Music and Fashion Go Hand in Hand

Music is a very influential force in the world. There have been forms of art inspired by it, movies created to fit with music, and dance styles, of course, made to jam out to certain genres of music. But music can also spark ideas in the minds of the fashion-conscious. Below is a list of how music, musicians, and fashion have come together to influence trends over the decades.


Madonna was a huge fashion influence in the 1980s. Her style, especially the one shown in her music videos, changed how teenagers at the time dressed. They began to emulate the pop star by wearing lace tops, skirts over capris, fishnet stockings, large earrings, bangle bracelets, and ballerina skirts, creating a bold and fun style that helped to characterize how we culturally see the 80s today.

Another fashion trendsetter was the rock band Nirvana. It was the 1990s, and grunge music was very popular with the youth. The Aberdeen, Washington based band helped shape the grunge fashion trend, which was characterized by an unkempt style very unlike the fun, bright fashions of the previous decade. Grunge kids usually wore messy clothing and lots of plaid, and often did not put much effort into their appearance, much like Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain. It might not have been a culture change that parents approved of, but grunge definitely showed that looking like a punk who just rolled out of bed could be cool.

In the present day, a lot of fashion for male black teens and male teens of other races has been affected by the hip-hop genre. Brand names, baggy pants, caps, sunglasses, and hoodies are just some of the styles made popular by artists such as Jay-Z, Wiz Khalifa, and Kanye West. Like grunge, this style has been controversial, especially concerning baggy pants, because of the negativity often heard through hip hop lyrics. However, this "street" style can actually be fashionable if put together in the right way, and not as if you were a hoodlum. Needless to say, this is a clothing style that'll stick around for a bit.

 Gwen Stefani has, in a way, become the Madonna of the 21st century with the way she made waves in the fashion industry. Her look is also fun and quirky, but the 'Harajuku Girls' concept first brought up in her lyrics and music video for "Rich Girl", bring a far-out, Far Eastern Japanese aspect to her fashion. Gwen is a rocker chic chic and it's no wonder why her L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers clothing lines are doing well today.





Basically, music and fashion go hand and hand. Both are unique art forms that sometimes showcase passion, other times a quiet and subtle mood, and even a funky loudness. These two are perfecrt for each other and I'm curious to see how these two will influence each other as the years go by. :)