The double standard in music industry fashion
- Jeanne Pellet
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 11
Artists use their styles to express themselves and their music, push boundaries and make statements. But, is there a double standard in how men and women are judged for their fashion choices in the music industry?
Male artists tend to be praised for any fashion choice they make, while female musicians face intense criticism no matter what they wear. Female artists are expected to be both fashion-forward and appropriate, which is an impossible standard to reach. If they dress conservatively, they are considered boring or irrelevant. If they wear
revealing outfits, they are considered unprofessional or attention-seekers. This forces women to carefully choose how they present themselves, something that men never have to consider.
Billie Eilish used to wear a lot of oversized clothing to avoid sexualisation. She shared in a Calvin Klein ad: “Nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath, you know?”. In 2021, she appeared on the cover of British Vogue, wearing a pink corset, latex gloves and blond curls, changing her appearance from tomboy to bombshell. The public exploded with opinions, mostly criticising her for changing her aesthetic. Meanwhile, male artists never have to worry about judgment if they experiment with their style.
Taylor Swift has been criticized throughout her whole career for her wardrobe choices, on and off stage. From her country-era cowboy boots to her pop-star sequins, every shift in her style has been met with public commentary, always focusing on her image rather than her music.
Ed Sheeran performs in jeans and t-shirts, and no one questions whether his casual clothing reflects unprofessionalism. His simplicity is seen as cool and effortless. Meanwhile, female artists are expected to go all out on stage to be taken seriously.
Harry Styles is known for wearing bold and feminine clothes. He has been highly
praised for wearing a dress on the cover of Vogue. However, his fashion choice was not
groundbreaking, he simply wore clothing traditionally coded as feminine. But, when female artists push fashion boundaries, they are more likely to be criticized.
The music industry perpetuates these double standards. Album covers, music videos and performances create an expectation for women to be visually appealing in order to succeed, while male artists do so with minimal effort. As the industry continues to evolve, it is necessary to push for equal standards in fashion. Women should be judged for their talent, not their outfits.
