Harry Styles: What are you wearing to Love on Tour?
#BYOB: A look into the colourful world of HSLOT concert outfits
Fans take fashion inspiration from Styles, as pictured at Jeunesse Arena in 2022. Photo Credit: musicharts.
Harry Styles fans are known for their commitment to fashion. From elaborately coordinated outfits to glittery accessories, concert-goers bring their A-game to every show and leave a trail of feathers behind them.
Putting together an outfit may be just as exciting a part of the experience as seeing the singer. But what goes into deciding what to wear?
As the performer has been touring the UK and Europe, with what is potentially his biggest show ever taking place at Slane Castle on June 10th, we look at the relationship between the concerts, fans and fashion.
The crowd at Murrayfield Stadium for HSLOT Edinburgh Night 1. Photo Credit: Lauren Burns.
Tens of thousands flock to see the global pop star at every opportunity, and they make sure to mark the occasion. If you walk into an arena, you’ll witness an overwhelming sea of bright colours, all dancing and holding handwritten signs.
But it’s about more than the music, as written in The New Yorker, “Being a Harry Styles fan is an aesthetic commitment as much as a musical interest.”
Footage from HSLOT Edinburgh Night 1. Credit: Lauren Burns/CapCut.
This aesthetic embodies dopamine dressing with a retro, 70s/80s influence. The most common elements are sequins, flares, cowboy hats and feather boas.
Ticket-holders take direct inspiration from Styles and the clothes he wears. Something Terry Newman wrote about in her 2022 book.
On why she wrote it, Terry explained: “I like to write about culture and fashion. During the pandemic, a publisher asked me to write a fashion book about Harry, and this was a great project! He is emblematic of so many modern ideas in fashion and it was wonderful to research.”
“My angle was to write a fashion-music history book through the lens of Harry’s wardrobe.”
The viral #harrystylescardigan from JW Anderson at the V&A Museum, Kensington, 2022. Photo credit: Lauren Burns.
With a 94% popularity rating according to YouGov, the ‘Watermelon Sugar’ singer will undoubtedly go down in fashion and music history.
“Fashion is a cycle,” Terry says. “And it’s interesting to see where references come from. I do this in my book with the clothes Harry wears now, which are similar to what rock and roll stars have worn in the past.”
From the front cover of Vogue to the viral #harrystylescardigan by JW Anderson, Styles is almost as synonymous with fashion as he is with music.
In his Vogue interview, he said: “I think with music it’s so important to evolve—and that extends to clothes and videos and all that stuff. That’s why you look back at David Bowie with Ziggy Stardust or the Beatles and their different eras—that fearlessness is super inspiring.”
However, one accessory from music history stands out and has been flying off the shelves lately- the feather boa.
“The feather is an accessory that has been worn by music stars from Marc Bolan in the glam-rock ‘70s, to Kurt Cobain in the grungy ‘90s,” Terry said. “It adds a sense of disorientation to an outfit; not a traditional male piece, it has an ability to convey a slight sense of provocation while still being fun and glitzy.”
Dressing up for a concert is nothing new. Neither is the concept of emulating the band or artist you’re seeing. This year we’ve seen it at Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and the Arctic Monkeys’ recent shows. Whatever the gig, fans mimic the musician(s) through their fashion choices. However, Harry Styles is, perhaps, the most in-your-face example.
Months of planning go into it. It’s a whole process that a trend and online community has grown out of. Accounts like HSLOT FASHION HQ document the details and act as inspiration for others.
TikTokker, Andie, went viral for posting her HSLOT outfit options. She described her decision-making approach and said, “I like to base my outfits around a song or a special piece that I feel matches my personal style and the HSLOT energy.”
Devotees may represent their favourite song in the audience as Andie did with ‘Sunflower Vol.5’. Whether drawing from the singer’s wardrobe or music, it’s all about individuality, self-expression and having fun.
“I like to base my outfits either around a song or a special piece that I feel matches my personal style and the HSLOT energy”
“I have a genuine interest in fashion,” Andie continued. “And it isn’t often where you can enter a space like HSLOT, one that encourages personal style and community. How many times in my life am I going to an event that encourages me to put together the most colourful, sparkly and flashy outfit I can? Not often.”
It’s an opportunity to dress up and express yourself that most of us don’t get day-to-day – serving as an escape, which is what concerts do – Love on Tour is just an amped-up example.
HSLOT lets people express themselves freely through fashion. Its inclusivity offers a chance to wear whatever you want for a night without fear of judgement. Attendees can take the train wearing sequins with a feather boa or a cowboy hat, and the general public barely bats an eye. That’s probably why so many share their Harry Styles outfits.
As Terry said: “I think concerts have become a celebration and a way to feel thankful. They are such a fashion event and an excuse for a big show, great costumes and a moment for the audience to dress up too. A wonderful fusion.”
by Lauren Burns
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