What to wear to Taylor Swift's concerts in Houston: fab fits for all Eras

ditch the "cardigan"

Photo courtesy of Taylor Swift/Instagram

As we all know, Taylor Swift's wildly anticipated Eras Tour is finally heading to Houston from April 21-23, and devoted Swifties across Houston are buzzing with excitement. After paying top dollar or waiting online for hours to snag tickets, the pressure is now on to plan the ultimate Eras Tour outfit.

It's no secret that Swift's concerts are just as much about her stunning wardrobe changes as they are about her music. With a whopping 16 different looks throughout the nearly three-hour show, the Grammy award-winning artist makes it clear that fashion is a crucial element in telling her story and connecting with her fans.

However, don't expect to copy Swift's on-stage looks entirely — her jeweled bodysuits, sky-high heels, and ball gowns may not be the most practical attire for a concertgoer. Not to worry, Houston has plenty of options to help fans channel their favorite Swift era and create a fantastic concert experience.

Alice + Olivia

Swift was constantly seen in high-waisted red shorts during her iconic Red tour. The Emilie Vegan Leather Pleated Mini skirt by Alice + Olivia is a new updated play on the Red era. Go full red with a matching top, or break up the color blocking with black or white.

The Emilie Vegan Leather Pleated Mini skirt by Alice + Olivia is a new updated play on the Red era.Photo by Alice + Olivia

Burdlife

The Houston jewelry store Burdlife released a unique Taylor Swift Eras Tour style edit collection in honor of Swift's three-day concert return to Houston. This curated style edit will perfectly accessorize outfits attendees plan to wear to their Eras Tour night. The collection is on sale now, and featured items correlate directly with each of Taylor Swift's eras represented across her albums and songs. Items in the style edit are available in rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

The Houston jewelry store Burdlife released a unique Taylor Swift Eras Tour style edit collection in honor of Swift's three-day concert return to Houston.Photo by Burdlife

Chloe Dao

Chloe Dao's new M-K-T Heights boutique is brimming with outfits perfect for the Eras Tour. Straight off Swift's Reputation album is the Gold Star Sequin Black Jumpsuit, perfect for a comfortable and eye-catching concert look. If her Midnights era, which was heavily influenced by silver and faux fur, is more your style, the Silver Sequin Feather Top will be fashionable long past the tour and into summer.

Chloe Dao's new M-K-T Heights boutique is brimming with outfits perfect for the Eras Tour. Photo by Chloe Dao

Hemline CityCentre

Enter the Lover era with the Delphine Top from Hemline. Swiftie fans of this time will remember the hits Cruel Summer and Paper Rings, with outfits centering around pink and pastel colors like yellow and baby blue.

Enter the Lover era with the Delphine Top available at Hemline CityCentre.Photo courtesy of Hemline CityCentre

Love Shack Fancy

Style this Love Shack Fancy Davis Black Mini Dress up or down, depending on the mood. Sky high heels for VIP treatment or pair it with a more casual look with sneakers – either way, it's giving Reputation era vibes.

Style this Love Shack Fancy Davis Black Mini Dress up or down, depending on the mood.Photo by Love Shack Fancy

Saint Lo Boutique

Old-school Swifties will remember the 1989 album when Tay Tay solidified her status as a pop superstar. Her looks during the 1989 era were full of blue, royal blue, and indigo. This Amanda Uprichard Lively Romper from Saint Lo is a sophisticated take on the looks of that time.

Tay Tay's looks during the 1989 era were full of blue, royal blue, and indigo.Photo courtesy of Saint Lo Boutique

Tootsies

One concert isn't enough for this stunning Milly fringe dress – even if it is Taylor Swift. Making every hip shake stand out, the Milly Nuoir Ombre Fringe Dress from Tootsies is a showstopper and an iconic nod to the Lover era.

Making every hip shake stand out, the Milly Nuoir Ombre Fringe Dress from Tootsies is a showstopper and an iconic nod to the Lover era.Photo by Milly

Photo courtesy of Taylor Swift/Instagram

Taylor Swift's highly anticipated Eras Tour is finally heading to Houston from April 21-23.

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Armandos' family-friendly, Tex-Mex sister restaurant taps Katy for 2nd Houston-area outpost

mandito's on the move

Katy residents will soon have a new option for fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas. Mandito’s Tex-Mex has claimed the former Jax Grill location (9910 Gaston Rd.) for its second Houston-area outpost.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

Mandito's serves all the Tex-Mex favorites.

Part of the Palacios Murphy Hospitality Group that also includes River Oaks favorite Armandos and Italian restaurant Lulu’s, Mandito’s is a more family-friendly establishment than its upscale siblings. Joining an original location in Round Top and an outpost in Bellaire that opened earlier this year, the restaurant takes its name from the childhood nickname of co-owner Armando Palacios — “Mandito” is “little Armando.” It is expected to open in early 2024.

The menu centers around burritos, enchiladas, flautas, and fajitas as well as the signature burrito bowl, a clever reimagining of a taco salad with ground beef, steak, or chicken topped with lettuce, corn, cheese, avocado, beans, and more. Other favorites include the Tex-Mex Kale Caesar, Tres Hombres Plate (three different enchiladas), and the Tex-Mex Banana Split. They’re paired with a robust range of frozen and shaken margaritas.

Palacios Murphy COO Alex Curley lives in Katy and sends his children to Katy ISD schools. He’s bullish on area that’s grown 20-percent since 2020, according to a release.

