Sabrina Carpenter has become larger than life as her latest album, Short n’ Sweet, breaks records, and its accompanying tour pulls all the stops to become the shiniest and sparkliest event of the year. Now, the “Espresso” singer detailed how she worked late to create all the looks her fans have to adore from the show.
In a ten-minute video for Vogue, Carpenter and her stylist, Jared Ellner, explained how they came up with the inspiration for her tour looks, which includes a multitude of shiny, sexy outfits.
From behind the scenes ahead of the tour’s next stop in her hometown of Philadelphia, Carpenter detailed why that particular stop was so important. The show was already special given its location in her hometown, but, less than a month after the tour kicked off on Sept. 23, she was also now adding some outfit variations. After opening for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, Carpenter learned a thing or two about switching outfits, and she has the right idea.
Sabrina Carpenter’s inspiration comes from Playboy After Dark
Short n’ Sweet is Carpenter’s first tour with wardrobe changes, and she doesn’t hesitate to ensure the fun she’s having with the process comes across to the fans. All the looks have the same vibe throughout the night, they just change colors and accessories, but her number one rule was comfort.
The first act kicks off with the singer coming out of a bathtub wearing just a towel, before revealing a glittering strapless corseted bodysuit underneath, which changes colors from one show to the next. It is a clever workaround so that Carpenter didn’t actually have to be naked on stage, which she wasn’t a fan of.
During the breakdown, she also noticed how her “non-existent” waist helped her move around in the tight corset. After taking off the towel, her next change is into a baby-doll dress. That was an exciting change for her, as the singer explained how it “feels like pajamas,” and it’s comfortable, leading to “no insecurities, no thoughts about anything.”
“The whole show takes us through one night,” Carpenter explains, and followers her as she gets ready to attend a party sometime during sunset. The window behind her is an indicator of the time of day, as she switches from her bathroom and living room, and her getting ready. She further detailed, “It’s inspired by [the TV show] Playboy After Dark but it’s Sabrina After Dark.” Other details come from Grease and Bye Bye Birdie, like the babydoll outfit. They are as sexy as it gets, all thanks to Victoria’s Secret, which custom-made all the first-act outfits.
Moving on to act two, it switches to a sexy lace catsuit described as part of “the cocktail hour.” This is the moment of the night when things start getting sexier, and her outfits are in sync with that. Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were big influences for this second act, which also included intricate capes and even colorful feathers. The second act switches from Victoria’s Secret to Patou for the lace-filled clothes, and her two-minute wardrobe changes are aided by her “meaningful” visuals.
The third act is all about the miniskirt reveal, which is from Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Carpenter noted she wanted to nod to all the places she plays in, and she often does that with state teams on her T-shirt.
With her singles “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste” still breaking records, all eyes are on Sabrina Carpenter. Luckily, she knows how to dress to impress, and does it in the most dazzling way.
