How to Make Concert Fashion Sustainable?

Image from Unplash

“You’re in!”. The Ticketmaster confirmation email has finally arrived in your inbox. You’ve managed to secure tickets to your favourite artist after letting go of a part of your paycheck. Now you can finally relax and start to feel excited, right?

Wrong. What are you going to wear?

  Going to a concert in 2025 is not just about the live music anymore. It’s all about the outfits. You only care about looking good for the pictures you want to post on Instagram, don’t you? And now that you’ve set your eyes on the perfect dress that would make your outfit better than anyone’s, where do you buy it? Oh, Shein, of course. It’s cheap, fast, and surely not made in unethical conditions by underpaid workers who may be children. And climate change? What is that, is it even real?

You don’t care, you have a concert to go to.

         Once, the most important part of a concert was the music. However, because of social media, they have evolved into a visual experience where the outfit matters more than the setlist. Your clothes must match the vibe of the music, the artist, the venue and, most importantly, get the most likes on Instagram. Wearing the perfect outfit is not just about how you look; it’s also a way to express your dedication to the artist and their fandom. As more and more people are dressing up, fans start to feel pressure to find the ideal outfit.

Fast-fashion companies make the most out of this new trend. They notice what people are looking for and create an entire “Concert Outfit” section on their website. ASOS, White Fox Boutique, Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and the rest of the fashion companies offer cheap, trendy pieces that usually fall apart or become unusable in everyday life as they only fit the aesthetic of that one specific show. Unsurprisingly, a London-based survey found that music festivals alone generate 7.5 million single-use outfits and 307$ million worth of items that go to waste.

Image from Pinterest

Having the perfect outfit does not mean you have to give in to fast fashion or contribute to global warming. There are many ways to look great while still being sustainable and ethical. Instead of clicking “add to cart” on Shein as soon as something catches your eye, try second-hand platforms like Depop or Vinted. Thrift stores, vintage shops, or even your and your friends’ wardrobes probably contain items that would work just as well. Chelsea Rice, brand strategist at Archrival, comes up with a creative solution: "Imagine if a brand launched a pop-up that toured alongside an artist where Gen Zs could rent and return unique items.".

However, if you have already been a victim of one-time wear concert outfits, try giving it a second life: resell it, gift it or try to find a way to style it in your everyday life. Lexi, 23, a Fall Out Boy fan, says: “I definitely have found myself shopping specifically for shows before, and it does make me feel wasteful, I try to combat that by wearing pieces that I could otherwise wear either to other shows or in daily life.”

Dressing up for a concert should be a fun experience and not an excuse to fuel the fast fashion industry. Looking good can be sustainable, your outfit should not come at the expense of the planet. Next time, before you hit “buy” on that fast-fashion website, ask yourself: “Will I wear this again?”. If the answer is no, it’s time to reconsider the way you approach concert fashion and shift towards more conscious consumerism.