073. STYLE SUBCULTURES: Dressing for Concerts and Festivals.
And How I Build Inspiration For These Capsules.
I attended two gigs this week, and in the run-up, I hummed and hawed at length about what to wear. I considered many a sequinned outfit before settling for the option most suited to being present in the moment. It was comfortable and made more festive by way of a feathery cowboy hat, a blow-dry, and a lick of a brand-new highlighter that can be seen from space. I have received a few messages from readers headed to less-show more-go music festivals, like Austin City Limits, in the next few months. They asked how to dress for it in a way that’s comfortable but also exciting. It felt very à propos for me as I have more live music events coming up than I have attended in the last ten years. It seems to be what I enjoy spending my money on in this season of life (or maybe it’s just a great time to be alive as a pop lover/country rookie?!). I’m finding that dressing for these occasions is a different experience than what it used to be, so I’ve been looking for inspiration and pulling from my closet or shopping accordingly.
Some of you have been asking me to explain how I put together the capsules for the Style Subcultures column, so instead of telling you, I’ll use this week’s festival theme to show you. I hope this week’s letter inspires you to use visual references beyond fashion to create outfits you love.
Style Subcultures is a monthly column for paid subscribers of Every Body Gets Dressed. It celebrates individuality and shows how different style tribes might approach dressing in different contexts. It’s written and edited to help you find and develop your sartorial identity. Use the keywords to search for more inspiration beyond this newsletter. You can find past editions of this column here.
Prairie Romance
Personal Style Keywords: earthy tones, romantic, French girl-inspired, whimsical, floral, casual-chic, ecru, sage, wildflowers, breezy, feminine, slouchy, prairie, modern classic.
Inspired By This
For the touch of humour, I browsed through Seoul-export Kijun to find this pasta shape-appliquéd T-shirt and Drôle de Monsieur’s collection of Not From Paris Madame plush sweatshirts. The duo behind the brand makes light of their non-Parisian roots with this slogan resounding of a middle finger to the capital-centric French fashion landscape where they have carved themselves a nice little niche despite their alleged outsider status. They’re mainly a Menswear brand, so bookmark it for the next time you need to find a gift for the men in your life. It’s Mr. Liza Belmonte’s favourites.
For the cottage and prairie vibes, I went straight to Dôen. The Instagram brand is a victim of its own success. The more price-conscious shoppers out there are very vocal about the brand ‘not being worth the price’. But, while I’m not always impressed with the materials they use, I have always been 100% delighted by every wool and silk piece I have bought from them. I also see the fact that what I want to buy is always sold out as a green flag (that they don’t produce in excess of demand).
To break up the cutesiness of the ditzy prints, I looked for cargo pants and knew this pair from Citizens of Humanity has been widely reviewed and warmly recommended by shoppers of all ages. They went viral on TikTok this year, and the silver-lining of that is you can find endless videos of the pants styled (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, etc). Note: the shape is more barrel-like than it appears on most websites.
A phone strap like Ossa’s seemed like the perfect accessory. It allows you to stay hands-free while keeping your phone accessible to snap pictures. This brand offers different lengths (crossbody, shoulder-length, and wristlet). You’ll need the compatible phone case.
Shopping For That
Urban Time Warp
Personal Style Keywords: edgy, Y2K, monochromatic, denim-centric, retro, urban, nostalgic, cool-casual, fitted silhouettes, lilac, mesh, leather, nineties.
Inspired By This
