What to wear to a concert

Start with the venue and the music

A stadium show means long lines, a lot of walking, open air and sometimes hours in a seat or on the floor. An arena is enclosed and warm once it fills. A small club or theater gets hot and crowded near the stage, with sticky floors and little room for coats. An outdoor amphitheater with a lawn section means grass, sun at the start, a cool evening at the end and possibly rain. Before choosing anything, look up the venue and picture where you will actually be standing.

The music sets the mood. What most people wear to concerts is casual: jeans, T shirts, band shirts, sneakers and boots. Many fans dress to match the artist or the era of an album, and a country concert has its own look, with denim, boots and sometimes a hat. Jazz clubs, cabaret and nicer theaters lean toward smart casual. Symphony, opera and ballet have no strict rule for regular performances, and you will see jeans and suits in the same row, though opening nights and galas are dressier, closer to dressy casual or beyond.

Shoes come first

Your shoes decide how you feel at the end of the night. Plan for hours on your feet, including lines, security and the walk from parking, and choose something you have already worn for a full day. Sneakers with good cushioning, broken in leather boots and low block heel boots are the most reliable. On a crowded floor, closed toes protect you from being stepped on, and they also cope with spilled drinks.

Sandals and heels have their place: sandals at a relaxed seated show on a warm night, heels at a theater with reserved seats. On a lawn, thin heels sink into the grass, and on a festival field in rain, canvas sneakers soak through within minutes. Cowboy boots for a country concert are a classic for a reason, as long as they are broken in. White sneakers will come home dirtier than they left, and our guide to cleaning white sneakers handles the morning after.

Dress for the crowd heat and the walk home

A packed arena or club gets warm quickly, even in winter, so dress lighter than the weather outside suggests and put your warmth in a layer you can remove. A flannel shirt, a denim jacket, a light bomber or a zip sweatshirt can be tied around the waist when you are hot and put back on for the walk out. In winter, a coat is awkward to hold for three hours; many venues have a coat check, and if yours does not, a packable jacket and a warm knit underneath are easier than a bulky parka.

Outdoor summer shows run the other way: hot in the sun during the opener and cool after dark. Breathable fabrics, a hat or cap and sunscreen matter for the first hours, and a light layer for the last. If rain is possible, a light hooded rain jacket is far more practical than an umbrella, which blocks other people's view and is banned at some venues. Our guides to dressing for rain and 90 degree weather cover the extremes.

Check the bag policy and plan your pockets

Many large venues now limit what you can bring through security, and the rules shape your outfit. Levi's Stadium, like many NFL stadiums that also host concerts, allows a clear bag no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches (about 30 by 15 by 30 cm) plus a small clutch up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches (about 11 by 17 cm), and applies the policy to concerts. Arenas and clubs set their own rules, so check the venue website before you leave.

Because a large bag may not be allowed, plan your pockets. Jeans or trousers with deep front pockets, a jacket with zip pockets, or a small crossbody bag worn in front keeps your phone, ID, card and keys secure in a crowd. Avoid back pockets for your phone. A small bag you do not need to set down is also easier when you want both hands free to dance or hold a drink.

Concert outfit ideas for men and women

For men, dark jeans or chinos with a band T shirt or a plain tee, a flannel or overshirt on top and leather sneakers or boots is the classic formula for almost any rock, pop or hip hop show. For a summer lawn, swap in shorts, a short sleeve camp collar shirt and a cap. For a jazz club or the symphony, chinos or wool trousers with a knit polo or an oxford and a casual blazer look right. For a country concert, jeans, a western or pearl snap shirt and broken in boots fit in without needing a hat.

For women, straight or wide leg jeans with a fitted tee or a camisole and a denim or leather jacket works at nearly every venue. A slip or midi dress with sneakers or low boots and a light jacket is comfortable and a little dressier. For a summer lawn, denim shorts or a skirt with a loose top and a hat; for a winter arena, black jeans, a fine knit and ankle boots, with the coat checked or left behind; our guide to wearing ankle boots with jeans helps with proportions. For a country show, a denim skirt or jeans with boots is the easy anchor.

Age is not a dress code. What to wear to a concert in your 40s or 50s is what you would wear to any night out that you enjoy, adjusted for comfort: supportive shoes, a layer you like, and fabrics that move. If you want to join in the fun of dressing for the artist, a color, a vintage band tee, a sequined top or a pair of statement boots does it without feeling like a costume.

Protect your ears and handle the small things

Concerts are loud enough to damage hearing. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders puts concerts in the range of about 94 to 110 decibels and notes that long or repeated exposure above 85 can cause hearing loss, which is permanent but preventable. Musicians' earplugs lower the volume evenly so the music still sounds clear, and even basic foam earplugs help. Keep a pair in your jacket pocket. Beyond that, bring a hair tie, sunglasses for daytime shows, and a phone charged enough to find your friends and your ride at the end of the night.