How to Dress Like You’re Headlining a Music Festival

Breaking down the on-stage getups of 11 leading men at Panorama

By The Editors
August 1, 2017 9:00 am
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.

GET THE LOOK:


ALBIE INDIGO SHIRT
DEUS EX MACHINA

BUY HERE


PERSUASIVE BARRIER ARTIST EDITION PRINT
ROBERT BEATTY

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


BLACK SIENNA FIT SUIT
SUIT SUPPLY

BUY HERE


TWO TONE STOP TIES OVAL BELT BUCKLE
MONTANA SILVERSMITHS

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


LONG SLEEVE FLANNEL CHAMBRAY SHIRT
GITMAN VINTAGE

BUY HERE


RUGGED BRASS BELT
RAG AND BONE

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


SLIM WOOL/COTTON CARGO PANT
TODD SNYDER

BUY HERE


HAIR PICK
McKESSON

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


DYE TECH BANDANA
URBAN OUTFITTERS

BUY HERE


CHINO TROUSERS
DONDUP

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


A PAIR OF NIKES, SIZE TEN-AND-A-HALF
FLIGHT CLUB

BUY HERE


COTTON BATH TOWEL
UTOPIA TOWELS

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


CLASSIC TRENCH COAT
MAISON MARGIELA

BUY HERE


THE VERY EMBARRASSING BOOK OF DAD JOKES
IAN ALLEN

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:


LUDLOW SUIT IN ITALIAN WORSTED WOOL
J.CREW

BUY HERE


BLACK AND WHITE ONYX BOLO TIE
CJs ROCKS AND GEMS

BUY HERE

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.

GET THE LOOK:



WHY BE RACIST WHEN YOU COULD JUST BE QUIET? FRANK OCEAN PANORAMA SHIRT
GREEN BOX SHOP

BUY HERE



CREAMTONE HAIR COLOR
MANIC PANIC

BUY HERE

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!”)

GET THE LOOK:


SOLID CAMP HAT
GOLF

BUY HERE


ZEBRA BUTTON UP
GOLF

BUY HERE

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 …

GET THE LOOK:


20 501 211R CARDIGAN
LOST AND FOUND ROOMS

BUY HERE


SPEED LINE CLIPPER WITH GOLDEN BLADE
OSTER

BUY HERE