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Aaliyah‘s life may have been cut short 13 years ago, but the R&B songstress’ legacy has continued to live on in pop culture, from her ballads that stand the test of time to the grace she showcased onscreen.
As we anxiously await the Lifetime Original Movie ‘Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B’ on Nov. 15 at 8/7c, The Boombox celebrates one of her biggest contributions: her fashion sense. Known best for her tomboy ways, Aaliyah felt most comfortable in baggy low rise pants and cropped tops. While she favored tight leather pants over a form-fitting dress, her femininity and confidence was showcased in other ways like her music.
A bandana on her head in ‘Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number’ to flaunting her toned tummy while sporting a bikini top in ‘Try Again,’ we take a trip down memory lane to highlight the top style moments from her music videos. Watch all of Aaliyah’s best style moments and vote on your favorite in the poll below.
1
'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number'
With hip-hop hitting its golden age in the ‘90s, Aaliyah embraced the baggy look popularized by the rappers of the genre. In the video for ‘Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number,’ she rocked an oversized T-shirt tucked into baggy jeans, a hoodie and a big leather jacket. She embraced her tomboy side wholeheartedly. The singer also threw on boots, a bandana around her head and sunglasses to complete her look. While it might not fly in today's world of chic threads, this style took off and put her on the map as a woman to watch when it came to fashion.
The video for 'If Your Girl Only Knew' showcased a more grown-up side to Aaliyah, who was 17 at the time. Dressed in all-black leather, she opted for a look that highlighted more skin, sporting a sleeveless halter top and bearing her midriff. Although she's wearing a crop top, the singer holds onto her signature style with a bandana and shades as well as keeps things comfortable with wide leg pants.
Aaliyah sticks to her belly-bearing style in the visual for '4 Page Letter' but changes up her attire more than once. The bandana and sunglasses (even in the dark) compliment her brown suede outfit plus the fringe hanging off the sleeves of her top makes for a playful look, especially while she's dancing. Then there's the sleek metallic pantsuit she rocks while getting up close to a male dancer in front of a flaming fire. Aaliyah serves as a cool contrast to the sizzling scene.
Baby Girl goes for the monochrome look again in 'One in a Million.' When she dons those black leather outfits, the songstress goes for a tight fit rather than big and baggy. She also replaces her sunglasses with an eye patch. However, for her all-white ensemble, she goes for a relaxed outfit, sporting loose pants and a tank top. Comfort is key for the R&B beauty.
5
'The One I Gave My Heart To'
Instead of lounging around in some lingerie or a beautiful dress like other R&B singers, Aaliyah chose to go with her most comfortable look -- baggy pants and a tank top -- for the video to the heart-wrenching track, 'The One I Gave My Heart To.' The standout fashion in the visual is her oversized patent leather jacket and pants -- perhaps something that she got from her gal pal Missy Elliott, who rocked a similar style at the time.
The singer goes for a goth vibe in the video for 'Are You That Somebody.' While her usual look embraces black and grey when it comes to her clothing, here it's the heavy eye makeup and dark lip featured on the goth goddess. Her signature side-swept bang comes into play but she also puts a twist on pigtails, kicking them up a notch from the kiddie hairstyle. And once again, she opts for baggy low-rider jeans and a cropped top.
In one of her most glam video looks to date, it's all about the bling for Aaliyah in 'Try Again.' Not only is she wearing a rhinestone-encrusted bikini top (fans probably wished Victoria's Secret would sell the piece in stores), the chanteuse also dons some statement jewelry -- namely the collar around her neck. Aaliyah proves that you don't have to wear a dress to showcase your sexy side. After watching this clip, she also inspired ladies to do a few crunches after seeing her flawless abs.
The 'We Need a Resolution' video highlights the many sides of Aaliyah. She flaunts her figure in black lingerie and patent leather stilettos in one scene and showcases her frame in a skimpy snake skin swimsuit -- with a matching snake -- in another. There are different kinds of sexiness when it comes to the songstress -- one being more overt than the other. However, she also gives off a playful vibe in a turquoise, belly-baring top, complete with colorful makeup. Then there's the more natural Aaliyah, donning a T-shirt, jeans, kicks and a big belt (this time with a Dolce & Gabana buckle), and this is the one we love her for most.
'Rock the Boat' was the last video Aaliyah filmed before her passing. The entertainer's clothing choices in this video highlight her curves and showcase lots of color. In fact, this is one of the few videos where she's only wearing black for a few seconds as opposed to the many times the dark hue has dominated her entire wardrobe. Instead, she resembles white heat here, as she performs with her dancers on the boat, wearing a colorful beach-ready outfit. Her red look signifies the sexiness and explicit nature of the lyrics.
Aaliyah lives up to the title of her 'More Than a Woman' visual by ditching oversized menswear and embracing a sleek look with a white Chanel leather catsuit. She's iced out in silver in all the right places including a necklace that trails down her chest. Her slicked-back hair and ponytail adds to her superwoman look. The high-end attire doesn't stop there. At the end of the video, the singer also rocks a Dainese leather suit.
