Prince and His Fashion Revolution
Prince was forever reinventing himself. Whether he was called the Purple One, “the artist formerly known as Prince,” his Royal Badness, his many monikers tracked his multiple facets as he pushed boundaries when it came to gender, sexuality and personal freedom. “I find freedom sexy. I find freedom so sexy I can’t even explain it to you,” he told NME in 1996. “You wake up every day and feel like you can do anything.” And what he wore certainly mirrored that feeling.
Like David Bowie, another music icon who died this year, Prince will be remembered for his music, but he will also forever inspire people because of his fashion and style choices. From ruffled collars, to booty-baring pants and, of course, countless purple outfits and high heels, the pop, rock and R&B icon had a wardrobe that inspired many to take risks and find their inner freak. Here, we look at a few of the audacious choices he made over the decades.
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Animal Print Two-Piece
Image Credit: Waring Abbott/Getty Just starting out after having released a couple of albums, Prince had no worries about showing off his body in a zebra-print, Tarzan-inspired two-piece when he performed at New York City's Bottom Line in 1980. It would set the stage for decades of outlandish fashion choices.
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‘The Kid in ‘Purple Rain’
Image Credit: Everett Making his film debut in 1984, Prince played "The Kid" in the rock movie Purple Rain, but it was also his ruffled shirt and purple suit that got everyone's attention – and inspired copycats.
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Album Release of ‘Purple Rain’
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/WireImage After releasing his album in 1984, the performer was forever associated with the color, even earning the moniker the Purple One.
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Fluffy Pink Wing 1985
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Purple Rain-era Prince sported curly hair and heavily brocaded outfits. But those pink wings were the highlight of this 1985 concert.
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Prince at 1991 VMAs
Image Credit: AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian He came out in a yellow jumpsuit with cutouts to perform a seven-minute version of his Diamonds and Pearls hit "Gett Off." But it wasn't until he twirled around to reveal the cutaway in his suit, which displayed his bare ass, that people got the full impact of the outfit.
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Chainmail Hat in 1993
Image Credit: AP Photo/Ray Fairall The chainmail police hat Prince wore on stage in New York in 1993 was similar to the one he wore in his "My Name Is Prince" video and album cover.
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Body-Revealing Lace
Image Credit: Ebet Roberts/Redferns Always a fan of lace, Prince was constantly pushing gender boundaries by wearing what many would view as feminine garments.
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Leopard Print Guitar Strap
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images Whatever he might be wearing (or not wearing), Prince's signature leopard print guitar strap was usually a constant accessory.
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Gender-fluid Symbol
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images Prince was always a volcano of androgynous energy, but he especially confounded fans and critics when he changed his name to a symbol in 1993 to get out of his Warner Bros. contract. Music journalists began to call him "the artist formerly known as Prince," but it was this "Love Symbol" – which was a mash-up of the gender symbols for man and woman – that he used that got him called "crazy" and "ridiculous" but also seemed to presage today's celebrities' embrace of gender-fluid identity.
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Super Bowl XLI
Image Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images The memorable performance on February 4th, 2007, at halftime of Super Bowl XLI had all eyes glued on Prince, in a teal suit, as he performed in the rain.
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‘Lovesexy’ Tour’s Polka-dots
Image Credit: Rob Verhorst/Redferns During 1988's Lovesexy tour, Prince donned a white polka-dot suit, black polka-dot shirt and wore polka-dot heels for a mind-bending ensemble.
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Tailored Suits
Image Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage After year's of ostentatious designs, Prince went through a phase of classic tailored suiting, such as this bright blue one he wore during the 61st Annual Golden Globe in 2004.
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Black Jumpsuit and Top Hat
Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Fashion designer Matthew Williamson was thrilled to find out that Prince would perform at his London Fashion Week show in 2008 since his girlfriend at the time, Chelsea Rodgers, was a fan of the designer's work. The performance took place on the catwalk and Prince's all-black outfit (with silver accessories) popped against the pink backdrop.
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White Hood at 2005 People’s Choice Awards
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images His silky white outfit for the awards ceremony seemed to evoke a spiritual advisor from some serene planet.
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White Tunic at Coachella 2008
Image Credit: John Shearer/WireImage For his hits-filled set at the California concert, Prince chose a very desert-friendly white tunic with metal studding. The most jaw-dropping moment of the night came near the end of the main set when he broke out Radiohead's "Creep."
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Goatee and Asymmetrical Shades
Image Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Tired of being the center of attention, Prince tried to "disguise" himself at the 2004 at Essence Music Festival with a goatee, straightened hair, a red-and-black-sleeved flowing ensemble and funky Eighties sunglasses. But the Purple One cannot be contained.
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Afro and Gold Eyewear in 2012
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel At the 2012 iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Prince joined Mary J. Blige on stage for a duet of "Nothing Compares 2 U," which was a hit for Sinead O'Connor. The multi-colored psychedelic top and gold face mask were a new look, as was the natural afro that he first debuted a month earlier to much fanfare.
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Turquoise and Fringe
Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images Prince received the Icon Award at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards. And his turquoise outfit was matched with a black jacket with some serious fringe.
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‘3rd Eye’ Glasses at 2015 American Music Awards
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images What began as an illustration from his Art Official Age album in September 2014 inspired a real pair of "3rd Eye" glasses. He debuted them on an episode of Saturday Night Live in October 2015 and later work them to accept an award at the American Music Awards that year, while sporting an all-gold ensemble.