In the music video for her third single of the year, Katy Perry delves into the retro aesthetic of the 60s and 70s, and her fashion and makeup is definitely an inspiration for summer 2019.
The Zedd-produced song was teased yesterday (30th) with videos posted online, revealing Perry with puffy blonde hair and a low-cut orange dress, with peachy lipstick and vibrant purple eye makeup, the bright colours already assuring the track was to have a strong summer vibe. What fans were not prepared for was the lengths the music video was to go to so it could achieve that California spirit.
The teaser video suggested a hippy, Ying and Yang, healing atmosphere, the voiceover describing ‘a place of tranquillity and synchronicity’, and this was best captured in the amazing retro fashion seen on Perry and backup dancers. Think bold colour schemes which scream 60s but are still incredibly stylish and honestly a trend which needs to make a comeback. Stylists Samantha Rhodes and Savannah Baker really dedicated themselves to the look.
The singer-song writer is first seen in a baby blue and lemon yellow gingham mini dress with billowy sleeves and matching blue shoes, as well as a statement red-orange handbag and her blonde hair loose around her shoulders. Then, she’s serving a serious look with a Stoned Immaculate blue jumpsuit and matching bandana tied through her curled hair, with bold orange eye makeup and chunky orange, yellow and blue accessories finishing off this statement piece.
The fashion of the video is filled not only with single-colour, monochromatic outfits, but also outfits which pull together a lot of textures. From shimmery silk shirts to heavy jackets and corduroy, each piece is deliberate and creates a unified palette of oranges, browns, yellow, and blue, while maintaining a slight modern edge to the retro look. Perry’s next outfit is a glittery eye and neutral face, voluminous hair, and a millenial pink colour scheme. Pairing jeans with a lacy shirt and a sunhat with a stunning gauzy veil-like addition, the plethora of tulle and floral prints creates a soft, summery tone.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByIa6I2DpeE/
Perry then wears a flowing pleated dress of peach, orange, and purple shades as she stands in a meadow surrounded by dancers in bright-coloured dresses and huge sunhats. Her purple eye shadow and huge gold earrings add to the outfit, but are nothing compared to the big beaded headdress she adorns as she sits by a campfire towards the end of the video. Her clingy, satiny red dress look is completed by her wide sleeves with huge heart cut-outs. The tone of the video is not only about healing vibes, vintage looks, and embracing the natural world, but also all about love.
Finally, Katy wears a gorgeous layered dress by Célia Valverde, a pink, off-the-shoulder design with white and yellow flowers, cinched at the waist with a chunky brown belt, her hair in two plaits.
Variety reported that the singer explained that the song was inspired by ‘the age of Aquarius, new age, esoteric, California, healing, hippie, medicinal—all of those key words’ and this can totally be seen in the music video. The health retreat Perry visits is utopian to the point of it seeming vaguely cult-like, but as the dancers frolic in meadows dressed in flowing dresses and corduroy flares you can’t help but admire the zen, summery atmosphere created by the outfits. Colourful has always been Perry’s prerogative when it comes to fashion and beauty, but this softer, more natural summer vibe is a welcome look.
Never Really Over is not only a perfect ear-worm summer hit, but a serious case study to examine if you want style inspiration. The theme of love and rejuvenation is echoed in the colourful and joyful outfit choices. Maybe what we all need this year is our own modern version of the infamous ‘summer of love’, so let’s pull out our floral dresses and sunhats, denim jackets and flared jeans, and embrace it in 2019.
Watch the music video here:
Esme Johnson
Featured Image courtesy of @katyperry via Instagram.
Main Images courtesy of @katyperry, @transamericacwb, @wanna_benerd, and @celiavalverdestudio via Instagram.
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