The pursuit of tax cuts have a lot to answer for in this world. For the most part it gives us the Panama Papers and Jeff Bezos, but this time it’s actually given us something good. Tax cuts are to blame for ABBA’s iconic outfits, rhinestones and all.
Speaking about what the band wore at the height of their fame in Abba: The Official Photo Book, Björn Ulvaeus said that “In my honest opinion we looked like nuts in those years. Nobody can have been as badly dressed on stage as we were.”
While I’m pretty sure almost everyone would disagree with that these days, there method behind the sequin-covered madness. In Swedish law at the time, you were allowed to write off the cost of your costumes on tax, as long as they weren’t able to be worn as everyday street clothes.
So how do you make sure nobody can argue that your clothes are street worthy? You file for your tax cut and then bling the hell out of them so you come out looking like, well, ABBA.
Speaking about their Eurovision win, Björn also said that “We figured with our clothes, people would remember us even if we finished ninth.” He was absolutely not wrong.
If you’ve been hanging out for new music from ABBA, then I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little bit longer to get your ears around it. After announcing that they had reunited as a band in 2018, they promised us a new track by the end of that year – the first since Thank You For The Music in 1982.
As you may well have noticed, we don’t have that new music yet, and the release date has been pushed back a couple of times now. The most recent date we’ve been given is Benny Andersson saying that the group is “aiming” for a September 2020 release date.
So bust out the platforms, sparkles, and other non-streetwear clothes. You’ll need them come September.
Want more iconic looks? The GOAT Team spoke to Murray from The Wiggles about that rumoured Lil Nas X collab…
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