Badu has never been afraid to incorporate culturally charged beauty and fashion, often sporting bangles and cuffs, tribal makeup and kente cloth. But her approach is never tedious or laborious. Case in point: Badu kept it fresh and fun with denim-on-demin-on-denim at the Soul Train Awards.
The star hasn’t rested on her laurels over the years, either. Steady reinvention and evolution are at the heart of her style journey. The release of Badu 2002 album Mama’s Gun makes the star look even bolder: 2000 green microbraids on the Grammys red carpet; an afro and a cut-out band T-shirt at the same event a year later. She didn’t even cause a stir for wearing anything. Her powerful 2000 visuals for “Window Seat” – featuring the star slowly undressing in downtown Dallas – naturally made headlines.
In recent years, Badu has embraced bold, oversized silhouettes and separates. Think toddler bowler hats, baggy coats with exaggerated bell sleeves, suit skirts with trains reminiscent of freshly picked cotton. For a star who has said a lot through her fashion, this evolution feels like a natural and exciting progression. Lately, she has increasingly turned to luxury brands, most notably Thom Browne. The star attended the brand’s spring 2023 show in a south-gothic androgynous suit by the American designer. At , Badu is a powerful example that style only gets better with age – and more subtly refined.
Below, check out Erykah Badu’s most memorable looks over the years.
Erykah Badu at One Love in
Oracabessa, Jamaica Performing at the Bob Marley Music Festival .Photo: Getty Images2023
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