The movement of music
The first thing I do in the morning is turn on my heavy rotation playlist on Apple Music. When I reach into my closet I listen to the music playing and think about how I can incorporate that into my outfit. When I do my makeup in front of the mirror, I think of how my favorite artist would do their own. Fashion has been a form of expression which is influenced by the music I listen to.
In my kindergarten Katy Perry phase, I dressed in bright, tropical colors to resemble the “Roar” music video. In 2017 my staple outfit included a huge bow that topped my high side pony tail. Hot pink, cat prints and high neon socks had to be included in my everyday outfits. These items were inspired by my idol at the time, Jojo Siwa.
As I grew older, I found new interests and started listening to different kinds of music. In the sixth grade, I discovered One Direction. Harry Styles, who is known for his extravagant outfits, inspired me to also dress bright and fun. Styles became my daily outfit inspiration. From jeans and a t-shirt with fruit on it to a multi-colored knit cardigan, I loved taking his outfits and adapting them.
Having artists help me express myself with my clothes has always made me feel confident. Wearing bows like Jojo Siwa made me feel like I was as cool as her, not caring what anybody thought of me, like in her song “Boomerang.” Other girls in my elementary school complimented my hair bows, which made me feel good about myself, even contributing to friendships I made.
My new favorite outfit inspirations come from early 2000’s rock icons. Listening to Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance (MCR), Paramore, Panic! At the Disco and even Blink-182 have inspired me to dress how girls did when that music was released. For example, Hayley Williams from Paramore was always seen with studded accessories and fun tights.
My current outfits consist of low-rise Miss Me jeans, studded belts and tight tops. Affliction and band t-shirts are my favorites to style because they resemble my favorite singers like Avril Lavigne and Tom Delonge from Blink-182.
Piercings are another way I incorporate my music taste into my style. In the early 2000s, eyebrow piercings were trending. Amy Lee from the band Evanescence has one, and she is a huge music and style influence on me. This trend, which has been going back into style, influenced me to get one.
Though many people express themselves through music and fashion, criticism stems from it. I have experienced this when I wear clothing that shows too much skin or something that is “too grown” for me, even though I wear what teenagers wore in the 2000s.
Stereotypes are not always bad though. There are times when my music taste brought me close with people and stemmed friendships. Personally, I have made many friends from going to concerts with girls who dress like me, and posting on social media about bands that I like. When I went to the Shaky Knees festival in Atlanta I met a group of girls who were stuck together with me for 12 hours waiting to see MCR. After the show, I posted a Tiktok about my outfit, and the girl that I was standing next to found my video and we got in touch. It was cool to see how music can bring people together and create new friendships.
My style has been a huge factor of my personality since I was little. I love to see other people with unique styles and how what they listen to correlates with that. I love to see how adults use music to influence their styles. For example, my mom has tattoos and dresses in whimsical clothing, and she listens to bands like Sublime, a band that shares that same style from the 1990s.
Music and fashion have always merged, and I believe that in the future music will continue to inspire people’s style. My experience with my style has shown me that it is okay to change and grow with how you dress and what you listen too. Going from Jojo Siwa to MCR was a huge jump, however it helped me express who I am and taught me to love different styles and new artists. As I get older I will be exposed to even more music and styles; what playlist will I turn on while I am picking my outfit in the years to come?
