2023 in review: the best and weirdest outfits of Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 saw some wonderfully bizarre, wacky, and baffling outfits on the stage. Finland, who came second place in the competition, pulled out all the stops with their outfits.

Every year, Eurovision fans are treated to a delightful array of songs, personalities, and costumes at the world-famous song competition. What never fails to deliver are the wacky, bizarre, and outrageous costumes of the contestants and performers. For example, this explosion of neon from Käärijä from Finland.

Held in Liverpool, England, the Eurovision Song Contest saw the likes of German group 'Lords of The Lost' perform on the stage at the M&S Bank Arena. If you didn't know, their song was called 'Blood and Glitter' - when you know that, their costume choice makes complete sense, of course.

Swedish entrant, Loreen, was the winner on the night - we will get to her outfit later. She was presented the trophy alongside the Kalush Orchestra and something there certainly catches the eye...

What do you call a man who wears a rug on his head?
Matt

Moldova entrant Pasha Parfeni combined two scorpion-like background dancers to create some bull horns behind him. Generally a bad look - but it got worse...

On paper, these outfits have everything that should make them a successful Eurovision act: gold, fringing, masks, jewels and some skin on show. But, from where we are sitting, it's a no.

Hosts Alesha Dixon, Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham and Julia Sanina all looked fabulous... individually. The confusion of putting them all together was tough on the eye.

A change of costume allowed the hosts to max-out on their individuality. We can't fault the ladies' gowns, but wish there was something cohesive bringing them together.

Previous Eurovision contestants paid tribute to Liverpool’s music history during a song medley. Daði Freyr, who represented Iceland at the competition in 2021, covered Atomic Kitten’s 2000 hit ‘Whole Again’ and fans loved it. The outfits, however, were mystifying.

Sam Ryder did it again! The UK singer rocked the sparkly jumpsuit. We loved the detail of the all-in-one as well as the coordinating backing outfits. Eurovision personified.

Back to the hosts and presenters themselves: Singer Alesha Dixon, Ukrainian Julia Sanina and British actress, Hannah Waddingham were a mix-match of fashion all week. We are huge fans of the individualism - except for the fact the three seemingly chose purposely uncomfortable outfits.

Is that One Direction reunited? Despite channelling every Harry Styles look in one big collage, these are the Slovenian entrants, Joker Out. With plenty of colours, textures and patterns to take in here, the overall look is certainly perplexing.

What is Eurovision without some sheer, translucent fabric and a sequin bolero? We love this wonderfully tacky cowboy look given to us by Reiley from Denmark. The cut-out sides are the cherry on top.

Theodor Andrei of Romania performed 'D.G.T (Off and On)'. We hope he took the pink school-boy disaster 'Off' after the show and never puts it back on again! Don't forget to appreciate woman in sparkly full body leotard.

Many things were powerful in the performance by Diljá from Iceland. For starters, the song was called 'Power'. The metallic suit made a powerful impression and the power of peroxide is clear for all to see. Her power disappeared, however, when she did not qualify past the semi-final.

More Harry Styles vibes, this time with pearls - reminiscent of the famous singer's own distinctive look. San Marino entrants Piqued Jacks certainly 'Piqued' with this sparkly number.

We were treated to some 'Xena the Warrior Princess' feels from Albania entrant Albina Kelmendi. We loved it. The audience loved it. And Albania passed to the final round.

On first glance, you may think this is one of the most 'normal' outfits seen so far, worn by Blanka from Poland. Yes, the gradient asymmetrical dress with sash is appealing on the eye - but the orange seamless glove that covers her entire arm is just bizarre. Points for the sequins, however.

Australians, Eurovision fans and were excited to see 'Voyager' perform at the Eurovision Song Contest. With a quarter of a century behind them making music, they have a solid reputation for putting on a great show. Which they did: in matching sparkly trousers, jacket and (much to our delight) skousers, bringing us back to the fashion of the early 2000s.

Ethereal and goddess-like, Irina Chechanovi from Georgia looked fabulous in her flowing white outfit. We love the rhinestone decor from hair and make-up, but did she play it too safe for Eurovision? The audiences found it underwhelming and she never made it to the final.

Belgium's Gustaph gave us a cracking outfit. It was so hard to determine whether he was wearing shorts, chaps or ankle warmers. But put everything together including the hat, the once-buttoned jacket and clumpy shoes, we get pure weird, wacky and wonderful! 'Dix points' for fulfilling the Eurovision brief.

Singer Loreen represented Sweden on the first day of the live semi-finals. She was clearly up to scratch as she passed on to the final round. In terms of the outfit, however, we are scratching our heads over this weird all-in-one.

Eurovision at its finest. Please note necessary ingredients for a successful Eurovision outfit: a bright colour, sheer transparent fabrics, feathers, lycra, gaudy jewellery and sequin shoes. Thank you for the masterclass, Portugal.

We can't get over thinking this should be a still from 'Dora the Explorer - the Musical'.

With a place in the final, Vesna absolutely received the Eurovision memo: colour, sequins and bizarre details. The Czech Republic band sported a bizarre mix match of tops, strange facial expressions and a puzzling plaited ponytail, tied up with a pink ribbon.

Alika of Estonia did well to bring asymmetry and bold colour to the stage. What she was missing, however, was a big pair of scissors to chop off those loose threads.

If the song name wasn't enough to generate interest, their outfits also help. Selina-Maria Edbauer and Teodora Spiric aka Teya & Salena from Austria certainly stood out in their red, white and black ensembles. Extra points for the PVC.

Raquel Welch rocked a similar fur/hide look back in the 60s. The actress, of course, did it better... but still - we like the cave girl look from Brunette of Armenia.

On the turquoise carpet, arriving at the Eurovision premises, Switzerland's Remo Forrer kept the colours simple in black and white, but he added contemporary theatre to his arrival via the backing dancers.

Blanca Paloma for Spain floated down the carpet with a chorus of ladies in her wake. Between them, they have us lace, fringing, sheer fabrics, a fluffy shawl and Wonder Woman gold cuffs - plenty for the eye to take in.

Complete with bag and balloons.

It's not the unflattering bunched material that offends us here as much as the black shoes...

If you thought the Croatian's arrival look was bizarre...

... it was even more blinding to the eye when they took them off!

Well, you certainly couldn't lose this band on the turquoise carpet... Special consideration goes to matching their eyeshadow and nail varnish to the colour of the carpet.

As if his performance outfit wasn't bizarre enough, the Belgian entry for the Turquoise Carpet catwalk takes the crown. From the fringe to the jigsaw cut-out trousers, it seems Gustaph found his own outfit pretty comical.

Giving us an air of 'Arianna Grande', Poland's Blanka stood out in a princess skirt, livening it up with neon green with purple lettering spelling 'Bejba'. Heavy and awkward, she nearly fell down the entrance steps.

Finishing our list of bizarre and outrageous fashion statements from Eurovision 2023, we have Mae Muller, representative for The United Kingdom. Muller chose a wrap-around dress, who then wrapped it around a little more and finished the look by wrapping a cape around her.

That's a wrap.