How to Dress Like You’re Headlining a Music Festival

Most conversations about attempting to dress like a rockstar end with the same word: Don’t. Because when we talk about musicians as style icons, we talk about Plant. Bowie. Prince. Basically, we talk about sequins and spandex and skintight suits — all things your wardrobe needs less of, not more.

But that outlook might be a bit dated.

This weekend, we headed to Panorama NYC to survey the on-stage getups of the festival’s leading men. What did we learn? With a few (duly noted) exceptions, the headliners of 2017 dress far more accessibly than their musical forebears. But regardless of how outlandish they went, all observed rule no. 1 of dressing like a rockstar: wear it with confidence.

Below, a rundown of 11 of our favorite getups.

Photography by Mike Falco

TAME IMPALA
“Can I wear that?” rating:  9/10

Touring behind 2015 smash record Currents for what might be the final time, singer Kevin Parker was clad in his typically restrained jeans-and-flannel ensemble, preferring to let the band’s psychedelic light show take center stage.

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SPOON
“Can I wear that?” rating:  8/10

Britt Daniel is from Austin. That means he A) does not identify with the majority of Texans, but B) definitely still wants you to know he’s Texan. The sartorial manifestation of this attitude: a decidedly coastal all-black getup … tied together with a dinner-plate belt buckle.

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FUTURE ISLANDS
“Can I wear that?” rating:  9/10

Last year, we saw Samuel T. Herring side project Snails at a small venue in Brooklyn. Fresh off a nearly two-year world tour of the world’s biggest festivals, he was behind the merch table, working the cash box. That same regular-guy persona informed his main-stage ensemble at Gov Ball: chambray shirt dutifully tucked into black jeans and a pair of dad sneakers.

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VINCE STAPLES
“Can I wear that?” rating:  8/10

The problem with cargo pants was never the pocket. It was the fact that to accommodate that very spacious pocket, most brands chose an equally spacious cut of pant. And we all know how that went. Pair it with a slimmer fit — like Vince does here — and you’re in business.

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NICK MURPHY
“Can I wear that?” rating:  7/10

The Aussie formerly known as Chet Faker’s devil-may-care beard is still his best accessory. But note the elegant use of the bandana: paired with a black blazer, it makes for an excellent summer-casual getup.

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A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
“Can I wear that?” (“Yes you can!”) rating:  5/10

Think of the jogger pant’s tapered cuff as a picture frame for your shoes. So the shoes better be proper. Q went with a pair of Nikes, size ten-and-a-half. As for the makeshift cotton-towel hat? Maybe leave that club in the bag, Tiger.

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BELLE & SEBASTIAN
“Can I wear that?” rating:  5/10

When he wasn’t cracking jokes about how many babies in the audience had been conceived at a B&S concert, Stuart Murdoch was strutting the stage in a strikingly unseasonable Margiela trench coat. Killer coat, but unless you’ve got AC units fit for a festival stage, keep this one in the closet till October.

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ANGEL OLSEN’S BAND
“Can I wear that?” rating:  7/10

Olsen strutted out channeling Dolly and Loretta with big hair, big glasses and a drawl that belies her Midwestern upbringing.  Her band, meanwhile, was clad in matching blue-grey suits and bolo ties. From Bob Dylan to Leonard Cohen to Bruce Springsteen, the bolo has long had its place on stage. As long as you keep the rest of the look understated, it’s got a place off it as well.

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FRANK OCEAN
“Can I wear that?” rating:  6/10

Frank Ocean is a minimalist. His music is sparse, and so was his stage production: the towering screens behind him relayed nothing but a behind-the-scenes-style video filmed live by Spike Jonze. And that penchant for the subdued translated to his choice of threads: a lazy-Sunday ensemble embellished by chrome-blue hair and a poetic white T-shirt.

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TYLER THE CREATOR
“Can I wear that?” rating:  3/10

Like Ocean, Tyler is a founding member of L.A. indie hip-hop collective Odd Future. Unlike Ocean, Tyler never does anything subdued, right down to his GOLF line of vibrant casual apparel, which covered him head-to-toe at Panorama. Before you commit to burning your wardrobe and buying the entire collection, just remember: Tyler is a 26-year-old rap mogul whose entire persona is built on transgression. You may not be. (“Yet!”)

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NINE INCH NAILS
“Can I wear that?” rating:  1/10

Look: if you haven’t started wearing knee-length black frocks and punk-rock earlocks by now (a la NIN guitarist Robin Finck), the ship has probably sailed. But we’re gonna leave this here just in case …

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