London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

This Spring, I’m Turning to Elton John for Style Inspiration

This Spring, I’m Turning to Elton John for Style Inspiration

No more sweatsuits! One “Vogue” writer is embracing maximalism this season.

Sir Elton John, our patron saint of sky-high platforms, feather boas, and larger-than-life sunnies, turns 74 today. While his impressive career is worth celebrating with a candlelit cake, I found myself revising some of his best fashion moments in honor of the occasion. Nobody has done flamboyant maximalism quite like the English singer. Over the years, he’s become synonymous with his over-the-top stage outfits-but even off-duty, John’s personal style has been just as exuberant, often including the spiffiest suits you’ve ever seen.

His early performance looks for the stage are what are truly iconic. Remember his sold-out Dodger Stadium concerts in the 1970s, when he wore a bedazzled Dodgers uniform? Or when he sang on Sesame Street in a feathered cape? Recent style hits from John that stick out in my mind include the purple suit with black tuxedo lapels, which were trimmed with crystals he wore to the recent Grammy awards. He also rocked showy suits during his Rocketman press tour in 2019; at the Cannes Film Festival, he wore a powder blue two-piece by Gucci, with huge sunglasses to match. John has always taken theatrical pieces and then pulled them off effortlessly.



My fashion sense over the last year, meanwhile, has been pretty much the opposite of John’s. Like the rest of the world, I’ve been living in sweatsuits. But more than that, I’ve been gravitating towards a more basic uniform. Working from home, I’m more often than not wearing a pair of black pants and a printed shirt. While the prints are, if I may say, very fun, the formula itself is devoid of any pizzazz. I am suddenly a shell of my former self, who would dress to the nines to head into the office! But as spring is now here, I’m challenging myself to step things up once again-and who better to look to for style inspiration than the master of glitz?

Since I’m not quite ready to go full feathered jumpsuit, I’m drawn to John’s knack for suiting right now. By choosing sets with large lapels or flared legs, John has a kitschy way of suiting up that doesn’t feel stiff or corporate. Since I’m not heading into an office right now, I think this look is perfect for spring, a fun, dressy way to switch things up while getting coffee. On my more casual days, I also want to start wearing bold accessories again-a John signature. Suddenly John’s iconic heart-shaped glasses are calling my name.



It seems I’m not alone in my appreciation for John’s maximalist, bigger-than-big wardrobe, either. The fashion world has been taking cues from the singer forever, but this season, loads of designers channeled his outré energy into their menswear collections. Gucci showed plushy, embroidered suits finished off with a pussy-bow blouse (something John has for sure put a personal order in for). At Saint Laurent, blazers were heavily printed in a luxe fabric. Even at smaller labels, like Ludovic de Saint Sernin, a crystal-embellished rainbow top seems like something John would have easily worn to perform in during his younger days.

I’m not saying I need to go out and splurge on a new designer wardrobe here, but clearly the spring message on the runways is more is more-and I’m totally on board with the idea. I may not be able to pull off a wild look quite like John can, but I do want to channel that energy and simply start having fun with style again. My spring style mood will be loud, proud, and a grand return to how I once used to dress pre-COVID. As John would sing, the bitch is back!

Below, more stylish moments from Sir Elton John.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×