A Brief Inquiry into Matty Healy's Fashion Sense
Graphic by Grace Lougheed. Images via The Fader and The Sunday Times
Matty Healy walks through life with a level of self-proclaimed pretentiousness that is accurately shown in the way he dresses. Lead singer and the aesthetic mind behind English band The 1975, Matty has never had a defined style. Like his band’s music, his taste in fashion is constantly changing. However, there is no doubt that he has become a fashion icon, particularly in this last year. After the release of A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, he was featured in several fashion magazines, including British GQ and Fader. But what really is Matty Healy’s style?
Despite his eclectic taste, Healy rarely devotes time in interviews to discuss his clothing choices. However, his devotion to fashion is made known through his Instagram. From his earliest posts, Healy has made clothing a focal point of his account. Back in 2012, he even posted pieces without wearing them.
These days, in addition to using his Instagram to simply show off his wardrobe, he uses his account as a platform to get opinions on his outfits from fans.
The stark contrast between the two outfits above does not even begin to depict the complexity of Matty Healy’s fashion sense. Since he stepped into the limelight circa 2012, he has constantly surprised fans with what he deems stylish. Additionally, Healy arguably uses the way he dresses to express what he, or rather what The 1975, is passionate about. He is often quoted in interviews discussing how wearing a t-shirt for a specific band or singer is an outlet of inspiration. Additionally, Healy has never been one to shy away from his femininity, particularly in his styling choices. In his interview with GQ, he claims he was lucky enough to never experience fear of a lack of masculinity.
These qualities are perhaps what makes Healy’s fashion sense so interesting. He refuses to fall into any stereotype. While he clearly cares about fashion, he doesn’t seem to care whether or not what he wears is considered fashionable.
Healy has gone through a number of phases: from British punk – complete with eyeliner and leather jackets – in 2013 to his current look of what one can only describe as a 1990s Californian with a knack for thrifting. Perhaps what makes Healy such a style icon is that he doesn’t really try to have a style at all – he simply wears what he thinks is, in his own words, peng.