Eccentric Soul Artists Dressed to Impress
UK songbird Adele once said: “Sometimes with pop music, you have to see it to love it. With soul music, it's sparse. There's nothing that's pretentious or planned. It's just so gutsy.” For more than half a century soul has influenced the British music scene to an enormous extent.
Despite their immense talent, it is often not only the music of the soul greats that have left a mark on the world. Throughout the history of music, many stars have sported somewhat eccentric personal styles that have often earned them titles such as ‘fashion icon’ and ‘trendsetter’.
While there are countless soul artists that have impressed me with their dress sense, there are three, in particular, that have made an immense impact on the world.
Amy Winehouse’s signature style will live on forever
The late Amy Winehouse was as well-known for her eccentric style as she was for her expressive, contralto voice.
She became a contemporary style icon thanks to her winged eyeliner, skin-tight, thigh-skimming dresses, and signature beehive ever since she first burst onto the music scene way back in 2003.
Amy was, in fact, so dedicated to her style that she was rarely seen in anything else. Even when she had to make a court appearance she sported her usual makeup and hairdo with a tight suit and pearls. Apart from her quirky dress sense,
Amy was also known for making a loud statement with skin art and piercings. At the time of her death, Amy had 14 known tattoos and would undoubtedly have added a few more should she have still been alive today.
Not much can match Elton John’s killer style
Sir Elton John is almost as much of a British icon as Queen Elizabeth herself. Even since he became a star in 1970, the now 72-year-old musical idol has been known for his flamboyant personal style both on and off stage.
John was frequently photographed wearing eccentric outfits ranging from applique suits and sunglasses to sequined baseball outfits. When he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975 he wore a suit emblazoned with the name of various stars, including his own.
One of his most extravagant looks to date was undoubtedly the Louis XVI period ensemble he wore for his fiftieth birthday that included silver tights, a massive feathered shawl, and an enormous hairpiece that made him tower above his partner David Furnish. T
Today, Sir Elton is often seen sporting less gaudy outfits although he still likes to impress with the odd flashy jacket or pair of unusual sunglasses.
David Bowie wore what he wanted to
As much as David Bowie’s music was the ultimate form of self-expression, so too was his choice of clothes.
When Bowie released his first album in 1967 entitled The World of David Bowie, he was seen as the ultimate modern gentleman, sporting pointed boots, ankle-length trousers, and shirts that more often than not had the top button undone.
It was only after the release of Space Oddity that Bowie started to experiment with his look, often seen wearing shimmering cat suits and elaborate makeup. During the 70s and 80s, Bowie once again adopted a classical look and counted 3-piece suits among his favorite items of clothing.
The start of the 90s will always be remembered as the rock era in his life while the end of the decade and the start of the new millennium saw Bowie return to his hippy roots with him often wearing baggy trousers, wide, colorful shirts, and waistcoats.
An artist’s personal style often makes as much of an impact as their music does. While not all soul singers may be equally eccentric, even those with the mildest of fashion quirks are bound to be remembered for the longest period of time.
This article was written by:
Cassie Steele -
Well, that's all folks for me now anyway.
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