As many people brim with excitement for the upcoming holidays, fashion lovers are already looking forward to next spring.

In a press statement released on Nov. 8, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) revealed the theme for The Costume Institute’s Spring 2024 exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” 

The exhibition will run from May 10 through Sept. 2, 2024, at The Met, while, the coinciding star-studded Costume Institute Benefit, also known as The Met Gala, will be held on May 6, 2024, to celebrate the exhibition’s opening and raise funds for the institute.

According to The Met, the exhibit will feature “approximately 250 garments and accessories spanning four centuries.”  

Andrew Bolton, the Curator in Charge at The Costume Institute, said that the exhibition aims to give new life to these archival pieces by appealing to viewers’ senses through technologies including video animation, soundscapes and light projection.  

“When an item of clothing enters our collection, its status is changed irrevocably.  What was once a vital piece of a person’s lived experience is now a motionless ‘artwork’ that can no longer be worn or heard, touched, or smelled,” Bolton told The Met. “The exhibition endeavors to reanimate these artworks by re-awakening their sensory capacities through a diverse range of technologies, affording visitors sensorial ‘access’ to rare historical garments and rarefied contemporary fashions.”

The Met stated that pieces will be paired with nature-centric iconography and technologies to reinvigorate them. The ceiling of one room “will be projection-mapped with a Hitchcockian swarm of black birds” that surround a pre-World War II black tulle evening dress, according to The Met.

The Met said they hope for the comparison between fashion and nature to emphasize the “fragility and ephemerality of fashion.”

The Met stated that in order to further highlight the delicateness of fashion, a series of garments too fragile to be dressed on mannequins will be displayed in glass “coffins,” hence the exhibition title “Sleeping Beauties,” for viewers to observe their states of deterioration.  Even these extremely delicate pieces will be given new life.

“Select ‘beauties’ will be brought back to life by the illusion technique known as Pepper’s Ghost,” The Met stated. 

Pepper’s Ghost is an illusion technique that is often used in the theater, cinema, museums, concerts and amusement parks in which an image of an off-stage object is projected in order to appear as though it is in front of the audience.

Further emphasizing the life of fashion, The Met said that the exhibition will juxtapose historical fashions with their contemporary counterparts by showcasing the pieces together.  According to Vogue Magazine, works by contemporary designers including Phillip Lim, Stella McCartney and Connor Ives will be showcased in the exhibit.

This year’s lead sponsor, Tiktok, will make the exhibition and benefit possible, while Loewe will provide further support.  

Additional event details and co-chairs remain unannounced.

Though the exhibition itself has sparked much excitement, perhaps the most highly anticipated aspect of the event is seeing how our favorite celebrities will interpret the theme at The Met Gala. 

The theme allows for much creativity from celebrities and stylists given the emphasis on a range of topics including fashion’s evolution, functionality and artistic roles, and fashion’s parallels to nature, but until the Gala, we can only predict who will participate, guess who will be best dressed based on previous galas, and hope that designers’ works reflect the complexities and possibilities of next year’s theme.

Whether they touch our hearts with poignant songs or merely occupy the sensory background of our lives through catchy radio hits, musical artists have an undeniable impact on both popular culture and our personal lives. 

Though many musical artists hope to be recognized for their craft, one cannot deny the significance of an artist’s image, an image largely constructed by fashion.

Members of “the 27 Club” – an unofficial group of musicians who all died at age 27 – are famous not only for their tragically young deaths and musical innovation but also for their unique sense of style. 

From Janis Joplin’s eclectic bohemian flair to Kurt Cobain’s disheveled ensembles, these musicians’ styles have significantly contributed to their enduring impact on pop culture and have inspired generations of fans.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is best known for his vocal range, lyrical genius, and perhaps most notably, his guitar skills. His songs were influenced by genres ranging from the blues to psychedelia to rock’n’roll and in addition to his musical chops, Hendrix was adept at putting a compelling outfit together.

Like his music, Hendrix’s outfits were bold and complex, often including striking silhouettes, rich colors and psychedelic patterns. Hendrix impressively incorporated multiple statement pieces into cohesive outfits, often tying looks together with patterned head scarves that matched the details in his clothes.  

Hendrix’s attention to detail was not limited to his music. Accessories including stone jewelry, patterned vests and statement hats enhanced his unique style.

Another staple piece in Hendrix’s wardrobe was his “Royal Hussar” British military jacket. His signature jacket not only added to his outfits but likely also nodded to his time spent in the American military, exemplifying his personal approach to fashion.

Janis Joplin 

With her powerful renditions of bluesy rock classics, Janis Joplin established herself as a major rock icon of the late 1960s. In addition to her voice, her eccentric style cemented her as a wholly authentic icon. Joplin has long been a quintessential idol for the late ‘60s to early ‘70s hippie style. 

Joplin embodied the carefree, peaceful spirit associated with the counterculture with a fresh face, wild hair, round-framed glasses and loose-fitting clothing and her affinity for bohemian vests and necklaces on top of necklaces attest to the power, and fun, of layering.

