In Praise Of The Non-Costume Music Tour

2024 has been a seismic year for pop music. A brief highlight reel includes the rapid ascent of Chappell Roan after Coachella, the main-pop-girl arrival of a much-slept-on Sabrina Carpenter, and of course, Charli XCX making it bigger than ever with an unstoppable Brat summer. With all these releases comes lots of touring, and with touring comes stage fashion. The defining tour fashion trend of 2024 is stage outfits that are a slightly elevated version of stars’ everyday wear, bringing a level of informality and intimacy to their sold-out shows. Indeed, acts like Maggie Rogers, Suki Waterhouse, and Gracie Abrams, have all opted for flowy, simple dresses that both add a bit of drama when needed and also melt into the background with no sequins, sparkles, or patterns in sight.

Additionally, Billie Eilish, who’s touring in support of her third album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, is taking to arenas in oversized polos and basketball shorts. Not only does she look ultra-comfortable (she even sits for an acapella rendition of “when the party’s over”), but she’s able to move freely and not fuss over a complicated outfit. It also makes for easily replicable outfits: When I attended Eilish’s Madison Square Garden show, the audience was brimming with tweens in extra-large jerseys, hoodies, and bandanas.

No one’s honed in on this sentiment better than Charli XCX, whose Brat era has relied on going back to basics. Charli’s stylist Chris Horan told NYLON about the mood for the year-defining album and its brutalist aesthetic: “We wanted things to be really distinct, but not necessarily so loud as far as the color or pattern. It was simplicity that still felt really strong and bitchy.” As Horan also hinted at in our interview, her stage outfits were flowy, textured, and a natural extension of her high-fashion street style with custom looks from dozens of brands including Acne Studios, Luar, and Saint Laurent. Besides, how can the popstar of the year expect to writhe around on stage, lick a plexi-glass floor, and scream alongside Addison Rae in a constricting dress?

So yes, while we have endless admiration for the impeccably crafted, Swarovski-encrusted pieces that stars like Taylor Swift, Carpenter, and Roan have executed this year, our hats go off to the girls who embraced their personal style in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans. The “come as you are” messaging will surely inspire knockoffs, and inspire a new generation of pop acts to keep it casual.