A Crash Course in Low-Key Pop Girl Style

When it comes to pop girl ensembles, it’s not uncommon for glitz and glam to take centre stage. Bodysuits reign supreme. A snatching corset allows for total definition. For the ultimate drama, a grandiose ball gown sheds into a slinky catsuit. With Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s recent tours, this became the on-stage norm for their lifespans. But what if we could go back to the basics?

Allow me to introduce you to the low-key pop girl. In her world, subtle vintage pulls and the classic tee and jeans are king. With style teams in tow, their seemingly effortless outfits are expertly crafted, prioritizing easily replicable fits that resonate better with a larger audience than haute couture. Ultimately, it’s undemanding and more comfortable for low-key pop girls to make a statement on stage without a bodysuit cutting into their inner thigh.

Here, your ultimate guide to low-key pop girl style.

Chic vintage pulls

With vintage clothing, the world is your oyster. From archive pieces to deadstock galore on the market, for pop gals, sourcing secondhand pieces has become a fun way to diversify their on-stage looks, creating one-of-a-kind ensembles.

Kicking off Haim’s I Quit era, the sisters sauntered around in ‘90s Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang for their “Relationships” music video. The trio tapped film costume designer Erin Benach (The Bikeriders, Birds of Prey), who sourced ultra-cool pieces that are coordinated to the max. It-pop girl Addison Rae and stylist Dara have sprinkled vintage pieces into her recent music videos, donning a vintage blue Chloe mini dress in her aptly-titled “High Fashion”, and red and white striped ‘90s Vivienne Westwood tee in “Fame is a Gun.” While opening up for Kelsea Ballerini in February, singer-songwriter Ashe was questioned about the source of a slinky pink and red slip dress; she responded: “vintage on Etsy????????” A true sustainable queen.

Fun, emerging designers

Catering to an often smaller audience of buyers, there’s more room to play with bold prints, asymmetrical fits and sustainable practices can be easily upheld. Championing new designers is a mutually beneficial way for pop girls to maintain their individuality and shop small.

Indie-pop singer Clairo has become a known champion of small designers. In support of her dreamy third album, Charm, the songstress sported a myriad of pieces for emerging fashion brands, including asymmetrical dresses from Piatori and Elizaveta Rakhmankulova and intricately made tops from the LA brand Geel.

From dream girl to rave girl, Charli xcx has been sporting up-and-coming designers thanks to stylist Chris Horan. While on her brat arena tour, the singer has been strutting her stuff in pieces from Peruvian designer Fernanda Castro. Her recent “party 4 u” music video saw a fun patchwork polka dress from New York’s ALL-IN Studio.

High-end flirty dresses

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Photography courtesy of @mollyddickson/Instagram

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On the flip side, some of today’s pop girls are channelling romance and flirtiness with. Akin to the sweet sounds of their music, brands like Rodarte, Chloe and Valentino are crafting custom looks that speak to the respective singers’ younger, albeit female, audiences.

Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us tour saw the budding singer-songwriter floated around the stage, confidently strumming her guitar, clad in custom looks from Rodarte. Often embellished with bows and rosettes, her ultra-feminine style is fun and youthful. Jazz-pop singer Laufey follows a similar structure, donning ruffled and frilly dresses from Chloe and Rodarte. For over a decade, the seasoned Lana Del Rey has almost always taken the stage in some form of a glamorous dress. Recently, her Stagecoach set included two dresses from Valentino.

Ultra-cool jeans and a T-shirt

The ultimate cool girl outfit. A balance of comfort and refreshing, there’s no need to convince the masses on how approachable this ensemble can be. Some pop girls level out the playing field with a fitted tee and baggy pants, while others like to go big on the top and bottom.

Gen-Z darlings Reneé Rapp and Billie Eilish perfectly reflect the aforementioned dynamic, respectively. Boasting vintage tees and swishy jerseys with oversized denim and XXL khakis, they effortlessly balance high-fashion houses like Dior and Gucci with accessible luxury labels Acne Studios and Coach.

The elusive Lorde is stripping things back with her Virgin era—embracing loose tops and t-shirts, baggy pants and duct tape Balenciaga boots. Her Coachella attire was an amusing combo of a gray T-shirt and reflective pants. Simple? Sure. Iconic? Definitely.