A Retrospective of Prince's Style

Prince's legendary style cannot be disputed.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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UPDATE: Prince passed away today, 4/21/2016, at the age of 57. This is a story we published in Sep. 2014, but have updated with another one of the instantly iconic looks he's worn in the time since then. 

See the original post from 9/30/14 below.

It’s impossible to imagine the course of music history without Prince. In his near four-decade career, the artist born Prince Rogers Nelson has built a legacy on his boundary-pushing in music and style. In fact, he did it within his first four years of releasing albums. Once he put on his purple jacket, ruffled white blouse, eyeliner, and heels for 1999 and Purple Rain, Prince immediately ascended to icon status. Taking influence from the ‘80s New Romantics, Prince challenged rigid notions of masculinity with his aggressively androgynous look, opening the door for similar-spirited artists like Kanye West, André 3000, and Pharrell Williams.

But the color purple isn’t the only thing he’s known for style-wise. Unlike other artists, especially from his generation, Prince’s wildly creative aesthetic is still constantly evolving. And his influence is as pervasive as ever. In fact, he hasn’t slowed down at all. To celebrate the release of the two new albums Art Official Age and Plectrumelectrum, it's only appropriate to take a trip through Prince's Style History.

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