Raspberry Berets: The five most iconic fashion items in song
If there’s anything that the fashion houses of London, Paris, and Milan have taught us, it’s that a good look can only be embodied by the star power of whoever dons the garments. You can be as exuberant or flashy as you like, but at the end of the day, clothes convey very little if they don’t come with a little attitude from the person strutting in them – whether that’s on the catwalk or down the high street.
Any true rock star will know that ideal all too well – and we all know there’s been a fair few striking looks across the musical landscape, iconic or otherwise, over time. It ranges from the performative costume types like David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, or Elton John’s many pieces of famous paraphernalia, right down to the stars of today who use fashion as a wider vehicle for their artistry, such as Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and Kendrick Lamar.
It’s hardly surprising that clothes far from the minds of many an artist, such are they among the most integral expressions of luxury and fame. To that end, there’s a whole litany of songs dissecting some of the most iconic fashion items in history, in everything from staple pieces to flamboyant accessories.
The examples are many and massive, from Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Boots are Made for Walking’ to Stevie Nicks’ ‘Blue Denim’ – but here we give you five essential options to give your sonic wardrobe a whole new makeover, starting with the head and running all the way down to the feet. By the end of it, you might just feel like a rock star yourself. So, in the eternal words of Madonna: “Vogue, strike a pose”.
The five most famous fashion items in song
‘Raspberry Beret’ – Prince
Admittedly, the fashion world can be one rife with capitalist overconsumption and less than ethical rituals, but like the forward-thinking visionary mind he always was, Prince was advocating for the vintage market’s early doors through his fantasies for the girl who wore a “raspberry beret/ the kind you’d find in a second-hand store”. Blazing as an iconic piece of the mid-1980s, that deep pink-hued hat would go on to shape Prince’s entire defining legacy.
Glorifying the woman of his dreams who was sporting the raspberry beret and very little else, Prince demonstrated that full-on, over-the-top outfits weren’t ever necessarily needed to make a statement. Instead, just one carefully chosen accessory could be the key to the heart – and, of course, a seismic hit – so long as you were able to pull off the hat with a pompous French flourish.
‘T-Shirt Weather’ – Circa Waves
Jumping to a garment of a very different sound and vision, Circa Waves are next up in giving us their fashion advice. But unlike Prince who elected for one standout piece, the indie rockers decided to go for a much simpler token of wardrobe advice in their sun-soaked hit, ‘T-Shirt Weather’.
Unbelievably only released in 2015, the shiny optimism of blazing summer days that the band explore comes a decade later than the rest of the indie sleaze tunes it would fit comfortably at home with. As far as Liverpudlian quartets go, however, at least Circa Waves are confident in their look. They only have to look to their counterparts in The Beatles to witness outfits both iconic and questionable in equal measure, so a T-shirt is, at the very least, a safer bet.
‘Coat of Many Colours’ – Dolly Parton
The idea of rocking out in short sleeves may have us all fantasising towards summer, but it’s worth remembering that the odd chilly spell isn’t quite behind us yet. That’s exactly what Dolly Parton reminded us in her classic misty-eyed 1971 ballad, ‘Coat of Many Colours’, which will have you wiping away the tears and reaching for those old nostalgic memories right at the back of the closet.
Famously detailing the patchwork rag jacket that her mother made for her as a child, Parton captured a cosy, homely spirit that proves the most precious clothes aren’t always from the highest echelons of society. Sometimes, our most prized fashion possessions hold more value than any physical luxury or expensive material could ever buy. As she sings so many times throughout the song, those are the items that never fail to make you proud.
‘Knee Socks’ – Arctic Monkeys
In not at all as sentimental a vein, the Arctic Monkeys now come along to turn our attention downwards towards the feet, where they suggest that ‘Knee Socks’ are the key to completing a look. Fair enough, it may not be a choice to everyone’s taste, and Sheffield may not be the likeliest location for the next big fashion breakthrough, but nevertheless, the captivating look that Alex Turner and Co. cultivated on AM left no artistic pretences.
With the woman of Turner’s desire “walk[ing] around your house in my sky-blue Lacoste/ And your knee socks,” the band cast a very different light on the notion of clothing compared to designer labels or nostalgic pieces. It embodies creativity in every sense of the word – both in terms of the image and its sonic position, as the frontman said the song was home to some of the Arctic Monkeys’ most original sound.
‘Blue Suede Shoes’ – Elvis Presley
They say you’re never fully dressed without a smile, but you also can’t step out the door with just knee socks on, so picking the right pair of kicks is all-important in sealing the deal for a killer outfit. Thankfully, Elvis Presley is coming in clutch on that front, with his world-famous ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ reigning supreme in creating the ultimate musical wardrobe.
Classic yet contemporary, sophisticated but stylish – the blue suede shoe embodies everything there is to know about finessing a timeless look. It’s no surprise they were the footwear of choice for the Graceland god, as he could hardly be expected to blaze onto the stage simply donning an average pair of trainers, could he?
In fact, that sense of fashion innovation was pertinent to Presley from the very beginning, as appearing on 1950s television to perform the song for one of the first times, clad in formal attire, he proclaimed: “I think that I have on something tonight that’s not quite right for evening wear,” before revealing the shoes that then took the world by storm. If there was one man who knew exactly what to wear from head to foot, it was ‘The King’.
