Concerts are great opportunities for attendees to dress up. Fans often theme their outfits to the artist, giving them a space to express their love for music. Cost varies, but there are always budget-friendly options for people to put together something they like.
When it comes to the performers, however, it’s a different story. The fashion worn on stage by performers dictates what everyone around them wears, including background dancers, band members, concertgoers and audiences at large. From the decadent camp of Chappell Roan to the more relaxed outfits seen on iconic “MTV Unplugged” sets, artists shape the fashion of their fanbases and the general public.
One of the most prominent examples of this is Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” outfits. Queen Bey is known for being a cultural force, and her globe-spanning tour of her Grammy-winning seventh studio album, “Renaissance,” was no exception. Fans donned glittering cowboy hats and sequined outfits galore, creating stadiums full of shimmering BeyHive members.
Although the sequin renaissance is nothing new in the modern fashion world -- or even the fashion world as a wholeBeyoncé has helped inspire people to bring back bedazzling. In 2023, the sequin market experienced tremendous growth, and this is expected to continue for years. It is not a coincidence the Renaissance Tour kicked off just before this growth.
With the announcement of “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé’s second album in her currently unfolding three-act project, Americana Flare is sure to rise in popularity. Musicians like Lana Del Rey and Ethel Cain, who both had highly successful tours and album releases this decade, have also helped bring country-influenced fashion to audiences who would otherwise not wear cowboy boots and Levi’s.
Themed tours have risen in popularity in recent years and have given artists an opportunity to further establish their brand for audiences and consumers. Other themed tours similar to the Renaissance Tour have brought into vogue wearing clothes that directly tie back to an artist. Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour leaves the cities she stops in drenched in purple, and Taylor Swift’s massive Eras Tour made the entire world a smorgasbord of her discography.
For some performers, what is worn on stage is more about comfort and authenticity than about what would look cool on stage. For Nirvana’s “MTV Unplugged In New Yorkwidely considered one of the best “MTV Unplugged” performances, Kurt Cobain wore one of his most recognizable outfits: a greenish brown cardigan over a button-up and white shirt.
Although this was not a crazy or highly stylish outfit, it was highly emblematic of what grunge fashion actually was. Cobain’s contemporaries like Layne Staley, Eddie Vedder and Van Conner wore similarly styled baggy, casual clothes on stage, common motifs in grunge clothing.
In addition to providing representation for what their genre’s music looked like, artists have historically used the stage to buck traditional gender roles. Icons like David Bowie and Prince, while having their own controversies, took the ‘70s and ‘80s by storm with their genderfluid wardrobes and decade-defining music. Both of them have cemented signature styles that continue to shape the music industry; artists like Bad Bunny, Janelle Monáe and Harry Styles have all taken inspiration from Bowie and Prince’s gender-defying fashion.
On top of influencing musical artists, Bowie and Prince’s androgynous stage presence helped inspire countless different brands that are targeted directly at nonbinary and genderqueer people. Zero Waste Daniel often incorporates space-themed or surreal imagery into its baggy streetwear, while Kirrin Finch takes masculine suits and applies traditionally feminine touches.
Contemporary artists continue to inspire daring and subversive fashion. Tyler, the Creator, known for his highly controversial lyricism and insane stage presence, wears pastel dress clothes and vintage prints with platinum blond wigs. His fashion has popularized accessories like chunky black glasses and various hats, including pastel bucket hats and fur trappers.
This unique blend of distinct lyricism and style is seen in other artists, often inspired by Tyler. Billie Eilish, one of music’s leading voices right now, has discussed her love for his music, and Lil Nas X has also drawn from his music and style.
Artists from all genres and generations have unique influences and styles, which subsequently inspire new artists to express themselves on and off stage. Performance fashion can reveal not only what is trending right now, but the history of a genre and the defiance of gendered expectations in society.
