What to wear at a concert

I do not know about you, but the first thing that I stress over when I have an event to attend to, is: "What I am going to wear?"

Back in January, I attended a concert at the French Institute in Dakar. They have really good concerts with African bands at affordable prices. I always wanted to go. But either the timing was never right or I would hear about the concerts too late. But this time, everything fell into place. I went to see Daara Ji Family, a rap group I used to like when I was in my teens. Funnily enough when they started, they rented a flat near my house, and me and my friends would pass by in hopes of seeing them. They were also one of the first rap groups I saw on concert back in the late 90's. The concert was great, the ambiance wonderful. They sang their new hits but also the oldies. I sang, I screamed, I danced. It was such a great event and I think I am going to try and attend more concerts in the future.

But back to the subject at hand: what to wear at a concert?

Well that depends. That depends mainly on the type of concert. The one I attended at the French institute was very relaxed and not uptight at all. However, there are other types of concert such as galas. 

 Casual:

If you go to a concert where you know you might have to stand and dance all through it, I suggest you opt for comfort. My fave attire for a concert would be jeans, a tee and sneakers. I would add a lightweight jacket if it is out in the open. But to avoid being too casual, I would add fun accessories such as statement necklaces or a funky bag. For the concert, I wore a cotton and satin tee, a pair of jeans, some block heels sandals and my denim jacket. I jazzed things up with a fringed and embellished shoulder bag, a silver coin necklace and my African printed head-warp. I had to keep it African.

I saw many women glamed up at the concert with high heels and tight fitted dresses. I am not one to judge and I think comfort can come in different types of clothing. I could have worn a maxi dress and be very comfortable. But for some reasons, I always go for jeans.

Casual concert look

Fabulous:

If you are attending a gala concert, you might need to bring your A game. Gala events in my country are another excuse for women to dress up. And boy do they dress up! They opt for fabulous floor length gowns in sparkly, lacy or sheer materials. Those dresses are either in the western style or traditional Senegalese wear such as "Taille Basse" or "Bubu". I have not yet attended a gala concert but it is on my bucket list. I know the formula is to go for a gown, high heels, a clutch, and sparkly accessories. The unspoken protocol dictates that one should not dance widely at gala concerts so one can manage even with a tight fitting dress and high heels.

Gala concert look

There you have it: two types of style for two different types of concerts. Which one is your favorite?

Here is a short video of Daara Ji Family singing their anthem song at the concert. Enjoy!