“As a Katy resident, I am ecstatic to be able to oversee the construction of a Mandito’s Tex-Mex in the community that I love deeply,” Curley said. “I have no doubt that Katy residents and visitors to the area’s numerous attractions will quickly fall in love with Mandito’s Tex-Mex. We have put a significant amount of work into making this concept a neighborhood locale that caters to a number of different audiences who are collectively in search of a communal space that prides itself upon delivering delicious food and drink selections and outstanding service to each and every guest.”

In keeping with that optimism, the Katy location will be slightly larger than its Bellaire sibling, with the ability to seat over 150 people indoors and 50 more on a patio that will look onto the development’s green space. In addition, an expanded to-go area will have a dedicated entrance to expedite pick-ups.

The restaurant wants to give back to its neighborhood, too. Therefore it will host spirit nights for local schools and sports team and offer a 10-percent discount to Katy ISD employees and first responders.

Cult craze Hello Kitty Cafe Truck says hi to Houston area on cross-country tour

the other pink craze

The famously pink Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is making its way down to Houston in October for a special day of treats and cartoon cat collectibles.

The cutesy vehicle will bring a horde of new Hello Kitty clothing, plushies, and accessories to First Colony Mall (16535 Southwest Fwy) from 10 am to 7 pm on October 7.

Among the new items is a bright pink tote bag with rainbow straps and desserts decorating the front, an assortment of Hello Kitty baked goods, and a transparent coffee mug with sprinkles in the handle and different desserts printed on the glass body. Visitors can also snag an adorable lunchbox and a 18-ounce or 32-ounce stainless steel rainbow thermos.

Hello Kitty rainbow tote bag The bright pink reusable tote bag has rainbow straps.Photo courtesy of Sanrio

As for the hand-decorated baked goods, guests can expect to see Hello Kitty's classic friends Keroppi the frog and Chococat appear on petit fours. The leading lady appears on miniature cakes, a giant sugar cookie, small box sets of madeleines, and French macarons.

The popular attraction has been touring around the country for nearly a decade, drawing crowds of thousands of people every year. Houston will be its second Texas stop on the tour — following Arlington — before visits to Austin, San Antonio, and El Paso later that month.

As a note, the cafe truck only accepts debit or credit cards, and not cash.

Other Texas cities on the tour route include:

September 30 – Arlington
October 7 – Houston
October 21 — San Antonio
October 28 – El Paso

New artisanal pizzeria opens in First Ward with authentic, Neapolitan wood-fired pies

First Ward's new pizzeria

Armando Dimeo and Jordan Kone really like pizza. That passion has fueled the opening of a new pizzeria in First Ward.

Meet Coastline Artisan Pizzeria. Located in the former Cafeza space at the corner of Houston Avenue and Crockett Street, the new restaurant fulfills a goal the childhood friends have been planning for years.

“One of the questions that came up between the two of us was, where do you get pizza in Houston? We could never really answer the question,” Dimeo tells CultureMap. “The style of pizza we liked to eat, which is thin and crispy and Neapolitan. We could never answer the question, so we brought this place together.”

Dimeo, whose family owns Antonio’s Italian Grill in Deer Park and Gennaro's Trattoria in Canyon Lake, developed a grilled pizza to satisfy his craving for a thin and crispy pizza. Each of the oblong-shaped pies start on the restaurant’s grill before being finished in an oven. The sturdy crust allows for more toppings, as in The O.G. that’s topped with mozzarella, Italian sausage, ricotta, habanero honey, basil, and tomato sauce.

To learn to make a proper Neapolitan, Dimeo trained with master pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani in San Francisco. Coastline ferments its dough for between 36 and 48 hours to let it develop additional flavor. With a thinner, looser crust, the pies get minimal toppings, including a traditional margherita with buffalo mozzarella or another with soppressata and hot relish.

Since the Neapolitan pies are baked in a wood-burning oven, they’re only available at dinner. That the oven is purely wood-burning is a point of pride for both owners.

“One of my biggest pet peeves is pizzerias saying they’re wood-fired then there’s this gas jet shooting up,” Dimeo says. “This oven takes about three hours to get up to temperature. It’s about as traditional as you can get.”

The dinner menu also includes small plates such as meatballs, salmon cakes, bruschetta, and marinated olives. At lunch, focaccia sandwiches provide an alternative to the grilled pizzas.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Coastline Artisan Pizzeria is now open for lunch and dinner.

In addition to serving both of its signature pizza styles, the restaurant plans to add a rotating monthly special to its menu. “We’re going to do a different style of pizza every month,” Kone says. “We’ll do Detroit, Sicilian — we can put different toppings on it.”

Bartender Jason Garcia brings experience from Two Headed Dog to Coastline’s cocktail menu. His offerings include eight house originals, including three that pack a dose of spicy heat.

To transform Cafeza into Coastline, Dimeo and Kone shortened the bar — to make room for the wood-burning oven — and added wood beams to brighten the room. With its brick walls and long, narrow layout, the space recalls the feel of typical New York City restaurants. After a few days of soft opening and a week of lunch and dinner service, the early feedback has been positive.

In the coming weeks, Coastline plans to deepen that relationship with neighborhood specials and a bicycle-powered delivery option. For now, they’re meeting their new neighborhoods and focusing on the food.

“They’ve treated us well,” Dimeo says about the area. “We’re just happy to be here.”

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