Outside the venue of a Harry Styles concert is a sight to see: hundreds of thousands of fans decked out in feather boas, glitter, sequins, colors and many paying homage to outfits the artist himself has worn. Fans of Styles are known for going the extra mile for their concert looks – the question is why, how and when did this trend begin, and how has it redefined this new era of concerts?
Arguably, the most defining element of “Harry Styles-esque fashion” is the feather boa. This specific trend began with Styles’ opening performance at the 2021 Grammy Awards, where he performed his hit song “Watermelon Sugar” whilst dressed in all-black leather, adorned by a green feather boa. The immediate inception of the boa craze began following the fandom’s obsession with this outfit.
Once the “Love on Tour” began, fans all over social media started using the hashtags #HSLOTfashion and #HSLOToutfit to begin planning out their outfits months in advance. TikTok users spread the message about the loud and bold fashion trends that men and women alike could participate in, showcasing different styles one could wear and highlighting stores to make purchases from.
New trends were born with the additional leg of the tour: mimicking Styles’ best and most popular outfits. His iconic “Fine Line” album cover, complete with a long sleeve hot pink button-up and white slacks, accompanied by suspenders, became a viral outfit that many fans copied. As the tour progressed, people became more creative with their do-it-yourself costumes.
In the most recent leg of the tour, Styles has been doing “residencies” in major cities, like his 15 nights in New York City and Los Angeles.
This year, “Harryween,” Styles’ Halloween concert, fell during his time in L.A. For this show, Styles, his band and, of course, the audience will all be in costume. Fans started placing their bets on what Styles will be dressed as days before the show. Some guesses included Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas and Cruella DeVille and the Dalmations, among others. Styles and his crew ultimately went as Danny Zuko and the Pink Ladies from Grease.
Harry doing the hand jive! #Harryween pic.twitter.com/ucBDK9uto6
— Harry and Niall News! (@HarryNiallNews) November 1, 2022
With these trends and their explosion on social media, Harry Styles concerts have become fashion shows that reveal deeper insights on the emergence of a new era of concert fashion and Harry Styles-esque fashion.
Annenberg Media spoke with fans at some of Styles’ most recent L.A. shows and concluded that fans spent anywhere between $50 and $300 on their outfits. Fans all had different accounts of how much time and money they spent on their fits and what dressing up for the shows meant to them.
“Harry Styles fashion is, in fact, a lifestyle that I like to live by. It cures my depression, really. It makes me have something to look forward to every year,” said Pamela Wagner, who was in attendance at the first night of shows in L.A.
“I spent about three months planning my outfit,” said Kaily Gutierrez, a Harry Styles fan and fellow Night One attendee. “It meant a lot to look good because I love Harry Styles and I’ve always loved Harry Styles since One Direction.”
We can find the influence of Styles’ music everywhere, including on campus here at USC. Mariam Bagdady, a junior majoring in journalism, will be attending five of 15 shows in the L.A. “Love on Tour” residency.
“Having a good outfit was extremely important to me. Harry has an eccentric way of dressing and he’s known for making statements with his fashion choices,” Bagdady said. “His shows have essentially become a gala of fans showcasing their best creations, and that’s what concerts should be all about.”
To many, defining what Styles-esque fashion means to them is incredibly important. It has transformed “just a concert outfit” into a form of self-expression for many including Bagdady and concert attendee Mia McClellan, both of whom were in attendance at L.A. Night One.
“He honestly inspires me to go outside of my comfort zone and express myself in any way I want without feeling embarrassed about how I want to express myself,” McClellan said.
When defining what this new “Style” meant to her, Bagdady said, “Harry fashion is being as camp as possible. It’s the decision to step out of boundaries and include as many patterns, feathers and pearls as possible. But it’s also the choice of creating a fit that is entirely you. It’s stepping out as authentically yourself as possible. It’s a Met Gala without the insane price tag.”