What to Wear to a Concert
Whatever the season, wherever the venue, these concert-ready outfit foundations ensure you can jam out in style.
For many music fans, plans revolve around dates circled on your calendar.
Whether it’s seeing your favourite groups, bands, and performers when they’re in town or travelling near and far to can’t-miss music events, the hard-core concert enthusiast knows just how enjoyable live shows can be — and that dressing the part is a huge aspect of the experience.
From sprawling outdoor venues to famous concert halls and even coffee shop pop-ups, there are a few commonalities between what works and what doesn’t when dressing for a concert; wearing any or all of these key styles won’t steer you wrong.
There’s something about a leather jacket that’s just synonymous with music and concert-going.
The rough-and-tumble nature of leather means you don’t need to worry too much about it getting bumped, brushed, spilled on, or scraped — it’s the ultimate party piece that actually looks better the more you wear it.
From jazz cats to rock stars to rappers and everyone in between, music legends across all genres have turned up to perform in a leather jacket at some point or another, so why not take a page out of their music sheet and do the same?
What to wear under your jacket? A plain t-shirt in a neutral colour is the ultimate underpinning, providing a blank canvas for your hero piece (the leather jacket) to shine without visually competing.
Plus, if things heat up and you want to hold your coat (or better yet, let coat check hold onto it for you) instead of wear it, a classic white t-shirt is a timeless look that won’t let you down, especially if you’re seeing Plain White T's.
Of course, this can easily be swapped-out for a vintage band t-shirt or commemorative tour tee, so feel free to hit up that merch table at any point during the night.
Just like the aforementioned leather jacket, a pair of denim jeans are a rugged and robust article of clothing ideal for crowded events where durable attire is required.
You definitely don’t want to wear your best linen trousers or anything too light in colour when busy crowds can result in scuffs, stumbles, and spillage. If it’s a sitting concert, it’s better to wear something that can stand up to stains from sticky barstools or grassy hills you’ll want to wash out later.
When you’re on your feet all night, comfort takes priority, and few styles of shoe do better in that area than the sneaker.
We recommend opting for a dark pair with either a leather or canvas upper, which are as durable as they are stylish. Bonus points if you match the colour of your leather jacket to your leather sneakers!
Any avid concertgoer can tell you that an accidental trample on your shoes is a common occurrence at large events, which means dark-coloured shoes that hide dirt and shoeprints is the smart move.
Finally, it’s time to complete your look with a pair of glasses that provide the perfect accent to your ensemble.
It goes without saying that you should wear a pair of stylish sunglasses to a daytime concert outdoors — they’ll protect your eyes giving you a better seeing experience throughout, not to mention the innate cool-factor shades they provide.
If it’s a nighttime or indoors concert, your optical glasses are also a no-brainer, allowing you to see the stage and your favourite performers much better than without.
If you’re more of a contact lenses guy — all the power to you — but there’s a reason they call glasses “furniture for your face,” as an interesting pair of frames adds another layer of depth to your look.
