So, What Does Revenge Fashion Actually Look Like?

Revenge fashion has taken over the collective imagination over the past few years, thanks to the continued interest in Princess Diana’s so-called “revenge dress,” as well as people using fashion to give the middle finger to the current chaos brought on by social, political and economic upheaval. Last year, the phenomenon of “revenge shopping” sparked sales for retailers worldwide, with global shopping platform Lyst reporting a rise in searches for dresses and high heels in the first few months of 2021. As people stepped back outside, dramatic upheavals ensued, with searches for “revenge dress” on TikTok growing to over 9 billion views, while searches for “revenge dress outfits” has over 200 million views. Just recently, Taylor Swift’s Midnights also took on revenge dressing, when the singer addressed the concept in her song “Vigilante Shit,” saying: “Lately, she’s been dressing for revenge.”