Fifth Harmony Is Reinventing Girl Group Fashion

Ever since the disillusion of Destiny's Child, America has been long overdue for a fierce girl group — for a collection of women to empower us with catchy choruses and, of course, absurdly coordinating ensembles. Thankfully, the girls of Fifth Harmony have come to the rescue. Four of the five members of Fifth Harmony may still be teenagers, but these ladies are already making their mark on girl group history. Not only do their lyrics put a refreshingly feminist spin on pop songs, but their style takes girl group fashion to the next level.

After placing third on the now defunct American X Factor in 2012, Fifth Harmony members Camila Cabello, Dinah Hansen, Ally Hernandez, Lauren Jauregu, and Normani Kordei just released their debut album, Reflection. Full of soon-to-be ubiquitous pop hits — and, of course, the current ear worm "Sledgehammer" — it's clear that the album perfectly encapsulates the girl power attitude that permeates through Fifth Harmony fashion. Sure, they're in with the kids these days, but that doesn't mean that anyone over the age of 13 can't take at least a little inspiration from or have a bit of admiration for what each of these ladies chooses to wear. Try all you want to avoid it, but their undeniable coolness and effortless confidence is contagious.

Cool Coordination

In the golden era of teen pop, it seemed required that any group, be it made of men or women, dress in strict coordination with one another. From NSYNC's matching overalls to Destiny's Child's boy scout uniforms, every teen pop act dressed in perfect unison, almost always sticking to some theme more ridiculous than the last. The idea behind such ludicrous ensembles makes sense — these groups needed to look like groups in each video and on every red carpet; anyone who has taken a photo with more than one other person knows that outfits clash, and that to look like you're part of a group, some planning must be involved.

Thankfully, however, Fifth Harmony understands such coordination need not be so, well, coordinated. Perhaps in a few years, their outfits will prove equally as crazy as those worn by pop stars past, but for now it's safe to say that each Fifth Harmony look is always on point. The girls match without looking matchy-matchy, opting for different silhouettes and varying prints and patterns that work together but nonetheless set each member apart.

Take, for example this look from the 2015 People's Choice Awards. Clearly, there's a nude/black color scheme going on, but each outfit packs an individual punch. Strapless, structured, floor-length, mini, sheer, sheen are all applicable adjectives for what the girls are wearing and it all just works. The same can be said of the diverse hair game, too — ombre, high braid, side part, loose waves, and high pony are all here, and they all somehow fit together.

Fearless Fashion

Fifth Harmony may never wear goofy coordinating looks, but that doesn't mean they aren't afraid to take some fashion risks. In fact, fearless fashion choices have been part of Fifth Harmony's style repertoire since the beginning. Performing on the X Factor, the ladies consistently kept up their fashion game with some crazy fun costumes, like these cotton candy colored tutus during a killer performance of "Anything Could Happen."

Or, take the above look from the 2014 EMAs, where each member takes advantage of the edginess of the event with rebellious looks that are anything but run-of-the-mil. The leather and sequin mix may not be for the faint of heart (or anyone looking for everyday fashion inspiration) but they nonetheless prove that Fifth Harmony are nothing but confident when it comes to taking fashion chances.

Real Beauty

Perhaps the greatest and most inspiring thing about Fifth Harmony's fashion is that through every outfit, each girl presents a strong, confident image of diversity in nearly every sense of the word. These girls aren't the typical blonde haired, blue-eyed pop stars (not to shame such characteristics — work with what you got!), and as such provide a refreshing example for girls all over America. The members of Fifth Harmony meld together different cultural backgrounds and different body types, in turn creating a relatable, accurate portrait of what it means to be an American woman.

Images: Getty; Giphy