We all know how much music influences fashion (otherwise, the semester I wore Dickies and ties to school like Avril Lavigne was a total wash). But even before the days of “Complicated” or begging our parents to let us wear sky-high Spice Girls sneakers, music was outlining style rules in a less visual, equally memorable way.
I mean, sure. Watching “Baby One More Time” may have inspired us to re-adjust our Catholic school uniforms or trade them in for a less monochromatic public school dress code, but songs by artists like Cake or Flo Rida instilled something even more important: clear verbal instructions on how to wear clothes.
And today is no different. Thanks to rules laid out by Jay-Z, Kanye, and even Lana Del Rey, artists continue to guide us through the murky waters of looking presentable. Through music, we’re learning what works, what doesn’t, how accessible fashion can be. After all, any of us could be the girl in the short shirt and long jacket, or the woman in the leopard print skin pillbox hat. So let’s get fancy with this list of some of music’s best fashion instructions.
Moschino Fall 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Carven Spring 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Chanel Spring 2014 Couture shot by Peter Stigter
Louis Vuitton Fall 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Balenciaga Spring 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Chanel Fall 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Barbara Bui Spring 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Rag & Bone Spring 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
Alexander Wang Fall 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
shot by Peter Stigter
Dsquared Fall 2013 shot by Peter Stigter
Isabel Marant Fall 2014 shot by Peter Stigter
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Moschino Fall 2014
Song title: “Fashion Killa” Artist: A$AP Rocky Lyric: “Cause everything designer, her jeans is Helmut Lang / shoes is Alexander Wang and her shirt the newest Donna Karan / wearing all the Cartier frames / Jean Paul Gaultiers cause they match her persona”
That persona being, “a lot of disposable income.” But the rule here is simple: if you have access to this many designer pieces, you deserve to be a song title. Especially since this lyric describes an incredibly put-together outfit, and I am working from home wearing pajama pants.
2/12
Carven Spring 2014
Song title: “Short Skirt, Long Jacket” Artist: Cake Lyric: “I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket”
Cake isn’t wrong. The short skirt is a key closet component for anyone, and if the jacket is a trench, it’s the outwear staple of a grown-ass woman. (So I guess they’ll have to find their girl someplace else.)
3/12
Chanel Spring 2014 Couture
Song title: “My A.D.I.D.A.S.” Artist: Run D.M.C. Lyric: “My Adidas / standing on 2 Fifth St. / funky fresh and yes cold on my feet / with no shoe string in ‘em, I didn not win ‘em, I bought ‘em off the Ave with the black Lee denim”
Running shoes trump flip-flops forever, and don’t let anybody forget it. But despite the cool and lace-free style depicted by hip-hop’s first family, a more polished look (read: shoes with laces, socks) work just as well with black denim. Particularly if that denim isn’t low rise. (#NeverForget)
4/12
Louis Vuitton Fall 2014
Song title: “Black Skinhead” Artist: Kanye West Lyric: “For my theme song / my leather black jeans on”
8. Song title: “You Belong With Me” Artist: Taylor Swift Lyric: “She wears short-shorts / I wear T-shirts”
But you can actually wear both simultaneously—especially if those shorts are DIY cut-offs, and your t-shirt is of the logo variety. It’s 2014, girl. We can have it all.
6/12
Chanel Fall 2014 Bag
Song title: “Fancy” Artist: Drake feat. TI Lyric: Naked ring finger (check) / M3 beamer (check) / champagne range / triple white Jag / closet full of brand new clothes and handbags / Alexander McQueen, Prada, Gucci, Chanel / D&G, BCBG, Versace, Louis and BeBe”
If this isn’t what the definition of “fancy” is, then I have grossly misunderstood this song and the stores I’ve been asked to leave. But if you’re like me (a normal, working person), there are fancy-ish, designer-like alternatives to the above brands – especially since chains like Zara and H&M have capitalized on bright colours and prints, too. Time to sing about us now, Drake.
7/12
Barbara Bui Spring 2014
Song title: “Blue Jeans” Artist: Lana Del Rey Lyric: “Blue jeans, T-shirt, walked into the room you know you made my eyes burn”
Stop questioning, and just accept it: a pair of well-fitted jeans and classic T-shirt always works. However, make sure to choose a shirt that explains what feminism is so that if you see Lana Del Rey, she won’t be so disinterested by it.
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Rag & Bone Spring 2014
Song title: “Van Vogue” Artist: Azealia Banks Lyric: “Bang, pop, pop, this thing go pow / Dolce crop top, my play clothes now / Those Celine wedges are way downtown / best dressed up, better, you best dressed down”
She raps the truth: it’s the summer of crop tops. Crop tops with jeans, crop tops with shorts, crop tops with skirts, crop tops with slacks, crop tops with bottoms made from stitched-together crop tops. This summer, it’s 1994 again.
9/12
Alexander Wang Fall 2014
Song title: “Famous Blue Raincoat” Artist: Leonard Cohen Lyric: “Ah the last time we saw you, you looked so much older / your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder”
Listen, I know how much we love second-hand anything, but if even Leonard Cohen attributes a shoddy-looking jacket to premature aging, it’s time to pull yourself together and at least head to a tailor.
10/12
Gucci Fall 2014 Boots
Song title: “These Boots Were Made For Walkin’” Artist: Nancy Sinatra Lyric: “These boots were made for walkin’ / and that’s just what they’ll do / one of these days these boots are going to walk all over you”
It’s simple: if your boots don’t instill a sense of fear into everybody you walk by, then walk over them until they do. Nancy Sinatra wouldn’t lie to us; summer call for a wardrobe that’s intimidation-free.
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Dsquared Fall 2013
Song title: “Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat” Artist: Bob Dylan Lyric: “Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat / well, you must tell me, baby / how your head feels under somethin’ like that”
My head feels amazing, Bob Dylan, but from your tone I can tell that yours is a hypothetical question. Clearly if you’d seen the onset of leopard print out this season, you’d have written a song about your own love of it, as opposed to knocking mine. (But no matter, you can borrow it.)
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Isabel Marant Fall 2014
Song title: “Low” Artist: Flo Rida feat. T Pain Lyric: “Shawty had them Apple Bottom jeans (jeans) / boots with the fur (with the fur) / the whole club was looking at her”
Like you wouldn’t? Circa 2008, this was quintessential club attire. And since normcore and the slow-but-sure return of 00s’ trends promise we’ll soon be inundated with the aesthetic of our youths, it’s only a matter of time before we once again explore the fruits of Nelly’s designer’s labour.
