Audrey Hepburn Popularized the Little Black Dress
Pop culture has delivered an endless number of iconic styles. There's Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket, Kurt Cobain's flannel that defined grunge rock, and Elvis Presley's jumpsuit, to name a few. Here are 20 iconic styles that every pop culture buff will recognize.
1. Marilyn Monroe's White Dress
The billowing dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in The Seven Year Itch is one of the most iconic pieces of apparel in film history. It's glamorous and stunning, and even a glimpse of an image of it evokes Monroe's memory. This dress helped create the Marilyn Monroe who won the hearts of filmgoers everywhere.
2. James Dean's Rebel Red Jacket
In Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean created an iconic style simply by wearing a red windbreaker, white tee, and jeans. The look became the symbol of teen rebellion, and wearing it signified that you were effortlessly cool and edgy.
Trailer screenshot on Wikimedia
3. Michael Jackson's Thriller Jacket
The red-and-black jacket that Michael Jackson wore in the Thriller music video was a style game-changer. Paired with sunglasses, it was an evocative look that blended boldness with sophistication. Fans still emulate it to this day. This was only one of the King of Pop's iconic looks.
4. Audrey Hepburn's Little Black Dress
The Givenchy dress that Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's set the gold standard for elegance and grace. Paired with pearls and sunglasses, it's the definition of timeless sophistication. Her influence helped make the little black dress a fashion staple to this day.
5. Madonna's 1980s Lace and Crosses
What pop culture fan wouldn't instantly recognize Madonna's classic look of layered lace, fishnet gloves, and a cross necklace? This style was not only replicated by fans for years, but it also symbolized female rebellion in the 1980s, and made a lasting impression on fashion.
6. Kurt Cobain's Flannel
Grunge music exploded into popularity in the 1990s, and its style could be seen from Seattle to New York City. This style was defined by Kurt Cobain's flannel cardigans and sweaters, which were usually paired with ripped jeans. His look represented his authentic self and embodied the spirit of his music and the era.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tercerojismo/ on Wikimedia
7. Beyoncé's Lemonade Yellow Dress
Beyoncé's flowing yellow dress from Lemonade reflected her fierce rage and created a style that married resilience, power, elegance, and cultural pride. No pop star could pull off that dress the way Beyoncé did.
8. Elvis Presley's Jumpsuit
The rhinestone-bedazzled jumpsuit became Elvis's late-career iconic look. It even overshadowed his early career style, which was iconic in its own right. His jumpsuits were flashy, loud, over-the-top, and screamed "rock 'n' roll".
9. Cher's Bob Mackie Gowns
Cher's collaboration with designer Bob Mackie created some of the most extravagant outfits in pop culture history. She wasn't shy about wearing feathered hairpieces, sequins, sheer gowns, or anything provocative and memorable. Bob Mackie helped transform Cher into a bold and daring fashion icon and trailblazer.
10. Prince's Purple Rain Outfit
Prince was never short on style or extravagance. His purple trench coat and ruffled shirt provided dramatic flair to his guitar playing and showmanship. His unique fusion of fashion styles was flamboyant and uniquely his own. There has never been a musician with Prince's sense of style.
11. David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Look
Bowie's Ziggy Stardust look is renowned, classic, and reinvented the concept of how a star should look. With Bowie's flame-red mullet, glitter, and lightning bolt makeup, he redefined the theatricality that an artist can bring to their work.
Christina Radevich on Unsplash
12. Run DMC's Adidas Tracksuits
Run DMC made streetwear cool again. Their Adidas tracksuits, gold chains, and fedoras bridged hip-hop culture into mainstream fashion and inspired a wave of trends.
13. Britney Spears' Schoolgirl Outfit
The schoolgirl outfit that Britney Spears wore in her beloved and wildly popular music video became one of the looks of the late 1990s. It was playful yet provocative, and immediately became an emblem of her era's teen pop. While controversial at the time, her style was embraced by her millions upon millions of fans worldwide.
14. Lady Gaga's Meat Dress
Not all iconic styles can be worn to the office or PTA meeting. Lady Gaga wore a dress made of raw beef at the 2010 MTV VMAs and shocked the world. It was part art, part protest, and all fashion. This dress cemented her legacy as a stylish provocateur.
15. The Matrix's Black Trench Coat
The black trench coats worn by Neo and Trinity in The Matrix defined the cyberpunk futuristic look that swept through fashion in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
16. Michael Jordan's Air Jordans
Jordan's NBA dominance propelled his shoe line to iconic levels. The Air Jordans were a phenomenon that became a status symbol. There's no other footwear that ever reached the heights of Air Jordans.
17. Princess Diana's Revenge Dress
The red dress that Princess Diana wore after Charles's confession of adultery became a defining moment for her and a message of empowerment for women all over the world. It was sleek and daring and was another example of fashion being an act of personal expression.
Provincial Archives of Alberta on Unsplash
18. Freddy Krueger's Striped Sweater
The red-and-green striped sweater that Freddy Krueger wore to terrorize teens in their dreams is more than a popular Halloween costume. It symbolizes fear, power, and Freddy's penchant for cutting through the tension with a joke or two.
Enrique Guzmán Egas on Unsplash
19. Joker's Purple Suit
There's no villain with a look as iconic as the Joker. His purple suit was the perfect match for his chaotic and psychopathic personality.
20. Indiana Jones's Fedora and Hat
Throughout his movies, Indian Jones made audiences feel like every archaeologist was stylish and cool. His look might not speak to the profession in real life, but his fedora and hat are iconic and made only more so when a whip is added into the mix.
