The excitement of rock concerts isn’t limited to the thrill of live music. It’s about the scene. Everywhere you look, people are flying their individuality flags, looking their best for the peak experience of seeing and hearing one of their favorite headline acts live.
So, what are you going to wear to that big-ticket concert you’ll be attending soon? Or maybe you’re hitting a festival and need more than one outfit to carry you through while looking like the poster child for live music events. So, rock star, these 5 contemporary outfit ideas for a rock concert deliver style inspo for you to personalize, play with, and step out in confidently!
1. Glam Rock
Glam rock in the 1970s was all about gender-bending, wildly expressive makeup, and clothes fashioned from over-the-top fabrics. Think David Bowie or Marc Bolan. Get the look with a sparkly tailcoat thrown over a T. Rex t-shirt and satin pants or shiny leggings.
Finish your outfit with a top hat and platforms, and don’t spare the makeup! Glam rock isn’t itself without a full face of the stuff. Paint a red lightning bolt across your face. Add extreme false eyelashes and a slick, fire-engine red pout. Custom festival outfits make you the hottest ticket in the house when you add your own sexy glam rock spin.
2. Blue Jean Baby
Denim is back in a big, bold way for 2023, so why should rock concerts not get the blue jeans treatment? In fact, expect to swim in a sea of denim wherever you go. When Kate Moss walked in the Bottega Veneta show in a pair of pants hand painted to look like jeans, the writing was on the wall!
Push your skinny jeans to the back of the closet and slip into a roomier pair, created for carefree comfort with a side of rustic charm. A fitted denim bustier contrasts the generous dimensions of your 2023 jeans, topped with a cropped jacket in — you guessed it — denim. Vintage sneakers and a crossbody cell phone bag complete your blue jean baby look, and you’re the concert fashionista in the front row, rocking with savvy style.
3. Throw It Back to the 00s
Remember the “skunk hair” of the early 2000s? Well, it’s back! There’s nothing more arresting than color-blocked hair when it’s done right. The look is edgy, rebellious, and as “rock concert” as it gets. Go black and white for maximum impact. Now add another look from the early 2000s –- the chainmail halter top!
Get creative with your throwback look by pairing your halter with a miniskirt in satin leopard print or shiny pleather. Wear it low on the hips to vibe with the time period’s navel-baring, low-rise obsession. Add a pair of mean-looking moto boots and stomp into your rock concert with an attitude that has everyone thinking you’re with the band.
4. The Classic Rocker
Leather is a massive trend in 2023, so lay it on thick. The classic black leather biker jacket is where this concert outfit starts. A leather or pleather mini-dress in a bright, contrasting color is how you “twist” this classic look in the best way possible.
Choose thigh-high boots in black leather, Chuck Taylors, or 90s combat boots to make the classic rocker look your own. And don’t forget to create a sophisticated pompadour hairstyle with gel or hair wax to pull it all together in a look that’s less about nostalgia than it is about timeless rock and roll style. Throw a heavy metal chain or three around your neck, and you’re the ferocious rocker who can’t be ignored.
5. Be Yourself, Set to Stun
All these looks are perfect for you, no matter who you are. But what’s more perfect than beautiful you? Your personal style will guide you to the look you know has your fingerprints all over it.
Mix elements of these outfits to create another stare-worthy outfit or assemble something completely different. Dig around in that closet and make it work for your concert look. Because the best contemporary outfit idea for a rock concert is feeling yourself at your most expressive. You’re not shy. You’re just waiting for your chance to shine like the fiercely cool rock star you are.
I hope these contemporary looks for rock concerts have inspired you to make your next live music experience count. Rock concerts are an invitation to have fun with fashion and push yourself a little closer to the edge of your day-to-day styling. Create a rock concert look that’s just for you to get seen, inspiring others to get their inner rock star on!
Photo by Sebastian Ervi on Unsplash
