How to cop Olivia Rodrigo’s Grungecore Gen Z style

Whether you know Olivia Rodrigo from her hit singles “Vampire” or “Deja Vu”, or her alleged feud with Sabrina Carpenter, we can all agree that the singer has honed her own sense of style.

Born in 2003, making her a Gen Z, one might expect her to dress a certain way: think baggy jeans with baby tees. But Rodrigo manages to weave together pop-punk accents (think red/black emo of the 2010s) with more current trends. Her personal style reflects her music—a dash of teen angst laced with accents of femininity—reflected in almost every single one of her music videos.

Rodrigo is about to hold her first-ever concert in Singapore on 1 and 2 October, which is exciting news for fans who have followed her since she got her “Driver’s License”. How does one decide what to wear for a time like this? If imitation is the best form of flattery, so here are some quintessential Olivia-coded pieces that are very ... gutsy.

Plaid, plaid and more plaid

It might be true that Avril Lavigne probably influenced millennials to add plaid pleated skirts into their shopping carts. But Olivia holds her own by keeping plaid patterns relevant, even in 2024.

The LBD

There are undoubtedly a hundred ways to style a little black dress. Olivia’s take? To accentuate her collarbones with a preference for off-shoulder and halter neck styles.

Sequinned statements

She sparkles up a storm on stage, as seen in concert videos filmed by fans. Matching sequin sets have become synonymous with Liv.

Big beanie energy

Love may be embarrassing, but beanies sure aren’t. She’s even opted for beret beanies à la Emily in Paris, following up from the season four drop.

Vampire red lips, always

Rodrigo has a knack for identifying strong statement pieces to complete her look. Her signature red lips can be attained by mixing different products; whether glossy or matte, we’ve got you babes.

Bonus: sour stickers!

Embrace your inner Coachella goer by adding multi-coloured facial stickers, or in this era, eclectic pimple patches.

This article was first published in Harper’s Bazaar Singapore.