In light of his passing, it's hard not to think of Prince's iconic fashion, and how it affected the world. Sure, he was a musical force to be reckoned with, releasing hit after Billboard hit. But he did it all with such flair, and such style, that he soon became just as famous for his over-the-top outfits. And we were all more than happy to be taken along for the ride.
From the very early days of his career, Prince was never afraid to show his flair for the dramatic with (or without) his clothes. For example, on his self-titled 1979 album cover, Prince is shown shirtless and rocking nothing more than an androgynous, 70s-style blowout. It's the perfect example of why his style has been described as sexy, gender-bending, and creative, among other things.
Over the years, the singer's eccentric style continued to progress. After his 1981 album Dirty Minds was released, Prince stepped out on stage in Los Angeles wearing a sleeveless T-shirt, thigh-highs, and black underwear, according to Billboard.com. Oh, and a pretty good helping of tassels, too.
But it really wasn't until his sixth album, the 1984 Purple Rain, that his style became truly legendary. As Marissa G. Muller said on Complex.com, "Once he put on his purple jacket, ruffled white blouse, eyeliner, and heels for 1999 and Purple Rain, Prince immediately ascended to icon status."
Of course the singer wasn't just over-the-top on stage, but off as well. Think of his appearances at award shows, or other large, fancy events. Was he wearing a simple black suit, or pair of basic jeans? Hardly ever. Simple wasn't his style. In fact, he was anything but. Check out some of these more recent looks for a small taste of his fashion status.
1. The Sparkly Gold Suit
Like I said, simple was not in Prince's vocabulary. He wore the above gold suit and three-lensed sunglasses to the 2015 American Music Awards. As Lauren Cochrane said on TheGuardian.com, "He resembled an afro-d pop star remade from the sun. Or an as-yet-unveiled relative of Princess Leia in the new Star Wars. Either way, equally mind-blowing." Couldn't agree more.
2. The 50th Grammy Awards Ensemble
The singer wore this eye-catching look to present an award at the 50th Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Performance. Remember what I said about no boring suits? Well this is only just a small taste.
3. The "Purple One"
Prince was known as The Purple One for a reason. The above outfit shows him in his signature color. And he's rocking out, as usual.
4. The Fancy Cane
At the 2013 Grammy Awards, Prince was seen using a cane. He was there to present record of the year to Gotye and Kimbra, and delighted everyone by admitting he loved their hit song "Somebody That I Used To Know." According to Gael Fashingbaeur Cooper on Today.com, the singer wouldn't say whether he needed the cane, or it was simply a fashion accessory. It was known, however, that the singer suffered hip problems for years and reportedly needed a double hip replacement.
5. The French Open Look
Here's Prince at the 2014 French Open, again with the mystery cane in hand. Fashion statement or not, he seemed to be in good spirits. And looked stylist as always.
6. The Teal Suit
Oh, wait! Another suit. OK, so maybe he did love some classics. But choose a boring color? No way.
7. The Solid Gold Eye Mask
This is one of the singer's latest looks — the solid gold eye mask. Clearly comfort (or the ability to see) was not a high priority on his list. All in the name of fashion, I suppose.
8. The 2015 Grammy Awards
Here's another iconic look — Prince's orange ensemble at the 2015 Grammy Awards. He was there, yet again, to be a presenter for Album of the Year. The award went to singer Beck, for his album Morning Phase. But the fashion award clearly went to Prince.
9. That Guitar
If ever there was a more recognizable guitar, please let me know. Prince's love symbol guitar is like none other.
10. That White Hooded Jacket
Prince wore this chic look at the 2005 People's Choice Awards in Pasadena, California. It's super sleek, and somehow a bit different? Maybe because it's not a suit, and it's not crazy over-the-top, but somehow somewhere in between? I'm not sure, but I like it.
11. The Popped Collar
To me, this look is decidedly Prince. The popped color, the flash of color, and the coolness of it all seems to sum his style up nicely. Of course, he could also pull off that half-naked, thigh-high look, but neither was his go-to. After all, the singer was a multi-faceted man.
12. Red Ruffles
Ruffles, ruffles, ruffles. Wouldn't it be nice if you were known in fashion history for ruffles, too? Exactly.
13. The Suit With Bell Sleeves
This suit is iconic because it combines everything that Prince was about when it came to fashion — prints, exaggerated details (bell sleeves on a suit? genius), and bright colors. Perfection.
It can't be denied that Prince was a style icon. The singer, and his amazing fashion, will be missed.
