Outfits are stepping out and stepping up for every event imaginable.
Did you deck out head-to-toe in pink for the Barbie premiere or feel out of place when rolling up for the flick donned in your regular street attire? Even concert outfits have been amping up their extravagance lately—from Taylor Swift’s renowned The Eras Tour to Harry Styles’ Love on Tour. And this level of fashion commitment has extended from elevated concert apparel to popping off for everything from Oppenheimer to The Rise of Gru. Translation: Outfit prep and planning has reached mastermind level. Which leads us to wonder, what happened to simply wearing clothes?
A big factor at play a la the dress-up craze is the concept of self-expression. Movie- and concertgoers dressing the part amplifies identification with a virtue reflected in the event—see: women’s affinity with Barbie and the array of ethnicities, professions and ages represented in the film. Find the same self-expression showcased in Harry Styles and Taylor Swift’s concert attendees as well. Seeing an artist live has become more than just attending the performance, it’s now about being part of it.
Whether the trend has stemmed from athleisure exhaustion (thanks, pandemic!) or it’s just fun for an excuse to dress up, more and more people are working the business casual top and sweatpants combo. #Slay
And while we love a comfy ’fit, dressing up and getting ready is fun—NTM a healthy confidence boost… we love self-love!
Plus, it’s trendy to flaunt the ’fit online—where trends spread like wildfire. We all know going viral can happen at random—think the teenager behind the “Gentleminions” trend who amassed 8.9 million likes via his first and only TikTok video.
Whether you prefer dressing down or dolling up, this trend is still a win for any advocate of self-expression and entertainment. Wear what you want and romanticize the small things—Barbie would be proud.
