seen below.

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One-piece bathing suits and bikinis alike, it’s funny to see so many people in swimwear with no body of water in sight.

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Although it’s typically hot during the day, weather in the desert can be unpredictable. Some people choose to bundle up and wrap up in thick scarves.

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It’s not unheard of for someone to be in a bathing suit while it’s cold out, or a sweater while it’s hot — that’s the beauty of Burning Man.

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And some people wear warm-weather clothes with cold-weather accessories all at once.

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Regardless of the actual clothing items worn it’s clear that plenty of burners believe the more color, the better …

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… tye-dye and kaleidoscopic patterns included.

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But not everyone feels the same way about color. Some burners keep it all-white.

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Even all-white feathers make appearances.

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Face and body paint is also a big part of some costumes.

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It is just another form of beautiful artwork, after all.

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This dripping candle theme is a true masterpiece.

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Regardless of what burners are wearing, the point is that it’s their own personal style.

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And like everything else at Burning Man — from the bikes to the art — even the costumes light up at night …

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keeping the festival illuminated, even when the fire’s burned out.

Aly Weisman and Sarah Schmalbruch contributed reporting on an earlier version of this article.