A Taylor Swift Eras Tour tee. A Loewe ‘I Told Ya’ tee from “Challengers.” Multiple Glossier hoodies. A Sabrina Carpenter hoodie that says “You act like a bitch” — a reference to her song “Feather.” A 1975 tee. An A24 “Babygirl” tee — a recent pickup. All of these are pieces of merch I have collected over the years that are consistently in my outfit rotation.
There was a time when I wouldn’t be caught dead in any of these in public. Wearing merch felt like admitting something embarrassing: that I cared so much about something that I was willing to spend money on an item of clothing associated with it. There’s also this weird stigma around merch, especially when it comes to being considered ‘fashionable.’
Most people associate fashion with a sense of individuality and being unique. It’s about creating a look that makes people go, “Wow,” and think, “Where did they get that? I want that outfit too.” That allure and questioning where someone got something disappears with merch because not only is it mass-produced, but your shirt, sweater, etc. will often explicitly tell others where you got it because “Renaissance World Tour” or “Coachella 2024” is plastered on the front of it. There’s also a decent chance that if you wear some of these popular merch items out in public, you might bump into someone wearing the same thing — this has happened to me before.
But the thing with merch is it’s not necessarily supposed to be a big, unique fashion statement. Wearing merch is like wearing your heart on your sleeve. It’s a statement saying, “I love this artist, this brand, this film, and I’m not afraid to show it.” Merch is fun and personal. It’s a little wink to those who get the reference. Sure, you might see ten other people in the same band tee, but isn’t that kind of the point? It’s a sign of community and can spark conversations like the ones I had about “Babygirl” at The Burren recently when I wore my “Babygirl” Milk tee.
And all of this isn’t to say merch can never be fashionable. A bold merch tee paired with tailored pants and some sleek boots? Easy look. I mean just go look at the photos of Jennifer Lawrence in the “Challengers” tee — no notes. Or look at a throwback photo of Taylor Swift rocking a 1975 tee (for all my Swifties, yes, it’s funny to look at the now post-Matty Healy era). Merch isn’t the enemy of style — it’s an untapped gold mine when done correctly.
So, wear that merch. Go in the back of your closet, and find that tee you’ve been embarrassed to wear. Wear it proudly. Because, honestly, if you really think about it, no one makes fun of sports fans for wearing jerseys and sports merch all the time, so why can’t you wear that concert tee?
