Music’s Influence on Fashion

The connection of music and fashion is not a foreign idea. It’s vibrant culture influences the art of our style. It may not be an obvious or an instant change but we edit ourselves according to our interests. We are chameleons, change is an unconscious yet significant act. As the ambiance of music conquers passion, it also affects the manner in which we design ourselves. Influential eras in music progressed fashion to the edge of chaos. For instance, periods of time such as the 20s, 60s, 70s and 90s dominated in terms of music and fashion, as one affects the other. The two arts generally transcend style to a rebellious dimension, and introduce the idea of exploration to an exciting field. Subcultures such as rock and heavy metal had a striking impact on style in the 60s and 70s. To illustrate, bands such as the Ramones inspired many in the punk rock era. With mixed references from leatherman culture, glam rock and the New York male hustlers. They were one of the first to wear bikers as a subverted culture, introducing revealing yet restrictive styles such as leather jackets, cropped tees and tight jeans. 

One's style is often edited by the captivation of their music interest. Such as baggy clothes in the 90s, leather in the 60s, and flares in the 70s. The scheme in which their garments suited their motion of dance. In the 20s women often wore flapper dresses with regards to the music they listened and danced to. The way the silhouette of the clothes complimented their movement to the music was inspirational to the atmosphere. 

The overall ambiance the individual exuded was compliant to the aesthetic of the era. To illustrate, Bowie edited his style with consideration for his music. He presented himself in different personalities according to his internal atmosphere with importance to his music. Bowie's captivating music originated from his ability to translate personal issues into his art. He embodied certain personalities such as Major Tom, Jareth, Ziggy Stardust, etc. These fictional characters provided an arena of exploration in the sense of style. While Bowie is speaking through the voice of Major Tom, he experiences a significant adaptation to his fashion through the music. Bowie’s alter-egos presented themselves in enigmatic fashion, with variations of feeling and style, it was always a riddle.

The mutual creativity between the two arts provided a space for him and many other artists to articulate their music through style. Fashion is an expansion to the art of music, it often assists one to better convey the emotion in a captivating manner. It’s all about telling a story.

Cover image credit: David Redfern.