Nuevo Culture

Look Out For Halsey’s Style In 2021

If Halsey wasn’t on your fashion radar before—I’ll admit she wasn’t always on mine—she should be in 2020. Her style shift started in early 2020, before COVID-19 had many staying at home in lockdown. In January, she wore an icy blue, off-the-shoulder dress from the graduate collection of Parsons student Hanyu Cui to her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and later that month, she opted for a curve-skimming dress with a kaleidoscope of trippy sherbet hues by Sies Marjan at a performance. With these, her look evolved from a general sexy-hot vibe shared by many pop stars to a more indie style.

This colorful, elevated aesthetic continued into her street style. In July, she opted for Collina Strada tie-dyed sweatpants. Later in September, she arrived at the studio in a vintage, Frida Kahlo-print Jean Paul Gaultier mesh dress. In October—with her new buzz cut!—Halsey arrived at a livestreaming musical event toting a large oversized Telfar baby blue bag. I also learned that she is a Lakers fan through her variety of pieces: LeBron James’s number 23 yellow jersey, a vintage 2002 championship watch, and a hulking white puffer coat with the team name emblazoned on it.

Halsey carrying a Telfar bag, November 2020Photo: Backgrid

Not one to wear exclusively buzzy pieces, Halsey has mastered the high-low mix, which makes her style feel wholly personal. She often mixes her standout clothes with garb from Urban Outfitters, like a crop top or plaid lounge pants, that she pairs with Marc Jacobs x Doc Marten boots. Maybe without COVID-19, we would have seen some outré onstage looks from Halsey, further cementing her as a champion of smaller labels. But alas, it’s currently a sweatpant nation for the foreseeable future. Though she managed to make humble sweats her own, wearing a rotation of tie-dyed sets.

Halsey wearing a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier dress, September 2020Photo: Backgrid

I don’t necessarily think that Halsey is trying to become a paparazzi-stalked fashion plate, and that is refreshing. Her here-and-there fashion shouts are right in step with her metamorphosis, and have certainly piqued my interest as to what she’ll wear next. I’ve seen her go through several different hairstyles, including rocking a killer Mad Max-style buzz cut that she dyed into swirls of lime green, highlighter yellow, and icy blue. She even released a best-selling book of poetry I Would Leave Me If I Could, an emotional mash-up that touches on everything from family, relationships, and love. Sound-wise, she has some chart-topping bops that I find myself listening to even beyond a workout! You could say…I’m becoming a fan. In a day-in-age when celebrities are very much styled head-to-toe, Halsey’s approach to fashion feels all very genuine and accessible, which is something that should resonate with her fans and beyond. Let’s see what she wears in 2021.