While many of Joplin’s outfits could be characterized as earthy, they certainly incorporated her own touch of glamor. Her creativity was apparent in the inclusion of accessories such as stacked rings, bangle bracelets, hair scarves and long necklaces. Bright colors and rich fabrics such as velvet also solidified her fashionable yet refreshingly natural rockstar image.

Joplin often melded casual late ‘60s staples such as bell-bottom jeans with showier pieces such as fur hats and coats, which have proved to be enduring statement pieces. Her long fur-lined coat – often referred to as a “Penny Lane” coat – has become particularly popular in recent years, serving as the perfect piece for wearers to embrace a bold bohemian look of their own.

Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison, lead singer-songwriter of The Doors, has often seemed a contradictory figure and although his addiction-fueled behavior led to the public perceiving him as a reckless rock god, he has been widely celebrated for his thoughtful and sometimes cryptic lyrics and poems.

His style reflected his complicated image. While his button-down silk blouses suggest the look of a sensitive poet, his famous leather pants manifest his bad boy, rock star image. Even his hair, rebelliously long yet romantically tousled, exemplified his mysterious, complex image.

Morrison’s penchant for leather certainly was not limited to pants. Fitted leather jackets—sometimes without a shirt underneath—were staple pieces in his effortlessly cool wardrobe.  

Morrison often enhanced his outfits with Western-style statement belts, which beautifully stood out against his solid leather pants.

Kurt Cobain

Nirvana singer, songwriter and guitarist, Kurt Cobain, rose to fame in the early ‘90s as a key figure in Seattle’s alternative rock, or “grunge,” music scene. His raw, introspective music marked a large shift from that of flashy ‘80s hair bands to the grunge movement of the ‘90s. 

Like his music, Cobain’s style indicated a new authenticity in rock music. His greasy hair and unflashy outfits – which often incorporated loose band tees, baggy jeans and ever-popular flannels and cardigans – strikingly contrasted the meticulously styled hair and gaudy ensembles of rock stars of the previous decade.  

Though Cobain often seemed to prioritize comfort in his style, he certainly knew how to make a statement through fashion. Instead of donning designer apparel – as many musicians might – Cobain famously wore a t-shirt stating “Corporate magazines still suck” on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine in 1992. His statement shirt, which he paired with his now-iconic large oval sunglasses, a slouchy cardigan and ripped jeans, emphasized his authenticity. He made it clear that, to him, music was an outlet for self-expression, not merely a path to fame.

Though Cobain’s style might be seen as intentionally anti-fashion, he did not always disregard fashion expectations just to rebel. On one occasion Cobain was seen sporting pajamas and bedhead during his wedding to Courtney Love simply because he was reportedly too lazy to put on a tuxedo.

A vocal feminist, Cobain was critical of the uber-macho rock star stereotype. He subverted and poked fun at this expectation by wearing feminine clothes, such as dresses, skirts and occasionally donning painted nails or smokey eyeliner for photoshoots and concerts. The impact of his bold juxtaposition of feminine and masculine pieces resounds today as an increasing number of male artists incorporate feminine elements into their styles.

Amy Winehouse 

Amy Winehouse asserted herself as a star in the 2000s with her powerful voice, cutting lyrics and unforgettable style. As with her music, Winehouse’s fashion meshed elements from the ‘50s and ‘60s along with modern components. 

Winehouse’s signature beehive hairdo and winged eyeliner mirrored trends of ‘60s icons such as The Ronettes, who also inspired her soulful music. Her more contemporary tattoos are markedly juxtaposed with her hair and makeup. 

Winehouse often wore simple outfits, such as solid tank tops with blue jeans, which maintained focus on heavy makeup, over-the-top hair and bold tattoos. Large hoop earrings and visible bra straps served as playful modern touches and likely contributed, in addition to her publicized health issues and addiction struggles, to her contemporary reckless rockstar image.

Winehouse’s looks certainly attest to the power that cosmetics, shoes and accessories have on a person’s image.  Though unflashy, her trademark ballet flats – which are currently resurging in popularity due to trends such as “balletcore” – added a delicate touch to her looks and reflected the popular “twee” style of the early 2010s. Headbands also vamped up her more understated outfits while paying homage to styles of the 1950s and 1960s.

Though casual pieces were staples in her style, Winehouse certainly knew how to dress up with her signature flair. Her formal dresses often had vintage-inspired silhouettes; retro yet bold sweetheart necklines manifested her edgy flair. She often wore her customary colors, black, white and red, perhaps to not overwhelm her striking hair, makeup, and tattoos. Accessories such as red hair flowers, black gloves and timeless patterns such as polka dots and plaid are made for beautiful and personal finishing touches.

While the 27 club’s members’ styles differ, they share a significant commonality, an unabashed reflection of individuality. While it certainly would be fun to emulate Morrison’s leather ensembles for a night out or copy Winehouse’s eye-catching makeup to channel the ‘60s, the best style cue you can take from these icons is to wear what makes you feel good.  While you might not want or be able to influence pop culture as these artists did, you surely do not need to be rich or famous to express yourself through fashion.