Music is diverse, and so are the outfits that go along with it. Every single genre of music has its own unique trends and styles that accompany the musical culture.
Being students in Waterloo, we are consistently surrounded and exposed to a variety of different musical performances and events throughout the year. From eclectic EDM raves to the country hoedowns and literally every other genre in between, students constantly have to adapt from genre to genre in the blink of an eye. This means also adapting to the clothing that comes with the unique musical experience.
The worst thing ever is attending a rave and wearing cowboy boots or a hip-hop concert wearing a bright tank top and fluorescent shades. Thankfully, I am here to help you solve this dilemma for future concert-hopping experiences. We here at The Cord have developed a little clothing etiquette guide for each musical event that you may attend in the future, whether it is your scene or not.
As you are reading this article for advice, please keep in mind that we have only covered the basics and therefore, your favourite cross/mixed/moulded/hybrid genre may not be included in this article. The results may vary.
EDM Rave
This is possibly one of the easiest outfits to cook up for the ladies.
To start off, try finding a pair of white Keds. Be prepared to get them extremely dirty and potentially ruined. There is no way to avoid this so just accept this now. Don’t worry, you’ll find that you will enjoy dirtying these shoes. It gives them some character and memories.
Next, grab a pair of some knee high socks and a pair of short-shorts, all of which should be florescent and bright in colour. When it comes to choosing something to wear for the top portion of the outfit, the shirts should be either a flattering crop top or a loose tank top to ensure maximum breathing ability. Finish off this easy-to-accomplish look with a pair of shades and potentially a glow stick headband and you are good to go.
Ladies, don’t get too scandalous when planning your outfits. Make sure that everything is all covered up.
For the gentlemen, the essential ingredient to planning the perfect EDM rave outfit is ventilation. You are going to want to be cool and breezy as you fist pump the night away. I would recommend a clean and comfortable pair of jeans, shoes that you can stand in for hours at a time and a bright muscle shirt or tank top. Feel free to accessorize your look with a bunch of glow sticks and coloured bandanas, as they will help to complete the look.
Whatever you do, don’t wear anything with a heavy material because you will be sweating buckets. It is best to sweat from going hard at a rave, not because of your poor clothing choices.
Hip-Hop Concert
Ladies, start with some high tops or combat boots then move to either camo shorts or a good pair of high waisted dark jeans. The top should be a crop top of some variety in either a neutral colour or straight black.
Accessorize this one with either a black toque or a plaid shirt around the waist. Gold jewelry to finish things off makes this outfit super trill. No matter how comfortable they are, don’t wear sweat pants. It’s not urban.
Guys, you’ve got to wear some type of sneaker, preferably high-tops and definitely a solid dark denim to go along with the look. The shirt can essentially be a wild card. From my experiences, I would recommend plain white or black, but graphics work just as well. Layer this outfit with a camo jacket or dark hoodie. This hip-hop getup isn’t complete without a snapback or fitted cap. Rock it frontwards or backwards, either way it is a hip-hop concert must have.
Whatever you do, don’t wear shades. You will look very shady. Pun intended.
Country Concert
This concert event is a classic female favourite and probably one of the easiest looks to accomplish.
Cowboy boots are an essential that cannot be forgotten. Then work your way up to jean shorts. Tattered or clean-cut denim shorts will work fine. The top should obviously be a plaid shirt that can be either tied at the midriff or unbuttoned with an underlying tank top. Conclude this country girl look with a cowboy hat and you’re set.
Country girls should always try to avoid non-denim bottoms if you want to adhere to the authentic country look.
Cowboy boots are always a good idea for men, but can sometimes be hard to walk in if you don’t have slender feet. In this case, you can rock some comfortable boots or basic sneakers. Light jeans work best here with a nice thick belt.
Next is either a plain white tee with a plaid shirt, or leave the plaid shirt buttoned up. In terms of head wear, you can either wear a cowboy hat or a trucker hat of some variety so you can fully rock the Tim McGraw look at any country concert.
Gentlemen, avoid big belt buckles. It’s uncomfortable for everyone involved.
