9 Summer Concert Outfit Ideas To Dance The Night Away

From music festivals to arenas, these 9 outfit ideas are sure to help you dance the night in style.

Once spring rolls around, it’s not only a signal that warmer weather is on the way. It’s also the beginning of festival season, which, coupled with the kick-off of summer tours, is a time to look forward to seeing our favorite music acts live. But with that always comes the inevitable question: “What do I wear to a summer concert?”

The reality is that the definition of a summer concert outfit varies for everyone. While some fans grinding in standing-only arenas might prefer the comfort of a casual outfit, others with assigned seating are more likely to go for more elevated styles. If a music festival—whether it’s the UK’s Glastonbury or New York City’s Governors Ball—is on the horizon, the question gets even more complicated, as festival goers can expect to spend the equivalent of a workday standing and dancing outdoors in somewhat extreme conditions. Despite all those factors, there’s an innate need to channel your personal style as best as possible without succumbing to a bad experience just because your shoes were too uncomfortable.

Then, there’s the ever-evolving trend of theme dressing, which has taken over some of the most popular concert tours in history—Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour among them—with fans dressing the part. Cowgirl disco reigned supreme at Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour last year, for example, while Taylor Swift’s fans embraced the friendship bracelet as the official accessory of the Eras Tour. With acts like Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, and Green Day taking the stage in the next few months, there’s bound to be more theme dressing this summer.

Whether you’ve scored tickets or are eyeing an upcoming tour, the concert outfit is really a unique outfit formula that allows for much play and personal expression. Ahead, here are 9 summer concert outfit ideas to get your brainstorming started.

Disco Renaissance

Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour may have wrapped up, but the futuristic disco trend is still going strong, with brands like Diesel and Rabanne embracing the style in their spring/summer 2024 runways. Even if this bold aesthetic seems intimidating, a summer concert is a good moment to experiment with it through a mini skirt-and-bralette combo with nostalgia-meets-futurism accessories, like wrap-around sunglasses and mini handbag. For a chilly night (or just an edgier addition), throw on a biker jacket in a matching silver metallic hue.

Western Takeover

Few trends are as popular in 2024 as Western styles. Thanks to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, country staples like cowboy hats and boots are must-haves for the summer season. And thankfully, they’re concert-appropriate. From a music festival to an arena show, adding on a cowboy hat is a starting point to channel the trend. If you want to go further, try styling it with leather pieces, whether that’s a pair of shorts or a rugged vest.

Balletcore Gone Rogue

Over the past year, balletcore has been a dominating trend, both on the runways and street style, making stage-ready and rehearsal-appropriate clothes and accessories cool. Think cardigans, leg warmers, tulle skirts, and ballet flats. All make for a playful take on hyper-feminine fashion but may be limiting when it comes to concert fashion. A surefire way to style the trend is to go with a contrasting leather skirt paired with a classic cardigan top. The juxtaposition of textiles—hard leather with soft knit—will make for an interesting outfit that can be paired with flat boots, ballet flats, or kitten heels, depending on your foreseen concert experience.

Y2K Throwback

The Y2K nostalgia trend is still here. Scarf tops—defined by their triangular, strapless silhouette—are one early 2000s style that can ease anyone’s summer concert fashion conundrums. Whether it’s a scarf-looking top or a literal piece of fabric tied around your chest, the style is easy to style and accessorize depending on the concert venue and aesthetics. Denim scarf tops are a top choice for music festivals, while an arena concert can work with more delicate materials like silk, linen, and knit.

Denim on Denim on Denim

It’s been a good few years for denim trends, ranging from low-rise jeans and cargos to mini skirts and barrel styles. For a summer concert, your best bet is to simply style them all together. The durability and comfort of denim make it an ideal textile choice to wear to a summer concert, where it’s difficult to avoid stains, sweat, and rips in your clothes as you move and run shoulders with strangers all night long. For an on-trend take on this classic staple, opt for a matching set in a dark wash shade with contrasting stitching, accessorizing the look with statement sunglasses and a mini handbag.

Dress with Sneakers

A tried-and-true combo, this outfit formula is supreme when it comes to summer concerts. Not only does it have room to get playful with dress options, but it allows you the comfort of a casual everyday outfit. Edgier dress choices—whether it’s an asymmetrical hemline, color-blocking elements, or bold prints—go well with the personality-forward outfits of summer concerts. To contrast the vibrancy of the dress, choose sleeker sneaker styles, whether that’s keeping the look monochrome with a matching sneaker or a classic white shoe.

Monochrome Set

There are times when a summer concert requires your outfit to be more upscale than your traditional festival look. Not that we’re dusting out our ball gown for a Madison Square Garden outing, but denim cut-offs and band tees sometimes don’t cut it. A good alternative is to go for a monochrome matching set that’s easy to transform with accessories that best match the aesthetic of the concert. If you’re attending a balladist-loving affair, heels and a chain shoulder handbag are good options, while a pop-hit concert might call for white sneakers and a crossbody bag. Whatever matching set you choose, make sure to go for lighter and more breathable fabrics like linen and cotton for a fresher experience in the sultry summer heat.

Elevated Athleisure

Even if a concert calls for bold styles, sometimes the best sartorial bet is to forgo the usual costume-like choices and just be comfortable. Yet, opting for a hoodie outfit does not mean your look needs to be boring; it can instead be a good opportunity to play with athleisure. For a fashion-forward take on activewear styles, pair a hoodie with long shorts—preferably denim—in a contrasting shade, as well as frameless sunglasses.

No-Pants Blazer

A summer concert may sound like the best time to let loose, especially with your off-duty style. But for those wanting a more tailored approach, there’s always the option of going for a blazer. The twist here is to make the blazer work pantsless, a styling trick that can be achieved by choosing an oversized silhouette. While it works on its own, it’s also easily cinched with a belt or accessorized with brooches. For an edgier take, style the blazer-turned-dress with ankle boots—whether flat or heeled—and chain-like jewelry.

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