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Louise Thomas
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Sabrina Carpenter has a candid message for the haters who disapprove of her Short N’ Sweet tour outfits.
In conversation with Time as one of their 2024 Time100 Next artists, the 25-year-old performer told her fashion critics to stay home if they’re not satisfied by her wardrobe choices.
“To that I just say, don’t come to the show, and that’s OK,” she said in the article published on October 2.
The “Please Please Please” artist has presented a sequence of flirty, feminine fashion on stage since her Short N’ Sweet tour kicked off on September 23. Since then, Carpenter has worn a Swarvoski crystal-studded two-piece by provocative French designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin, a shimmery bodice and matching garters, and a black lace catsuit by Patou for her sold-out crowds of young girls, reluctant boyfriends, and even a few moms.
While her wardrobe – styled and picked by Jared Ellner – flows synonymously with her allure and lustful ballads, a few showgoers and at-home viewers have expressed distaste for the outfit picks. Still, Carpenter blocks out the noise by remembering how her role models – Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé – used fashion as a mechanism for self-confidence on stage.
“It’s unfortunate that it’s ever been something to criticize, because truthfully, the scariest thing in the world is getting up on a stage in front of that many people and having to perform as if it’s nothing,” the “Taste” singer noted. “If the one thing that helps you do that is the way you feel comfortable dressing, then that’s what you’ve got to do.”
To Carpenter, all the negligees, feathers, and flouncy chiffon robes add to her current persona – embodying the femininity she’s always embraced. And while her former concert looks – as seen during her Emails I Can’t Send and Eras Tour shows – reflected a more playful, Bratz-like style, now she’s tapping into a new sense of conviction with bolder, barely-there choices.
She added: “If right now that means corsets and garter belts and fuzzy robes or whatever the f***, then that’s what that means.”
Unlike her show-runs in the past, the former Disney Channel entertainer has been able to bare fresh variations of her custom-made looks for the Short N’ Sweet tour. Carpenter’s previous tour style was limited, as she was forced to cycle through only a few outfits, even if they were in some way damaged or visibly worn down.
“In the past it would be like, if that outfit has stains on it, good luck,” Carpenter explained.
The “Bad Chem” singer has been working alongside celebrity stylist Jared Ellner for some time. The duo has collaborated on a myriad of Carpenter’s red carpet looks and magazine covers – most notably her 2024 MTV VMAs ensemble, which enlivened Madonna’s 1991 strapless studded Oscars gown.
