The Fashion of Prince
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By Hannah Schmidt-Rees
“I’m not a woman, I’m not a man. I am something that you’ll never understand.”
With a career spanning forty years, it's clear that Prince is one of the most iconic musicians of our lifetimes. Being remembered for his musical genius and lyrical talent, it's also no surprise that Prince is also remembered for his iconic fashion. His visual identity was just as influential as his musical identity. Prince was always a pioneer; pioneering the 'Minneapolis Sound", a mix of funk, rock, pop, synth and new wave, as well as pioneering an unrestricted form of men's fashion. Experimenting with 'post-fashion'; post gender, post human and post race; Prince created a style that forever transformed the world of men's fashion.
Intertwining the subjects of his music with his visuals; Prince's style evolved to reflect gender, identity and sexuality. Combining the 80s new-romantic style with futuristic flair, his sexually open lyrics were reinforced through his clothing, especially for his 'Dirty Mind' tour. He used fashion as an aphrodisiac, taking certain colours, cuts and styles and filling them with emotion. Adorned double-breasted suits with brocades and bright patterns. Blouses filled with ruffles and lace. High waisted pants showing off his figure. His fashion was his and his alone, he wore whatever he wanted because he looked good in it. Embracing new romanticism and dandy aesthetics in the early 80s, switching to bold prints in the late 80s, Prince never confined himself to one look.
Whilst his style captured androgyny, it also captured the visual representation of a man's sexuality. He wore typically feminine clothing not because we wanted to dress as a woman; he was the king of male sexuality after all; he embraced androgyny because it looked good on him and he got the most attention. It made him feel confidant, and it's that the point of fashion after all? Prince constantly wore heeled platform boots and Cuban heels because "the women like 'em". Not flaunting the work of a specific designer or wearing trend-driven looks; Prince created and curated his own signature style. The majority of Prince's iconic look were custom made for him by trusted ateliers. Most of his garments were created without in-person fittings; designers were only given his measurements.
Prince's fashion forever changed the relationship between gender and fashion. Conversations addressing what men and women could wear were brought to light, boundaries were pushed and the results were brilliant. Prince opened the doors that male musicians, such as Harry Styles and Frank Ocean now walk through.
The restrictions that men face in their everyday lives; especially the visual boundaries in which the are confined to; need to be dismantled. It's often that I walk into a men's clothing store, only to be greeted by the most boring colour scheme available. Clothing is an outlet for creative expression and identity. How can men feel unique when they can only wear dark and muted colours? I want to walk into a store and not be able to tell where the men's section is just be the colour schemes. Give them bright yellows, blues and reds. Give them rich purples and emerald greens. Give them bold patterns and designs. In this world which constricting masculinity is slowly being torn down, providing more ways for men to visually express who they are will have major affects in mainstream society. We have far more important things to worry about than the clothes we wear.
“Now where I come from, we don’t let society tell us how it’s supposed to be. Out clothes, our hair, we don’t care. It’s all about being there.”