Over the past couple of years, especially since Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” began, there’s been a huge emphasis on buying super elaborate outfits for one-night-only concerts. Until recently, I remember the only music-related events that required planning an outfit ahead of time were festivals like Coachella. Now it seems like people insist upon putting that same money and effort into not only every music event but so many other experiences; I’m going to explain why I think that’s super unnecessary.
I attended the Eras Tour last summer, and although I didn’t buy a new outfit, I made a shirt to wear. To be honest, I haven’t worn it once since then.
Similarly, I attended a Harry Styles concert five years ago and bought a shirt I also haven’t ever worn again. Though these instances were fairly long ago, and definitely didn’t involve spending money to the extent people do nowadays, my point is that buying outfits for the sole purpose of fitting concert themes often means those clothing items end up sitting in the closet for years to come, never touched again. With the Eras Tour especially, attendees posting their outfits on social media has become a sort of concert culture; people spend months shopping online for an outfit that’s not only thematically appropriate but never seen before.
It seems the spread of the Eras Tour drive to find a perfect concert outfit has spread to other shows as well. Yet, since this summer, I’ve attended a total of five concerts and haven’t purchased a new item of clothing to wear to a single one of them. I’m very proud of that.
However, I understand the temptation to buy a new outfit for every event. It’s fun to dress on theme and be able to post a photo in an outfit no one has ever seen before, but I think the popular mindset that it’s necessary to do so is harmful and leads to immense waste. Unfortunately, since people are aware that buying an outfit for a specific concert means difficulty wearing that outfit again, they resort to fast fashion sites to find the cheapest options. Fast fashion is detrimental to the environment, and there are much better options when it comes to picking a cute outfit for a concert.
Personally, my first resort is to search my closet, because sometimes I can find something in there that I forgot about, or that can be refashioned to look like something I haven’t worn before. My next move is to search my roommates’ closets or ask a friend that I’ve seen wearing something that seems like it’d be perfect. If that doesn’t work either, my last resort is to go thrift shopping, which is better than buying a new outfit because it’s a way to find cheap clothes without contributing to the fast fashion empire. And, unlike when I used to buy specific concert outfits, I make sure that whatever I’m buying is something I’d wear again.
The recent trend of buying elaborate, one-time-use outfits for concerts has turned what used to be a special occasion into a source of unnecessary consumption and waste. While it can be exciting to dress on theme, the pressure to constantly curate new, event-specific looks contributes to fast fashion’s poor environmental impact and often leaves people with unworn items that collect dust.
Instead, using what’s already in our closets, borrowing from friends, or shopping secondhand are far more sustainable options that also allow for creative, unique styling without waste. Dressing up can still be fun and meaningful without the pressure to buy something new for every event. By shifting our mindset, we can enjoy concerts in a way that’s less costly and more environmentally conscious.