- PJ Harvey
“Dressed like a fabulously turned-out carrion crow,” is how our reviewer described the gothic, avian-like get-up PJ Harvey wore to perform her journalistic and theatrical ninth album, The Hope Six Demolition Project, in Brixton, south London, in 2016. The dress was the work of Harvey’s longtime friend, the Belgian designer Ann Demeulemeester, and epitomises the more dramatic stage looks – melodramatic but pared-back – that Harvey turned to for her later, darker albums. As she said of the clothes: “For me, it’s about the ability to meet the world. And it is a second skin, isn’t it? It’s protection, as well. It’s a very big part of clothing, the feeling of protection, particularly in Ann’s clothes.” Who would have thought that someone who earlier in their career took to the stage in Spice Girls co-ords and hot-pink catsuits would wind up in such serious Belgian high-fashion?
- Lily Allen
It’s been called the ultimate revenge dress; on stage in Chicago earlier this year, performing a track called 4Chan Stan from her breakup album West End Girl, Lily Allen wore a dress printed with enlarged images of receipts, which some fans have linked to an an alleged affair on the part of her ex-husband. “Never been Bergdorf’s / But you took someone shopping there on May 24 / You bought her a handbag / It wasn’t cheap / I was in London / Probably asleep,” she sang, as she unfurled herself from the dress showing credit card transactions and texts. It’s a piece of pop performance art, created with the help of co-creative director Anna Fleische and stylist Mel Ottenberg, from a pop star who made a name for herself in the mid-2000s performing in more seemingly cobbled-together ensembles of gold hoops, Nike high-tops and prom-style dresses.
- Harry Styles
Harry Styles has been a determined subverter of gender stereotypes over the years but his actual dress wearing has been greatly exaggerated. Aside from a Vogue shoot, this is the only time the popstar has worn one to perform. Still, he went all in for “Harryween” at Madison Square Garden back in 2021, dressing up as “Dorothy” in a bespoke blue and white gingham dress by Gucci, marking (or perhaps peaking?) his long-term collaboration with the brand, accessorised with red ruby slippers and a stuffed Wizard of Oz Toto. Proof that the man looks as good in gingham as he does in his fancy chore jackets from SS Daley, this was lighthearted Harry giving his fanbase what they want (in comparison with his aloof little number at the most recent Brit awards).
- Joni Mitchell
Although she couldn’t have known it, this marigold-orange dress with turquoise jewellery was the perfect look for her 1970 Isle of Wight festival performance, since described by Mitchell as “a bit of a disaster”. A rowdy, riled-up crowd wasn’t giving her the respect she deserved and, instead of being cowed, she called them out – “You’re acting like tourists, man. Give us some respect!” It won them over. This was Mitchell, 26 at the time, giving as good as she got. A bit of a departure from the more boho, floaty aesthetic for which she is best known, but which doesn’t quite fit the real-life “fancy French cologne” and “clean white linen” beloved of the singer. Mitchell doesn’t need a dress to make her stand out, but that day, in front of a lairy crowd, her pared-down but vivid dress may have helped.
- Geri Horner (Halliwell)
The union jack has taken on very different associations in 2026. But 1997 was a different time. Worn by Horner a year after the Spice Girls’ debut album came out, when pop culture and politics had culminated in optimistic Blair-mania, the flag swiftly became shorthand for a camper side of Britpop that bordered on sexy (not to mention a go-to Halloween costume for decades that followed). Horner later auctioned it off to the The Hard Rock Cafe, which paid a record-breaking £41,000 for it, and the style was later resurrected in the 2007 Spice Girls comeback tour by Roberto Cavalli. Never mind that the dress is a little black Gucci number, designed by Tom Ford, with a tea towel sewn on the front.
