Concert fashion has become one of the most popular ways to showcase fan participation and devotion. According to a fandom expert, adhering to concert fashion allows fans to “demonstrate their sense of belonging” with clothing that showcases their passion for the artists they admire. These wardrobe styles often mirror the aesthetics of the singer they’re watching live, making concert fashion a creative way for fans to enjoy a collective live show experience while showcasing their individuality.
While concert fashion is not new, it’s seeing a lot more traction with the rise of social media. On TikTok alone, search results for “concert outfits” have garnered more than 26 billion views. Fans continue to celebrate today’s newer generation of music artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo by collectively dolling up during concerts. But how exactly is this new generation of music fans dressing up for their favorite artists’ live shows?
Here’s a look at a few popular artists and how their fans are using fashion to express their enthusiasm:
Looking Like the Ultimate Femininomenon
Chappell Roan has enjoyed a steady increase in popularity this year. Although Roan has been in the industry for a decade, she’s finally getting her flowers after the commercial success of her studio album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. With hits like Good Luck, Babe! and Red Wine Supernova, she has taken global audiences’ hearts “hot to go.” Roan’s commercial success has been paired with critical acclaim, allowing her to take home the Best New Artist Award at the MTV VMAs in September. Her The Midwest Princess Tour also spanned from 2023 to October this year.
Avant-garde looks typically characterize Roan’s style, and at this year’s VMAs, for instance, she wore a medieval ensemble on the red carpet and capped the night with a performance wearing a suit of armor and chainmail. Fans attending her live shows who want to echo the singer’s VMAs look can order contact lenses online that come in different colors, similar to Roan’s gray and hazel contacts. Colored contact lenses from brands like AIR OPTIX and Dailies can help anyone emulate the same heterochromatic effect. During her tour, fans also wore vivid pink fringes, cowboy hats, and western boots to mirror Roan’s midwestern aesthetics.
Embracing the Retro Chic Style
Similar to Roan, Sabrina Carpenter is another pop icon who’s been in the industry for a decade and has seen success this year. She’s been slowly gaining popularity since the release of her hit song Espresso. The single debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Global 200 chart, and the subsequent release of her second hit, Please Please Please, solidified her status as an up-and-coming major pop sensation. Last year, Carpenter was among the stars who graced the Lollapalooza Chicago lineup, along with big names like Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and Lana del Rey.
Carpenter is known for her unabashedly feminine style, heavily influenced by vintage and retro-chic aesthetics. In her Short n’ Sweet tour, Carpenter channeled retro beach chic glamor with 1950s-style swimwear from Viktor & Rolf, vibrant headscarves, and oval sunglasses. Fans have taken cues from Carpenter’s style choices, as seen in the hyper-feminine and pastel hues that concertgoers embraced. The singer’s penchant for the Babiecore aesthetic has also inspired fans to wear platforms and pink accessories, like bows and frills, in her live performances. Concertgoers also included lip motifs into their outfits, using stickers and makeup to pay homage to the Short n’ Sweet album cover adorned with lip prints.
Y2K takes center stage
Olivia Rodrigo is one of the most prominent pop singers in the 2020s, thanks to her debut single Drivers License, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the first song to have over a billion streams in 2021. Her Grammy Award-winning album Sour further cemented her status as a rising star in her own right. Rodrigo has openly stated that Taylor Swift is her major musical inspiration, and like Swift’s Eras tour, Rodrigo’s GUTS tourhas been filled with crowds dressed in the singer’s signature looks.
Rodrigo is known for blending pop punk and Y2K-inspired looks, often performing in plaid and platform heels or Dr. Marten boots. Fans trying to cop Rodrigo’s style can wear white tank tops, ripped tights, and sparkly black shorts to capture the singer’s grungey style combined with a little mix of Gen Z flavor. Many also tried to recreate Rodrigo’s ensemble from her bad idea right? music video, where she wore a silver sequin skirt, a white tank top, and a red heart necklace. And it wouldn’t be an Olivia Rodrigo concert without fans wearing all shades of purple — a color closely associated with the pop singer. Concert fashion has always been an essential part of the fan experience. Whether it’s wearing lace gloves during a Madonna show in the 1980s to showcasing avant-garde looks at a Lady Gaga concert in the 2010s, music enthusiasts have always been creative in celebrating their favorite artists through clothing choices. With the rise of social media and new fashion trends, music fans of today’s rising stars are bound to sustain the tradition of dressing up for (and like) their pop idols during live shows, continuing to blend music and fashion. For more articles on films, music, and all things related to pop culture, visit the Glide Magazine website.
