Concert Costuming: Fan Fabricated Outfit Regulations

With the emergence and surge in the popularity of the amicably nicknamed “pop girlies” in recent years, there has been an obvious shift in what we deem as appropriate concert attire. Not in the sense that standards have dropped, if anything, we’re experiencing the direct opposite, with there now being a greater expectation to dress up than there ever was. We’re now no longer expected just to be triumphant in the Ticketmaster battle, but we’re also expected to come up with an outfit that shows our dedication to the artist. Apparently, knowing and liking their music isn’t enough.

But it hasn’t always been this way. I remember a time when the extent of concert dressing was something ‘nice’, but still somewhat practical. You would maybe wear old merch, or a nice top, but still something that was comfortable, like trainers and jeans, because ultimately, you’re going to be on your feet. If you wore this to an acclaimed tour today, you’d probably be severely underdressed and not on theme.

Taylor’s Version?

Maybe the catalyst for this change was Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, as such a gargantuan event called for outfits that were as special as it felt. The tour was such a long time coming that we wanted to plan our outfits, and dress to fit our favourite era. You wanted people to be able to tell what it was that you were looking forward to the most based on your outfit alone. Some people spent months making their outfits, they put in so much time and effort that it almost felt required that we all take an added level of consideration when deciding what to wear.

And the Era’s Tour wasn’t the only example that seemed to come with its own dress code – I can think of so many tours where it felt like we were given style guidelines so strict it seemed sacrilegious to deviate from them. Think back to Harry Styles’ Love on Tour, where the attendees seemed to find outfits that fit the camp theme better than the actual celebrities that attended the 2019 Met Gala. It was like his outfits were so mesmerising that we wanted to mimic them, like magpies attracted to feather boas.

Short Dresses and Sweet Outfits

I was able to see this phenomenon come to life at Sabrina Carpenter’s recent concert at BST Hyde Park. Me and my two best friends were lucky enough to get tickets and when we did, we knew that it was going to be a fashion event. We found 3 matching mini dresses and thought this was on theme enough for us. But when we got to the concert, we saw that despite nailing the vibe (props to us), we were pretty tame in comparison to everyone else. A lot of people had gone all out, with replications of the bed chem tour looks, the iconic heart-cut out dress, and subtle references to pretty much all of her discography. Everywhere you looked, there were pastels, kiss marks, lace, ribbons, boots, and cowboy hats. Even before getting to the venue, you could tell where we were all going, and you could probably make an educated guess of who we were going to see.

Whatever it was that kickstarted this trend, it’s undeniable that when going to a viral tour, we feel an obligation to dress in compliance with its vibe. It’s a way to indicate that you deserve the ticket that you paid an arm and a leg for – if your outfit is on theme, then you must know the artist well, never mind knowing the lyrics! But have we taken the fashion aspect of concerts too far? Is it no longer about the music?

Facing the Fashion, not the music

By encouraging concert costuming, are we just finding new excuses to spend money unnecessarily and promoting wasteful buying habits? Or is it not that deep, and just a way for us to have fun?

On the one hand, it does feel like another needless excuse to buy more clothes. We’re essentially buying outfits that we won’t wear anywhere else (given their specificity). It feels like we’re wasting money and promoting single-use fashion, which is both ethically and environmentally questionable.

On the other hand, is it really that bad? Dressing up allows us to feel connected to the artist and fellow fans, establishing a greater sense of camaraderie and helping us to identify with one another. There’s so much value in that; everyone knows how nice it is to feel like you belong somewhere, even if you paid to be there. The reason we go to concerts is to enjoy ourselves and have fun. If having a costumey outfit helps us to do this, when so be it!

Even though part of me feels like I would enjoy concerts more if I was in sweats and not fixating on the blisters forming on the backs of my heels, I still love feeling connected to the crowd. And though we should try and find ways to source outfits more ethically, like by wearing clothes we already have, we can still take pleasure in choosing the outfit. So, let’s embrace this new tradition and say thank you for the music (and the outfits it’s bringing)!