Thursday, June 25, 2009

Style tribute: Michael Jackson + Farah Fawcett

Two icons died today, and both were known as style icons of their generations. As a tribute to both, let's take a look at their respective styles throughout the years.

Farah Fawcett was pretty much the poster girl for the '70s - big, bouncy curls, all-American looks, not to mention that bod that every boy dreamed about. The Charlie's Angels star could look just as hot in high-waisted bell bottoms and sneaks.

The ubiquitous poster that was on every boy's wall.


Another pin-up-y look - oh yeah, and cut-out swimsuits are back, did you hear?

Farah looking as American as apple pie.

Farah looking just as hot in jeans and sneaks as in nearly nothing.

And of course, where would she be without an Andy Warhol Polaroid portrait?


And then there was Michael.

That red jacket from "Beat It" that later inspired Rihanna to rock one last year on her tour with Kanye - that fingerless glove worn on one hand - the black loafers worn with high-water pants and white socks. The King of Pop was obviously better known for his music, but his style has inspired many.

Of course, it all started with the Jackson 5, when Michael was just a groovy kid in bell bottoms.


MJ really broke out on his own in a white suit on the cover of "Off the Wall." It was sharp, in a very Studio 54 kind of way. And what better accessory is there than a tiger cub?

With MJ's first aired performance on the TV special "Motown 25" in 1983, we were first exposed to MJ's one-of-a-kind dance moves, the toe stands, the crotch grabs, and especially the Moonwalk. Check the sequinned jacket and military-striped pants he wore for the performance, and of course the single silver sequin glove.
An icon isn't an icon in the '60s & '70s without an Andy Warhol portrait.

Here's MJ in the classic early-'80s gear for "Beat It" and "Thriller": Red jacket, black loafers, and white socks. 'Nuff said.

For the 1991 Grammy awards, Madonna took him as her date. Could there have been a more provocative pair at the time? He's dripping in almost as many diamonds as she is.

MJ during his early '90s "Bad" period: Studded motorcycle jackets, like the one Karen O has been wearing on her most recent tour.

For another early '90s track "Smooth Criminal" (aka the song where he does the moonwalk and the cool lean thing), he went back to the slick white suit, this time with a gangster-inspired fedora.

Later on he glammed it up in a military-inspired jacket - which are now all the rage, a la Balmain.

RIP, MJ + FF

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