Case Study: Decoding Dua Lipa’s Style
Three-time Grammy winner Dua Lipa, has had a celebratory year of back-to-back hit singles off her Future Nostalgia album. And she’s been making an impression on fans and critics alike with head-turning outfits while promoting the record onstage on the gram with the help of her London-based stylist, Lorenzo Posocco. In her downtime, she’s frequently paparazzied walking the streets of London and stepping out of restaurants in LA with her boyfriend, Anwar Hadid. From all of this exposure combined, we’ve seen the pop singer in everything from DIY-inspired looks to couture pieces, remarkable vintage finds, and fresh-off-the-runway clothes. Now we’re investigating them to assess how the singer would rank on the Big 5 Personality test since, at TPOF, we believe the details in our sartorial styles are the material manifestation of our innermost selves.
OPENNESS: Moderate-High
Dua Lipa’s moderate-high openness score demonstrated in a bright, textured Memorial Day look. Outfit and bag by Marshall Columbia, Martyre jewelry, and a Spinelli Kilcollin ring. (Photo: vogue.com)
One of the most compelling aspects of Dua Lipa’s personal style is her incorporation of up-and-coming designers. The alt pieces she picks out for her wardrobe, like the spiderweb cardigan from Ashley Williams London, hand-painted pants from Kat Rose and hand-crocheted top from Memorial Day, suggest that she scores moderate-high for openness. It shows that she has an attraction to novelty and innovation as well as a propensity for variation. She also substantiates the high score in her real life with her imaginative lyricism, the pursuit of a creative career, and an unyielding capacity for trendsetting. Cause, let’s be real, the crafting-style phone charms and necklaces she was wearing last year are dominating Pinterest feeds now.
CONSCIENTOUSNESS: Moderate
A 3-in-1 Versace dress sets the tone for a Grammy’s performance (Photo: sg.asiatatler.com)
Psychologists have determined that high conscientiousness is linked to a solid adherence to social mores, reliability, and a strong sense of goal-directedness. At the other end, we find a relaxed approach to life, impulsivity, and a penchant for living in the moment. Style-wise it works out that high scorers of this trait veer toward traditionally neater looks, such as button-up polos and polished two-piece sets. In contrast, the lower end will most likely wear non-conforming clothing, stuff that’s a bit baggier, and outfits that are entirely scumbro.
Dua Lipa falls squarely in the middle of this trait since her style adeptly ranges from low to high-brow fashion. She dons comfort-oriented casual looks at home and during rehearsal, like her Ugg boot, pink sweats, and Heavn by Marc Jacobs top ensemble posted on her Instagram. The singer will also wear pristine diamond-toned looks, like the rosy three-in-one custom Versace outfit worn during her most recent Grammy performance. It’s clear that both determination and spontaneity play a crucial role in Lipa’s life, from her ability to improvise skillfully onstage to her moving to London, solo, at the age of 15 to pursue her career in music; demonstrating a capacity for living in the moment as well as self-discipline and dependability at a very early age.
EXTROVERSION: Moderate-High
Channeling Cher at the Met Gala in 2018. (Photo: paper.mag)
Dua Lipa’s style falls toward the moderate-high end of the extroversion trait as she often wears illustrious and eye-catching clothing, like the hot pink Poster Girl Official dress she wore on the Future Nostalgia: Moon Light Edition cover. She often compliments her upbeat attitude, and the disco-inspired album with reimagined 60s-70s era outfits – Paco Rabanne’s space-age style and circular disc pattern are essential threads within this theme. She’s also known to invoke Cher by wearing recreations of her iconic looks, like the 1974 “naked” Met Gala dress. Lipa has also taken inspiration from the “Believe” singer with a butterfly-themed Versace dress at her Grammy’s after-party, where she celebrated taking home two awards. You don’t get called The Disco Queen of Quarantine for nothing!
