I Miss the Crazy Fashion

[LGAte 281]

I know people will argue she has been back to her early form, but one thing I miss is the bold, crazy, and high brow fashion. Don't get me wrong, I do love the Mayhem era fashion, and I do think it looks sleek and put together well. I do love that it feels cohesive and intentional. But I do think the weird element is missing.

One of the things I used to love about Gaga was her ability to wear something that I truly felt like I had never thought of or seen before. Even early in her career, part of her shtick was the whole "what is she gonna wear to the red carpet or on the sidewalk" thing. I remember the Grammys in 2011 even using that as a selling point in the ads for the Grammys: "What will Lady Gaga wear?" 

I wish she pushed it a little more and wore something daring again. Or even wore something that was clever or polarizing again. You can wear a big designer name but throw something oddly commercial into it. Or flip what everyone else is doing.  It doesn't even need to be strange as much as I like fashion that makes a comment on something. Her clothes are almost too tailored now. And it is adding to her being perceived as part of the industry now and not being as fearless as she once was to speak up. I don't like that. 

Does anyone else miss this too and know what I mean? I think she needs to get a little bombastic and wild again. (Some people will say it's because she is maturing but I already hate that argument and think its ageist and stupid and Gaga really isn't even that old yet ffs).

Edited 6 hours ago by LGAte

[REALITY 78,863]

What is it about MAYHEM's fashion specifically that makes you think that she's not being as "bombastic" as she was before? Truthfully, I think a lot of your idea of what Gaga's fashion was like back then is because you just feel nostalgic for that time period. Of course, there were artists before Gaga who were boundary-pushing in their fashion, but Gaga was this generation's version of that. It was unique, different, and out of the box. I think as time goes on, it just naturally becomes less and less shocking or groundbreaking because she's been at this for almost two decades.

Like, this part doesn't really make sense: "Her clothes are almost too tailored now. And it is adding to her being perceived as part of the industry now and not being as fearless as she once was to speak up. I don't like that." She's being perceived as part of the industry because she IS the industry. Again, she's been at this for almost two decades. She's certainly rebellious in spirit and in her art, but she's integrated herself well within the industry for quite some time now.

[TheARTPOPball 1,020]

Perhaps fashion was her escapism and she no longer needs much escaping? I mean she used to dress up to leave her hotel, airport fashion, literally every time she left a building had something new on. Loved to attract the paparazzi and fans, now we don’t get as many pap photos unless it’s her out in about in her hometown kind of taken against her own will in regular clothes. she also used to write about fashion a lot in her music. I don’t recall a single song specifically about it since ARTPOP. 

It’s not that she has “matured” or that version of Gaga was inauthentic… I think she’s just comfortable keeping that “old trick” up her sleeve for moments where it’s more impactful (like the Grammys performance) 

also I’d like to say, a lot of it isn’t WHAT she’s wearing, it’s HOW she’s wearing it. Her makeup specifically seems to me much more light and natural than it used to be. If she wore the same dress she wore in her 2025 Grammys performance back in 2011/2012, with different hair and makeup, it probably would have presented as a completely different ensemble 

[Blackout19 13,800]

me too

[zevthepaparazzo 1,461]

be the change in the world you want to see 

WEAR THE CAUTION TAPE

WEAR THE MEAT

WEAR THE CANVAS

[Killa 18,153]

I prefer this way. The whole 2009-2011 periodo was so intense, It was addictive and hard to even keep up. Always something new, in a performance, in the front row, the Airport. This pace Is good for me. She might not go full couture extravaganza or simple completely Bananas and mostly you can tell its her and im fine with It. She wants tò be her First and foremost

[LGAte 281]

25 minutes ago, REALITY said:

Truthfully, I think a lot of your idea of what Gaga's fashion was like back then is because you just feel nostalgic for that time period. Of course, there were artists before Gaga who were boundary-pushing in their fashion, but Gaga was this generation's version of that. It was unique, different, and out of the box. I think as time goes on, it just naturally becomes less and less shocking or groundbreaking because she's been at this for almost two decades.

I do feel nostalgic, but you are over-simplifying what I am saying. It's not just because I am missing the good old days. Anyone who understands fashion understands her fashion was much more conceptual, contextually unique, and boundary pushing than it is now.

If she wore her Grammy outfit that she wore this year in 2011 she would have made the best-dressed list....yes...but she would not be known for her fashion the way she was. I enjoyed the fashion being much more integrated and thoughtful about how to make conversation. Stylistically, she has lost that somewhat in order to have a more refined look. 

I don't understand why she has to be refined at 39. I think it comes off that she maybe was embarassed of those style choices and that those types of fashion decisions can only belong to that era...because we are not getting any of them. 

The closest we got was the car outfit at the Chromatica HBO special red carpet. And even that would have been more a side outfit in her LG1-LG4 eras. 

I'm not saying she has to push the envelop at all times. But I AM saying that it feels like this was a part of her artistry that is gone now.

12 minutes ago, Killa said:

I prefer this way. The whole 2009-2011 periodo was so intense, It was addictive and hard to even keep up. Always something new, in a performance, in the front row, the Airport. This pace Is good for me. She might not go full couture extravaganza or simple completely Bananas and mostly you can tell its her and im fine with It. She wants tò be her First and foremost

What pace? No boundary pushing outfits ever? Nothing in the Mayhem era has been groundbreaking. I'm hoping that that was an intentional choice so she could have kind of a revisionist take on her career and that she will push boundaries with LG8 and LG9...

