Monique Binns in her crochet outfit for Harry Styles’ Sydney show.Simon Schluter
Binns is far from alone. As the pop star sweeps across the globe,excited fans are showing their love for Styles by agonising over what to wear,and going all out. Many are then sharing their outfits on social media,oftentimes months before the concert date.
Videos under the #auslotoutifts tag on TikTok (“Auslot” is the abbreviation used by fans,meaning ‘Australia Love on Tour’) have amassed over 875,000 views. Globally,this figure is closer to 20 million views under the hashtag #lotoutfit.
Among this is a burgeoning DIY movement,with many fans diving in with little to no crafting experience. Some creations,like Binns’,borrow from the visual lexicon that Styles and his longtime stylist and collaborator,,have solidified:think love hearts,feathers,fringe,tassels,sequins and glitter. Others opt for a beat-for-beat recreation of one of Styles’ looks.
Zali Hamilton has recreated a look from Styles’ 2022 Coachella shows.Janie Barrett
Zali Hamilton,21,from Sydney’s Sutherland Shire endeavoured to recreate a look from Styles’ 2022 Coachella performance,where he wore a two-piece metallic pink leather vest and pants. She opted for shorts instead but kept the same cherry and “H.S” initial embellishments on the back.
“I cannot sew to save my life,” she says,but has been watching TikToks and getting help from her grandmother to put the set together,which has been a nice bonding experience.
Why fan outfits for the British singer are going viral.
A pandemic ritual of listening to Styles inspired Tara Knight,37,to unpack her sewing machine after nine years to recreate the pink glitter vest from one of the Vegas shows for her six-year-old daughter Evalee.
Since the first design,the duo have garnered the attention of many fans on Tiktok,including Styles’ stylist Harry Lambert who they met last year in Glasgow when they made a spur-of-the-moment “best decision of their lives” to fly over for five shows.
“I always loved fashion design,but it never came into fruition,so this opportunity is so much fun. I used my nanna’s 1985 sewing machine she taught me on for a long time,” says Knight,adding it takes from one day to a week to make the various looks.
Set to attend both Sydney shows together,Evalee has requested a replica of Styles’ white and red heart overalls from Wembley Night One,and matching dresses made from material from Spotlight with hisTreat People With Kindnessmantra emblazoned on it.
“I’m happy for her to be wrapped up in Harry’s world,he has brought her out of her shell.”
“I’m leaning into creating and sharing them now. My friends in their late 30s think I have gone a little bit crazy,but we have had some of the best experiences of our lives and have met friends from all over the world at shows and online.”
Evalee Knight in the outfit she is planning on wearing in Sydney and the first outfit her mother Tara made,eventually worn in the UK.Supplied
So what’s behind this phenomenon? This kind of dedication and obsession might be expected for a school formal or even a birthday,but a concert?
Given Styles’ status as former boy band member and certified heartthrob,one might assume fans are dressing up in the hopes of catching his eye and winning his heart. But most fans say this isn’t the case.
For Binns,it’s partly about standing out. “I wanted an outfit that no-one has.”
She adds that it’s been exciting to see so many fans on social media put as much effort in as they would for significant milestones,including school formals.
“Harry and his stylist work hard to have an eclectic vibe,he doesn’t rock up in a jeans and t-shirt. He puts on a show,so as fans we want to bring it back to him,” adding that all of her friends have DIY-ed their outfits.
Hamilton echoes this sentiment. “Harry is the one that everyone gets on board with. We like to match that level of energy and love. Dressing up is a way of showing physically that you’re in tune.”
Fringe,sparkles,feathers:Harry Styles has a distinct style.AP/Getty Images
Dr Liz Guiffre,a researcher of popular music and culture at the University of Technology,says it’s about matching Styles’ energy. “There is definitely an invitation to dress up,” she says,pointing to one of Styles’ Madison Square Garden Shows where feather boas were placed on guests’ seats (costume stores in New York reported a citywide after this).
While cultures of fandoms that are largely made up of young girls are often undervalued or not taken seriously,Guiffre says these narratives are changing. “Fans are saying,‘our experiences can be valued,our tastes can be valued’.”
Mark Polchleb says he would not have gotten into DIY culture had it not been for social media.Simon Schluter
Mark Polchleb,33,a content creator from Melbourne,says Styles’ audience base is far more diverse than some might think.
“There’s a whole range of people of all different ages and walks of life,it’s not just the screaming teenage girls,” says Polchleb,who will be attending the concert with his husband and a group of friends.
Mark has been making DIY beaded bracelets to wear with his friends,and bedazzled a pair of heart-shaped glasses inspired by a pair Styles wore in a concert in New York.
He says he’s felt the pressure to pull off an “amazing” outfit for the show.
“Generally I would go to a concert and wear just a t-shirt and jeans. For this I need to wear something that feels ‘Harry’.”
“I don’t think I would be getting myself involved in DIY attire without the influence of social media.”
Artist Emily Ingham has long custom painted outfits for others,but in anticipation of the tour,she realised it was time to do her own. Her denim vest features photo-realistic depictions of Styles,and took two weeks to complete.
Artist Emily Ingham’s hand-painted denim vest pays tribute to Styles.Supplied
“I was inspired by his positive,fun,freeing outlook on fashion and he isn’t afraid to express himself. His and the audience’s outfits have become as anticipated as the performance,” says the 26-year-old who is travelling from Townsville to the Perth show.
She added that documenting the process has helped her connect with other Styles fans and created new business opportunities.
For those in the fashion industry,this phenomenon has also opened up a whole new audience to market to.
When Kirbee Lawler,34,posted the custom earrings she will be wearing to three shows,she also had requests on Tiktok and Instagram for the designs. The Sydney-based jewellery designer has since launched an entire range on her site,with the design process taking a couple of weeks from drawing to sale ready.
“The tour is a light at the end of the tunnel for all the horrible things we have been dealing with. The lines to get in will be like a fashion show,and honestly,I can’t wait!”
Jewellery designer Kirbee Lawler has launched an entire collection inspired by Styles.Supplied
Brisbane-based Samantha Todd,28,sells her handmade creations through her fashion label The Volt. She also does custom orders,and says Harry Styles concert-goers have been some of her biggest clients. She’s had requests from customers all over Australia and from New Zealand.
“It[the Harry Styles tour] breathed new life into my customer base. There’s a new legion of people who want to try dressing up for the show,many who would have been too shy to express themselves before.”
Demand was so huge that Todd,who is also a fan of the singer,even created a ready-to-wear capsule collection inspired by Styles.
A look from Samantha Todd’s Styles-inspired capsule collection.Supplied
Todd also suggests the hype amongst Australian fans comes down to the fact they are among the last stops on the tour. “A big part of the concert culture is through social media. Australian fans have seen Harry travel through the US and the UK,and everyone else has had their turn. With each stop on the tour people go more over the top.”
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