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From copying Elvis Presley's hairstyles to imitating the iconic dance moves of Michael Jackson, the music industry has had a huge impact across generations. Historically, musicians have been trendsetters when it comes to fashion, with their style often becoming as famous as their music. While music's influence on fashion may not be as obvious as it was in previous decades, the trend of swapping friendship bracelets began at Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour,' demonstrating that music and fashion still have a symbiotic relationship. Curious to see how music and fashion go hand in hand? Click to discover more.
Music, like fashion, has always been used as a form of self-expression. Fashion and music define periods; for example, we can distinguish between the flared pants and psychedelic prints worn in 1969 and the dark eyeliner and black clothes worn by goths in the '80s and '90s.
Fashion and music became intricately linked when music emerged as a method of demonstrating individuality, political beliefs, and ideas, rather than just entertainment. Music's influence on fashion (and vice versa) can be seen in almost every decade of the 20th century.
In its early years, jazz music was considered scandalous as it was played exclusively at nightclubs and speakeasies that hosted people of all races.
Women who enjoyed jazz music began rejecting traditional roles and opting for short dresses, no bras, and loose clothing that gave them the freedom to dance all night. And so, the flapper fashion was born.
With the advent of television, movies, and music becoming widely available to the public, and the idea of a rock and roll star, teenagers wanted to wear the clothes their favorite idols wore.
Most fashion houses only catered to adult tastes, but as the teen market grew in the 1950s, the teen fashion industry was born.
Jack Kerouac coined the phrase "Beat Generation," characterizing the underground, anti-conformist youth in New York City from the 1940s until the mid-1960s. Beatniks listened to rhythmic jazz, and Bob Dylan's link to the Beat Generation is most evident in his song 'Desolation Row.'
Beatnik fashion drew inspiration from bookish academia and modern jazz artists. Black turtlenecks were common, and women wore black jeans or capri pants paired with oversized sweaters, which defied the hourglass fashions of the 1940s and 50s.
In the late 1950s in London, young men and women who listened to modern jazz were termed modernists. Throughout the 1960s, these modernists, or mods, began listening to soul, ska, and rock groups like the Who and Small Faces.
By the mid-1960s, British rock bands had begun to adopt a mod look and following. Men wore tailored suits with Chelsea boots, and women wore miniskirts.
While London teens embraced the Mod movement, American teenage boys were being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Musicians began to write anti-establishment music and experiment with LSD, creating a fusion of rock, folk, blues, and psychedelic rock.
Hippies were nonconformists who rejected the values of established institutions and envisioned world peace. Clothing included bell-bottom pants, tie-dye shirts, and maxi dresses.
Early punk music was influenced by ska, reggae, and soul. However, the scene quickly became known for its aggressive rock music with only a touch of ska elements.
Punk music focused on individuality and freedom, and fashion choices were anything different from the mainstream. Brightly colored hair, piercings, and leather jackets were popular.
Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren ran 'S**,' a boutique on King's Road in London. It specialized in clothing that defined the style of the punk movement.
Musicians in the 1970s embraced science fiction, which was heavily featured in pop culture. David Bowie and Marc Bolan drew inspiration from sci-fi and added sci-fi backstories to their performances, resulting in the birth of glam rock.
Glam rock fashion was characterized by androgyny, with a carefree flamboyance and plenty of glitter. Many people enjoyed the music but didn't buy into the fashion movement, leading some to believe that glam rock was the first pop subculture.
Goth music began as death rock, a darker flavor of punk, but progressed into synthpop and New Wave. Famous goth rock bands include The Cure, Bauhaus, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Inspired by the darker themes of goth rock, goth fashion is characterized by black clothing (often velvet or satin), fishnets, chains, and platform boots.
In the 1990s, suburban teenagers channeled their angst and anger with the world into a sound that would be known as grunge. Nirvana, Hole, and Bam Bam are some of the scene's most famous bands.
Flannel shirts, cardigans, and ripped, baggy jeans are hallmarks of grunge style. The fashion echoes the movement's somber attitude and general carelessness.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, hip-hop was one of the most popular forms of music. Hip-hop culture was established by African Americans; DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash are some of the movement's most notable members.
Hip-hop fashion consisted of baggy shirts, jeans, and jerseys. Designer Tommy Hilfiger was one of the first major fashion designers to use rappers as a way of promoting his streetwear.
New rave is a British-based music scene, with electronica-influenced indie music, that was popular between 2005 and late 2008. Bands like CSS, Klaxons, and New Young Pony Club were popular at the time.
The fashion choices of the new rave scene include fluorescent-colored clothing, glowsticks, and shutter shades.
Emo music often contains emotional or confessional lyrics and emerged as a style of hardcore and post-hardcore punk in the mid-1980s. However, it was particularly popular in the 2000s, with My Chemical Romance being one of the most iconic emo bands of the time.
During the early-to-mid 2000s, emo fashion was dark and alternative, just like the music. It included skinny jeans, black eyeliner, band t-shirts, and straight, black hair with long bangs.
America saw a rise in the popularity of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) in the 2010s. EDM parties or raves prioritized promoting Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect (PLUR) out of a desire to be a safe and inclusive community.
The EDM movement is all about expressing yourself vibrantly and the fashion is marked by bold colors, faux fur, and wide legged pants.
As we make our way through the 2020s, pop artists like Lil Nas X and Harry Styles are breaking gender norms with their music and fashion choices. By publicly challenging toxic masculinity, they have created a safe space for their fans to comfortably express themselves.
Sources: (Forbes) (Fashinza) (WMSC)
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From copying Elvis Presley's hairstyles to imitating the iconic dance moves of Michael Jackson, the music industry has had a huge impact across generations. Historically, musicians have been trendsetters when it comes to fashion, with their style often becoming as famous as their music. While music's influence on fashion may not be as obvious as it was in previous decades, the trend of swapping friendship bracelets began at Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour,' demonstrating that music and fashion still have a symbiotic relationship. Curious to see how music and fashion go hand in hand? Click to discover more.