 

26 minutes ago, TheARTPOPball said:

 

It’s not that she has “matured” or that version of Gaga was inauthentic… I think she’s just comfortable keeping that “old trick” up her sleeve for moments where it’s more impactful (like the Grammys performance) 

Honestly it was a pretty outfit but it was not impactful. It felt more like a tease towards a new era, subtly. It did not feel like a cultural statement. The Mayhem era has been the dryest when it comes to her making cultural statements and anyone arguing that is deluding themselves. Yes its a great album but Mayhem is more campy towards her past- nothing about it feels genuinely new and innovative, visually, sonically, or even conceptually. I miss that is all I am saying! Maybe some of you are newer but it really was missing this era. 

[MountainMonster 1,389]

Gurl… if wearing a basket on her head that looks like a giant eyeball and coming to Grammys in a full black feather gown ain’t doin it for ya… take a look at what everyone else wore there. She’s still so outlandish compared to anyone else that I don’t understand how you can feel that way. Additionally…. Those old looks wouldn’t be getting any toots from Raja and Raven these days. The bar is so astronomically higher today and her fashion is so much better now. 

[Ultimecia 6,097]

Looking back on her early years, as much as I loved the daily crazy fashion, I cannot miss it in good conscience.

Retrospectively, it was a sign of how overproduced and overworked she was. There were too many hands pulling the strings at all times, trying to get as much shock and publicity as possible without taking her wellbeing into consideration.

(I have a feeling that had the Chromatica era rolled out as planned, it would have fallen into that trap and felt disingenuous.)

As for the fashion of her recent years (as in the last decade), while she has worn incredible pieces that still have me floored, I do agree that there is a noticable lack of "edge" to it.

MAYHEM struck a somewhat satifying balance for me though, and her 2026 Grammys performance look is the closest I've felt her fashion having a perspective and serving the art in a long time.

[NUTELLA 17,630]

To me, her taste has never been more focused.

MAYHEM is her most visually consistent era, imo.

Dark, sexy, edgy, high-quality, expensive.

The bleached brows are a cosmetic through-line

(w subdued eye makeup for some sophistication).

Give me this over a Kermit dress any day

Edited 5 hours ago by NUTELLA

[MountainMonster 1,389]

5 minutes ago, LGAte said:

I do feel nostalgic, but you are over-simplifying what I am saying. It's not just because I am missing the good old days. Anyone who understands fashion understands her fashion was much more conceptual, contextually unique, and boundary pushing than it is now.

It’s interesting you feel that way. I have to say, I often get old reels and TikTok’s that come up and show some of her prior looks and performances, and I just think that what she is doing now is a much more polished and mature version of that. I look at some of those outfits and just think how absolutely cringe worthy they were. And I think so much of the conceptual nature of her past looks was truly bloated blabber for branding purposes. The meat dress? Sure, there was some message there. The bubbles? What’d they say? And Kermit? Why did so many Kermits need beheaded? The hideous ARTPOP dreads? The literal interpretation of Venus getting off her flight to Greece?  In my opinion she’s moved away from ham-fisted costumes towards truly interesting fashion. 

[AVeryGagaHolyDick 28,590]

I totally see what you mean

She might still be weird at times, but since ARTPOP I feel that she’s (understandably) become scared of people’s reactions to some degree.

Some people might disagree and think she’s just matured or become better thought out, but I genuinely feel that she’s a bit scared in most things she does, not just fashion. At some point, I felt that she was even scared to sing.

But I think MAYHEM as a whole was a step in the right direction. She goes for VOCALS again, the music is more unbothered to sound normal and the visuals are more daring. Not on par with her first four albums though

[AVeryGagaHolyDick 28,590]

15 minutes ago, MountainMonster said:

Gurl… if wearing a basket on her head that looks like a giant eyeball and coming to Grammys in a full black feather gown ain’t doin it for ya… take a look at what everyone else wore there. She’s still so outlandish compared to anyone else that I don’t understand how you can feel that way. 

Well I thought the Grammy outfit was a bit hidden behind the fact that it came from McQueen’s archive (“she’s so respectful to late designers” “she’s worn something from someone dead” = something that has more value in people eyes.

An other outfit that was weird that era was the one she rocked at the Wednesday premiere. And I don’t think it was too daring in that context cause camp and horror are the core of the series, so basically she could hide the craziness behind the fact that she was on theme.

I’m not saying she does that deliberately, but that’s what it left me thinking and it’s alright, she’s still amazing!

And the red dress from the MAYHEM Ball opening is fabulous!

Edited 5 hours ago by AVeryGagaHolyDick

[PartySick 166,822]

I mean, she still shows up from time to time in things like this

She wears more dresses now I guess but I don't think much has changed with her fashion itself, just the fact that she's far more intentional about when and where she's seen publicly (as in, no more insane outfits designed for walking from the front door of a hotel to the car waiting 15 feet away).

[Panchecco 17,756]

I think this Era is BTW level of gaggery in terms of fashion and way more curated and intentional than ARTPOP