I recently unearthed a bunch of mix CDs, some I burned and others that were given to me by friends over the past 10 years. One of them was a bootleg of a concert I attended in 2003. I put the CD in my car today during my morning commute, and immediately I was transported back to Charlotte, N.C., to this particular Strokes show.
I could picture myself dancing into a soaking sweat. And then I started thinking about what I was wearing.
I pretty much wore the same outfit (with a few variations) during this time period, my early 20s.
Without fail, it was an old concert tee (but not of the band I was going to see, oh no), one or two wristbands, battered jeans that were too long and thus had frayed ankles, and Saucony sneakers. If the concert took place in the dead of winter I would wear a hoodie that would inevitably get wrapped around my waist sometime mid-show. Truth be told, I dressed like this every day, even to work! I looked like I didn’t try because … I didn’t.
Sometime around 2005 my concert attire took a turn for rock chic. I would wear a long tank over dark-wash jeans, a low-slung studded belt and an unbuttoned, sleeves-rolled-up blazer (it had to be BRIGHT). I would heavily accessorize. And I always wore inappropriate footwear, usually pointy heels I’d manage to kick off mid-show if we didn’t have seats.
Around 2009 I stopped wearing so many damn layers to hot and crowded shows. This is my current go-to concert outfit (not that I’ve been to one this year, sigh): form-fitting jeans or jeggings, oversized top, long pendant, ankle boots that are comfortable to stand in for long periods of time, a few cute accessories.
I still collect concert tees, though, and mostly I wear them around the house or when I work out. Some of the tees I bought back in 2001 have been worn so much they’re nearly threadbare. One day I hope to retire them all into a quilt. But first I’d have to find someone to make it for me and/or learn how to quilt myself. Here are a few new tees I think are pretty cool:
What about you? What do you wear to concerts? Has it changed over time?
