The fashion music gives us

By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio

If someone were to ask a random sample of people why they dress the way that they do, most people would not answer that they dress the way they do because of the influence of music. But regardless of your personal style, you or someone of the opposite gender who dresses similarly to you probably has at least one thing in the closet that exists or at least is commonly available as a fashion choice because of music.

Dresses that can be worn comfortably:  Jazz

If you or a woman you know wears any kind of relatively comfortable dress today, that item is available because of Jazz. Before the Jazz age of the 1920s and early 1930s, women’s dresses were rather complicated. They were always long, reaching to the ankles if not the floor. Most were at least somewhat fitted, making movement difficult. Corsets were worn underneath, further restricting movement, and in some cases, breathing. Flapper dresses rebelled against such restriction. They were loose, boxy dresses that allowed women to dance to the music of the Jazz age without worrying about the restriction of a corset or several layers of fabric.

Actual flapper dresses look odd to modern eyes. They appear too loose and boxy, to the point that the woman often resembles a head floating on top of a square. But over the years, these dresses would evolve into and inspire nearly all of the styles we wear and/or see the women in our lives wear on a daily basis today, from the most casual T-shirt dress to a sparkly cocktail dress for going out.

Heavy boots worn for style not utility: Punk and Alternative

While all heavy black boots with laces are not Doc Martens, it is the most well-known brand of this style of boot. “Docs” began as work boots for British men in the late 1950s. They were never intended to be fashion items, but were designed as protective gear for the foot. In the 1970s, punk bands began to adopt them as symbols of solidarity with the working class. In the 1990’s they would become popular again as alternative rock music looked back to the punk era for inspiration in music and general lifestyle.

Today, heavy black lace-up boots worn as much for fashion as for comfort and protection can be seen everywhere. Those who favor a retro punk or grunge look of course wear them, as do those in the goth subculture. But as recently as 2025, “Docs” were featured on fashion websites for academic, preppy, and even “clean” styles, when added to the “clean” look’s signature all-white clothing.

Ultra-casual wear worn as outfits: Rap, Hip-hop

Long, loose T-shirts, baggy sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers, sweat pants, and other clothing that was either originally designed for exercise or for lounging at home may not be acceptable absolutely everywhere, but it is certainly acceptable for the most casual public environments today. Nobody would be considered under dressed or improperly dressed if they were seen wearing a pair of baggy joggers and a bulky hoodie while out running errands, shopping, going to the movies, or hanging out at a diner or cafe.

This was not always the case. Athletic-wear inspired styles were seen in public in the 1960s and earlier, but social expectations about what was acceptable to wear in certain situations were much stricter then. You certainly would not see the loosest, most comfortable clothing available worn while going out with friends or running errands.

The shift began in the early 1970s, with the emergence of Rap and Hip-hop music. The styles that we most closely associate with Rap and Hip-hop music today, which are not limited to but include things like joggers or track suits and hoodies, were based on the items that teens and young adults in the Bronx of the 1970s were already wearing. 


Adopting a curated and named fashion aesthetic: Jazz, Punk, Classic Rock, Pop

Unlike some individual items of clothing, the whole practice of curating a specific fashion and lifestyle aesthetic did not stem from or become popular because of a specific style of music. The trend of purposely  adopting an aesthetic is a recent one, with most sources tracing it back only about six years, and linking it to the extreme boredom and excessive time for self-reflection offered by the shutdown that occurred at that time. Music still plays a significant part in the trend, as many of fashion aesthetics are part of broader lifestyle aesthetics, complete with signature  styles of music.

The hippie/bohemian aesthetic is deeply connected to the music of the counterculture of the 1960’s, particularly the Grateful Dead. Hipsters embrace elements of both 1990s grunge rock fashion and the styles of the 1920s Jazz era. VSCO girls (pronounced “vesco” and associated with a laid-back, beach-inspired style) are exemplified by Indie Pop and Surf Rock.


No matter how you choose to dress, something you wear, or something you see someone else wear as you go about your day today, is worn because of music. It truly does touch all parts of our lives.