There are a few things one expects to see at a Harry Styles concert. A feather boa sighting. A cowboy hat, maybe. Sequins. Lots of sequins. Basically, a crowd personally summoned by the kind of magpie glamour that once made hot pink suits and flared trousers feel like perfectly appropriate stadium attire.
So when Styles appeared on stage for the opening night of his Together Together tour in a very blue cotton shirt and roomy trousers, finished with a statement tie and a red bomber jacket, you can imagine the internet’s reaction. I think we all thought the same thing: surely, this was outfit number one. Surely, the outfit change was coming. Well, the outfit change came in the form of him removing the bomber jacket, only for the look to move even further into office-cubicle zone.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I say this lovingly as a Directioner and someone who has gone for a few of his shows, including the previous Love On Tour (trust my best friend even started reading her book halfway through, fully committed to the y/n bit), but I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss the heart-sequinned jumpsuits. I have seen the different fashion eras the British musician has gone through, and for Styles, style has always been such a strong part of his branding. His take on fashion has long been flamboyant and out-there, from his stage outfits to the red carpet, with even his street style feeding into the whole Styles fashion lore.
So with this tour, and an oddly familiar wardrobe so far mainly comprising primary-coloured custom looks that make him seem like he has just clocked out from his nine-to-five, it was intriguing, to say the least. For the second night, he appeared in a mandarin-orange knitted top layered over a lemon-yellow shirt, pale blue tie and relaxed trousers. For the third, he stayed in the same buttoned-up lane, wearing a pale blue blazer over a red shirt with dark trousers, while night four saw him in a dark tweed coat with bright blue trousers and a striped tie. The bright colours are still very much Harry, but the styling sits much closer to workday dressing than the glittered showman mode fans have come to expect. And it’s all the more confusing when you look at his latest album hinting at a disco feel, because this was not exactly giving… well, disco.
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From another perspective, though, I do feel slightly seen. Most of us who grew up with him are probably in our working years now, so if this is the new message—that it is perfectly normal as a working adult to clock out and make your way straight to see your favourite musician—then yes. Thank you, Harry.
But all that to say, part of the fun of a Harry Styles show has always been wondering what version of him would appear next, especially when his stage wardrobe has played such a huge role in the fantasy. This tour has only just started, so maybe the wardrobe still has more to offer. For now, Mr. Styles has entered his corpcore era, and honestly, we will be seated to see where it goes.
