Everyone, from hardcore fans to casual listeners, knows that fashion plays a massive part in the K-Pop industry. Because yes, the idols’ main job might be singing and rapping, but the whole K-Pop scene is massively visual and a good outfit—be it on the stage, at the airport, or at awards shows—can make a huge difference.
This is true for all groups big and small, whether they’re newly debuted rookies or seasoned industry veterans—and so it’s true for BLACKPINK as well. One might even say that it’s truer for BLACKPINK than most other acts. As one of the biggest K-Pop groups in the world, they definitely have the role of trendsetters on their shoulders, especially when it comes to girl crush and other hard-hitting concepts.
Now, let’s tell it like it is. BLACKPINK, or any group, for that matter, have had some great fashion moments, and some not-so-great ones. Most stage outfit mishaps happened earlier on in their careers, when their stylists would send them on the music show du jour in some truly garish clothes that had no business being paired together.
Things have gotten steadily better as the role that the four girls of BLACKPINK, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa have in the global fashion industry rose—when they became the ambassadors of major couture brands, like Chanel and Dior and Yves Saint Laurent and Céline, their outfits definitely got an improvement as well. And so, I’m here today to count down the best twelve stage outfits we have ever seen from BLACKPINK.
As always, a couple of notes before we begin—the first being that this list is ultimately a testament to my taste, so do let me know what you think are some of the best outfits the Pinks have ever worn! Secondly, I decided to focus only on ensembles that were actually worn during a live performance rather than “just” in a music video. I also focused mainly on the entire group, even though I kept one solo outfit for each member.
SOLO FIT: Rosé’s grey “On The Ground” two-piece
I kept all the solo outfits in the first half of this list, to sort of compare them with each other rather than with entire group ensembles. So first up is one of the outfits Rosé wore during the promotions of her solo “On The Ground” back in March of 2021—specifically, the grey two-piece she wore when performing on SBS Inkigayo. Now, while I do admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of Rosé’s overall styling during her solo debut (mainly because of my own personal taste) I adored this ensemble—sleek and chic, muted without being boring, and very very Rosé.
SOLO FIT: Lisa’s red “Lalisa” combo
This red puff sleeves-shorts combo made its first appearance on the teasers for Lisa’s solo in September 2021 and then during one of her stages for “LALISA”, once again on SBS Inkigayo. And at least in my book, it has remained the staple piece of her debut—funky and unique in peak Lisa fashion, who’s always been the more sporty and spunky of all the Pinks.
SOLO FIT: Jisoo’s purple “The Show” gown
Jisoo hasn’t had her debut as a soloist yet, but she has had her fair share of solo performances during BLACKPINK’s concerts and shows, and that includes their June 2021 online concert “The Show,” during which she performed a cover of “Habits (Stay High)” di Tove Lo. She did so wearing a gorgeous purple gown that immediately skyrocketed at the top of my list of Favourite Things Jisoo Has Ever Worn—in a combo of my BLACKPINK bias wearing my favourite colour.
SOLO FIT: Jennie’s red “Solo” dress
I debated for a while over whether to pick the gorgeous fit in which Jennie performed “Solo” at “The Show,” with the rose-shaped top, but ultimately I realised there’s no other fit quite like the iconic red dress she wore when she appeared on the stage at the 2019 Gaon Chart Music Awards. The dress and the cheeky intro to her performance definitely helped remind everyone that even in the middle of one of the worst scandals in her career and while being criticised left and right by everyone she was—and continues to be, honestly—still one of the It Girls of South Korea.
8. The white ensemble from The Show
Starting the “proper” group fits with the white ensemble they wore during the final part of their online concert “The Show.” This is definitely my favourite out of all the ones we saw them wear throughout the performance. It’s not as groundbreaking or as memorable as other fashion moments sitting higher on this list, but it’s definitely one of the better examples of the Pinks being given outfits that reflect their own personal styles while also making them look visually cohesive.
7. The purple moon set from “How You Like That”
My obsession with purple strikes again. This time it comes in coordinated Marine Serre outfits, easily recognisable by the iconic moon patterns. The Pinks wore this set while performing “How You Like That” on SBS Inkigayo, back in July 2020, and it has remained one of my favourites ever since. Sadly, while the styling for the many stages we got during the “How You Like That” era was pretty much always impeccable (spoiler alert, there’s another set from this era that is going to pop up much higher in the list), I’m not the biggest fan of the song as a whole, so that’s why this particular set is staying in the ninth position.
6. The “Lovesick Girls” black ensemble
Considering how “Lovesick Girls” is my favourite BLACKPINK song to date, it’s no surprise that I believe the styling for its stage performances to be some of the best the Pinks have ever had. While I do adore a good number of their ensembles, nothing beats the black one they wore on MBC Show Music Core— Jennie with her tulle skirt, Jisoo with her plaid skirt, Lisa with that leather vest, Rosé in the corset-like top. It’s, again, one of the best examples of each BLACKPINK girl representing her signature fashion style while still looking cohesive with the other members and with the overall concept of the song.
5. The iconic “DDU-DU DDU-DU” set
What sets the top five of this list apart is the iconic factor. These outfits have had time to cement themselves in fans’ minds as absolute staples of BLACKPINK’s career or are associated with a performance so epic that they’re impossible to overlook. The signature set from “DDU-DU DDU-DU” is part of both categories. The song came out in 2018, so it has had enough time to solidify itself in the BLACKPINK canon. It was also a massive smash hit, and these outfits definitely represent that. I will admit that I’m partial to Lisa’s fit, what with the sparkly pink boots and shorts against the black blazer, but all the girls look absolutely fantastic.
4. The “KILL THIS LOVE” gear
Just like the last outfit was the “DDU-DU DDU-DU” look, the military-adjacent Lara Croft-inspired gear is the signature “KILL THIS LOVE” fit. Perfectly representing the theme and beat of the song, they were something a bit removed from BLACKPINK’s usual lookbooks and boy oh boy did they work. I particularly love Jisoo’s outfit, but we all know that Jennie was the real scene-stealer here, with her long braid and the rhinestones on her eyes.
3. The modernised hanboks from How You Like That era
I know, I know, I said I’m not the biggest fan of the “How You Like That” era—and that’s true! Still, my love for a modernised take on South Korea’s traditional hanbok trumps everything, which is why this particular fit from the “How You Like That” music video and first-ever live stage made it into the top three. I particularly love Jisoo’s and Rosé’s outfits, but all four are absolutely gorgeous and I never get tired of watching the SBS Inkigayo performance in which the Pinks are wearing them.
2. The 2018 Gayo Daejun outfits
The outfits that the Pinks wore during the performance at the 2018 Gayo Daejun are absolutely legendary. Sparkly, high-fashion, eye-catching, everything a good stage outfit should be. They’re also a visual reminder of the amazing stage the Pinks gave at that particular award show, what with Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa joining Jennie on stage for the final part of “Solo” and then all four launching in a rendition of “DDU-DU DDU-DU” followed by “Forever Young”. Those really were the times.
1. The Coachella outfits
Pinkchella really was A Moment™. The performances, the energy, the wind-beaten hair—I don’t think there has ever been another stage quite like it throughout BLACKPINK’s entire career, and the outfits definitely reflect that. I couldn’t decide between the first or the second weekend’s outfits, so just assume that I’m referring to all of them here—but especially Jennie’s and Lisa’s from Weekend 1 and Jennie’s and Rosé’s from Weekend 2, my beloved.
(image: YG Entertainment)
