Swedish pop star Tove Lo is famous for her fearless style – from the iconic cake hat to the ‘womb dress’, here's the artist’s most memorable looks to date
Once dubbed “Sweden’s darkest pop export” by Rolling Stone, singer Tove Lo is known for her evocative electro-pop anthems that often touch on topics of love, sex, drugs and vengeance. Lo’s provocative approach to her music has broken new ground in tackling stigmas related to sex and nudity in pop music, making her one of the most influential artists to come from Scandinavia.
Extending the devil-may-care attitude she carries on and off the stage to her style, Lo’s ultra-feminine looks reflect her fearless and sensuous music. Often donning skin-baring and curve-clinging ensembles from designers spanning the high street to the high end, Lo has always stayed true to her bold and unapologetic style.
From the famous ‘womb dress’ to the ‘cake hat', below, we chart the singer’s most iconic style moments:
American Music Awards, 2015
Photo: Getty
It’s safe to say that Lo has never been afraid to show some skin, not even on the red carpet. Offering her take on the naked dress at the 2015 AMAs, the pop star donned a black latticework piece by Lamija paired with black knee-high boots, making waves with the unlined frock that revealed her nude underwear. In an interview with the event hosts, Lo explained how she was meant to wear the dress without the nipple pasties but wasn’t allowed to do so.
Billboard Music Awards, 2016
At the 2016 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Lo rocked up with another iteration of the naked dress – this time, in bright tangerine. The swirling eyelet dress, plucked from Stella McCartney’s spring/summer 2016 collection, was a true showstopper and a welcome change to her red carpet wardrobe of the time, which seemed to consist of a lot of blacks.
Aria Music Awards, 2016
The ‘womb dress’ that Lo wore to the 2016 Aria Music Awards in Australia may be the most famed of the artist’s unique get-ups. The burnt orange, completely sheer mini dress with a red printed womb image was custom-made for the pop star, designed by Swedish Emelie Janrell and Lo’s trusted stylist of the time, Crap Diem. The legendary look was completed with red underwear and white platform boots from H&M, from which cheerful striped socks peeped out. In 2018, Lo auctioned off the dress, and the proceeds went to the charity organisation Musikhjälpen to fight against child sex trafficking.
‘How Long’ music video for Euphoria soundtrack, 2022
Euphoria, HBO’s mega-hit drama series released in 2019, is (arguably) one of the most influential TV shows to air in recent years – at least when it comes to fashion, beauty and music. For any artist to be featured on the show’s soundtrack, it’s almost guaranteed that their song will go viral. Having the honour to record a song for the show’s second season, in January this year, Lo released ‘How Long’, a song about love, betrayal and denial. In the emotional music video for the track, Lo wears Paco Rabanne’s iconic silver chainmail dress paired with silver thigh-high boots styled by Annie & Hannah. The look was the perfect statement to mark a special moment.
RuPaul’s Drag Race, 2022
Earlier this year, Lo made an appearance as one of the extra special guest judges in the ultra-popular show RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars. For the occasion, with the help of her stylists Annie & Hannah, she wore a sky blue, Marie Antoinette-inspired mini dress paired with shimmery, fuzzy knee-high heeled boots. However, the definite star of the look was the purple 'cake hat' she donned on her head. The artist didn't explain the choice behind such an eye-catching (and mouth-watering) headpiece; she simply said: "Sure, it's a cake hat."
Birmingham, 2022
Photo: Getty
Lo’s on-stage ensembles often feature figure-hugging bodysuits or bustiers paired with underwear. The look she sported in her concert in Birmingham earlier this year perfectly sums up her racy, tongue-in-cheek style. The custom ‘Gilded Wing’ bustier made by designers and Lo’s long-time collaborators Patrick Whitaker and Keir Malem boasts a female’s torso crafted from leather, adorned with golden straps. Lo wore matching golden underwear and white platform boots to finish the look.
The cover of new album Dirt Femme, 2022
Seeing the cover of Lo’s latest album, Dirt Femme, one can quickly conclude what the artist’s star sign is. Wearing a custom, silver scorpion tail harness by American accessory designer Chrishabana paired with a beige, knitted bodysuit and white platform boots, Lo made sure the artwork for her fifth album will always remain etched in our memories. According to the designer’s Instagram, the harness was originally meant to be twice the size of the final piece, however it would’ve been way too heavy for Lo to wear on stage.