When Leon Bridges released his hit debut album Coming Home in 2015, most of the 26-year-old Texan’s immediate success had to do with his smooth, modern take on soul music. But there’s no denying the charm that his signature style—a dapper, midcentury look of high-waisted trousers, cardigans and a seemingly unending supply of plaid—brought to the equation.
Now an upcoming North American tour that will crisscross the country during spring and summer begs the question: What’ll he pack? “I’ve been taking up an early 1950s style,” Bridges says, “so I’ll pack a couple of shirts and two or three pairs of vintage slacks that I can wear all of the time.” He’ll also stuff his suitcase with a tuxedo from Sandro, despite some mildly hazardous work conditions—“It can be super hot on stage,” he says, “but I am so into the music that I forget about it”—and will spring for a new pair of lace-ups before heading out on the road. “By the end of the last tour, my shoes were just totally torn apart,” he notes, “so I’ve got to buy a new pair before I head out.”
The one thing you won’t see Bridges doing as he makes his way from Atlanta to Vancouver and back to Louisville, Kentucky, is dressing down. “Even when I’m sitting around the house, I have on these vintage pajama trousers,” he says. “I like to stay consistent with my style. I’m very passionate about it.”
