Aaliyah’s Iconic 90s Fashion Helped Shape My Style Today
It’s been 16 years since we lost one of R&B’s most beautiful souls.
There are not many 90s babies out there who haven’t heard Aaliyah’s music. And if you have heard it, then you most likley loved it and probably still do. By the age of 22, Aaliyah was already an R&B legend. How could anyone not obsess over her amazing dance moves in the “Are You That Somebody” video or her captivating vocals in “One in a Million”?
August 25 marks 16 years since we lost one of R&B’s biggest stars. She tragically died in a private plane crash in 2001 that claimed the lives of nine passengers. But, no matter how many years go by, we can’t forget the influence she had over our generation.
From her music to her screen presence, she made a huge impact on me when I was only seven years old. I had a DVD of her most popular music videos and I watched them over and over again trying to learn the songs and emulate the choreography. She always had this effortless skill and confidence and not only did it show when she performed, but it showed in the way she dressed as well.
No matter how many years go by, we can’t forget the impact that she made on our generation.
As a young girl from the Detroit area (Aaliyah actually grew up in Detroit too), I was heavily influenced by urban fashion. Aaliyah’s baggy pants, sports bras, large hoop earrings, and bandanas set the standards for what I wanted to wear, even after she passed. From the basketball jerseys to the side-swept bangs, I tried it all at some point.
Backwards hats, denim on denim, and girls sagging their pants like the guys… that’s some real 90s fashion. And Aaliyah rocked tf out of it.
Her most iconic look of all time: the head-to-toe Tommy Hilfiger fit.
She always looked so chilled, yet so put together. Her eyebrows were on fleek before YouTube tutorials even existed.
She could never go wrong with an oversized statement jacket.
The color coordinating was ALWAYS on point.
And did I mention the bandanas?!
The aspects of her style really embody everything that 90s hip-hop culture was about. It inspired me as a kid and it still inspires me to this day.
Everything Aaliyah created, whether it was a song, a character in a film, or an outfit, she did it in a way that always felt genuine and that’s what made me look up to her the most.
To this day, I still wear large hoop earrings and oversized jackets. I still love to make a fashion statement while wearing comfortable sneakers. And I still have a habit of perfectly color coordinating my entire outfit. And I might just have Aaliyah to thank for that.
You can stream some of Aaliyah’s greatest hits below:
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