HOLR HIGHLIGHTS
The key details readers need to know.
- Fans threw bras and panties into the air during Charli XCX’s performance of “Guess” at Lollapalooza.
- The moment wasn’t random—it references one of the song’s most recognizable lyrics and visuals from the official music video with Billie Eilish.
- The tradition has appeared before, including at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where bras and panties were part of the official stage production before being donated to charity.
August 2, 2026
Music festivals are full of moments that make people stop scrolling. Sometimes it’s a surprise guest. Sometimes it’s an unforgettable performance. And sometimes it’s something so unexpected that the internet spends the rest of the weekend trying to figure out what actually happened.
That’s exactly what unfolded during Charli XCX’s Lollapalooza set.
Bras and panties fly through the air as Charli XCX performs “Guess” during her Lollapalooza set.
As she launched into “Guess,” bras and panties began flying across the crowd and onto the stage, creating a scene that quickly spread across social media. To anyone seeing the clips for the first time, it looked completely chaotic. But longtime Charli fans knew the moment wasn’t random at all. In many ways, it felt like the Guess music video had come to life.
It All Started With “Guess”
The moment makes much more sense if you know the song.
Released during Charli XCX’s hugely successful Brat era, Guess became one of her biggest fan favorites thanks to its playful lyrics and club-ready energy. The song’s central lyric invites listeners to “guess” the color of her underwear, turning bras and panties into an instantly recognizable symbol connected to the track.
When Charli later teamed up with Billie Eilish for the remix, the visual identity of the song became even bigger. The music video featured mountains of bras and panties, with the two artists climbing over piles of lingerie as part of its over-the-top aesthetic. The imagery quickly became inseparable from the song itself.
So when fans started tossing bras and panties during Guess at Lollapalooza, they weren’t creating a new trend—they were responding to a visual language Charli had already built around the track.
This Isn’t the First Time It’s Happened
Lollapalooza wasn’t the first place where Guess inspired a shower of lingerie.
During Charli XCX’s performance of the song at the 2025 Grammy Awards, bras and panties rained down as part of the show’s official stage production. It became one of the night’s most memorable visual moments and reinforced how closely the song had become associated with that imagery.
There’s one important difference, though.
Credit: Christopher Polk
At the Grammys, the garments were part of the planned production. At Lollapalooza, the crowd took the idea into its own hands, recreating the moment as Charli performed live. It transformed what began as a music video concept into an audience tradition.
There’s Also a Meaningful Story Behind the Music Video
While the visuals generated headlines, many people missed what happened after filming wrapped.
The bras and panties used in the “Guess” music video weren’t simply discarded. More than 10,000 unworn items were donated to I Support The Girls, a nonprofit organization that provides bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, and domestic violence.
It was a reminder that even one of pop music’s boldest visuals carried a charitable purpose behind the scenes.
That context has made many fans view the imagery differently. What first appeared to be pure shock value also became an opportunity to support an important cause.
No Billie Eilish? Fans Still Had Their Moment
Leading up to Charli’s Lollapalooza performance, some fans wondered whether Billie Eilish might make a surprise appearance for their hit collaboration.
That never happened.
Even without Billie on stage, however, the audience created a moment people are still talking about. As bras and panties filled the air during Guess, social media quickly lit up with clips from the performance, with many fans calling it one of the most memorable moments of the festival.
It proved that sometimes a crowd can become just as much a part of the show as the artist performing it.
The Brat Era Keeps Growing Beyond the Music
Part of what has made Charli XCX’s Brat era so influential is that it extends beyond streaming numbers or chart positions.
The album created its own visual identity, fashion trends, internet slang, and fan culture. Lime green became synonymous with Brat. Messy confidence became part of its appeal. Now, performances of Guess have developed their own recognizable ritual.
Whether it’s planned by the production team or sparked by fans in the crowd, the flying bras and panties have become another symbol of the world Charli has created around one of her biggest songs.
Not every concert moment grows into a tradition.
This one just might.
FAQs
Why were fans throwing bras and panties at Charli XCX’s Lollapalooza performance?
Fans were responding to “Guess,” a song whose lyrics and music video prominently feature bras and panties as part of its visual identity.
Did Billie Eilish appear during Charli XCX’s Lollapalooza set?
No. Although Billie Eilish appears on the remix of “Guess,” she did not make a surprise appearance during Charli XCX’s Lollapalooza performance.
Has this happened before?
Yes. During Charli XCX’s 2025 Grammy Awards performance of “Guess,” bras and panties also rained down as part of the official stage production.
What happened to the bras and panties used in the “Guess” music video?
More than 10,000 unworn bras and panties used during production were donated to I Support The Girls, a nonprofit that distributes essential items to people experiencing hardship.
Why is “Guess” such an important song for Charli XCX?
The track became one of the defining songs of Charli XCX’s Brat era, helping shape the album’s playful, rebellious, and instantly recognizable aesthetic.