It's time we talked about fashion in music. Fashion is a crucial part in the creation of a superstar, it adds to the aura of these mere immortals and is regularly used to create a persona adding another dimension to the artist's performance. Fashion helps create a character that we fall in love with and strive to be ourselves. The fashionistas of the music world, the ones that ooze style consistently, constantly evolve their fashion sense, creating a new character with each record, using their clothing to add a visual element to their musical stories.
Of course the music itself is the most important part of any artist, album or live show. Without it these fashionistas would not be able show off their styles to the world. It's also important to note that fashion for some artists is irrelevant. Some wear a pair of skinny jeans and a black t shirt, letting their music do the talking. That's perfectly okay but at The Rodeo, we love a maverick, a trend setter.
Musician's style choices are powerful. They can set trends or even change society. Think David Bowie. He made androgyny cool at a time when gender inequality was rife, and transgender rights virtually non-existent. Bowie used fashion to break boundaries and start important dialogues and debates. He also used fashion to portray the characters in his song. Think Ziggy Stardust, Major Tom, Aladdin Sane, Bowie was a pioneer. Mick Jagger also used his image to propel The Rolling Stones even further up the rock'n'roll ladder. In 1971, the year whenThe Rolling Stones virtually revamped their recipe for success, Jagger began to embody an androgynous look, similar to Bowie, to stand out and expand the Stones' fan base even further. Even The xx, for a contrasting, contemporary example, use fashion to aid their music. Yes, the trio are almost always in all black however, this adds to the atmospheric goth-romance music they play. It shows the audience that the trio are insecure, introverted and want their music to do the talking. It adds an air of innocence and realism to their shows.
Music is an art form. The art of songwriting, crafting lyrics to tell a story. The art of matching those lyrics with an instrumental arrangement that either compliments or contradicts the story being told. The art of creating a mood or an atmosphere without any visual imagery. However, fashion is also an art form. Your body is the canvas, your clothes the paint, used to express personality, and creativity. Fashion, no matter how subtle or bold it may be eventually embodies the artist. As an artist's popularity increases, their clothing becomes an integral part of them, and their music. Thus, whilst fashion is not wholly essential in music generally speaking, the ability to use fashion to enhance a live show and the ability to create a new style that embodies a new album is crucial to becoming a musical icon.
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