Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (2024)

Michael Jackson epitomised pop culture for decades, inspiring creative souls with his music as well as his style, until his death on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50.

Louis Vuitton’s autumn/winter 2019 menswear collection by creative director Virgil Abloh pays homage to Jackson, as do outfits from Balmain and Givenchy. Beyoncé brought a little bit of him to her 2016 Superbowl performance, and Rihanna has referenced his wide-shoulder military jacket on several occasions.

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Jackson’s favourite outfits – usually sparkly – included a military-style jacket, cropped trousers, a fedora, antigravity shoes or cowboy boots, white socks and a sequinned white glove.

Here are some of the pop star’s most iconic styles.

Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (1)

The military jacket is the most recognisable outfit that costume designer Michael Bush conceived for Jackson. Crafted with exaggerated shoulders and embellished with emblems and embroidery, it commands attention and delivers an authoritative look.

The sparkly white glove from Jackson’s 1983 performance of Billie Jean for the Motown 25 television special, where he performed the Moonwalk, is his signature fashion item.

Hong Kong businessman Hoffman Ma paid US$350,000 at a 2009 auction to acquire the glove, dubbed “the holy grail of Michael Jackson”.

The red leather jacket Jackson wore in his blockbuster single Beat It marks one of the most recognisable fashion designs in history.

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He also wore it during his 1988 Madison Square Garden tour, and signed it with the words “To Ari / Love / Michael Jackson / 1988”. The jacket sold for US$85,000 at auction.

The original ensemble for Billie Jean was an item Jackson borrowed from his mother’s wardrobe.

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His costume designer kept the silhouette and upgraded it with smaller and refined sequins for stage use.

Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (3)

The fashion item Jackson donned in his music video Thriller fetched US$1.8 million at Julien’s Auctions and remains a Halloween costume staple today.

The black jacket that the singer wore on his first solo tour was widely known as the “Bad jacket”. It was eventually sold by Texas businessman Milton Verret for US$298,000.

Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (4)

Jackson frequently wore knee pads during rehearsals and concerts; they offered protection against injuries.

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This pair was redesigned with gold and a touch of armour to match his favourite military style.

Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (5)

Jackson wore shades throughout his career, usually oversized aviators, though he later sported normal prescription style glasses.

Avant-garde, forward-looking and otherworldly, Jackson’s fashion moments were as prolific and influential as his music. Regardless of how the #MeToo allegations against Jackson unfold, his style is likely to inspire for decades.

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Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (6)

Check out Michael Jackson’s most iconic outfits (2024)

FAQs

What is Michael Jackson's most iconic outfit? ›

The military jacket is the most recognisable outfit that costume designer Michael Bush conceived for Jackson. Crafted with exaggerated shoulders and embellished with emblems and embroidery, it commands attention and delivers an authoritative look.

What jeans did Michael Jackson wear? ›

The Levi brand traditional five pocket jeans are straight-legged and are a faded mid-wash blue. The button fly has a silver colored button in the front of the pants with raised letters that read [LEVI STRAUSS & CO S.F. CAL] and several other buttons below.

Why did Michael Jackson always wear long sleeves? ›

She also said that she noticed that Michael Jackson started wearing long sleeves, hats, sunglasses, and masks to hide other parts of his body affected by vitiligo. However, not everyone agrees that vitiligo was the main reason for the glove.

Who designed Michael Jackson's outfits? ›

Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins were Michael Jackson personal costume designer and dressers. Michael and Dennis created Michael Jackson's personal and concert tour wardrobes about over tens of thousands of original pieces.

What outfit was Michael Jackson buried in? ›

Michael Jackson was buried with one white glove, sunglasses and dressed with pearl beads and a large gold belt, his sister, La Toya, said in an interview late Friday.

What outfit did Michael Jackson wear in Thriller? ›

The Thriller jacket is the red jacket worn by Michael Jackson in the music video for his 1983 hit "Thriller". Designed by Deborah Nadoolman Landis, the candy-apple-red jacket featured black stripes and raised shoulders forming an inverted triangle.

Why did Michael Jackson wear white? ›

Jackson was diagnosed with the skin disorder vitiligo, which results in white patches on the skin and sensitivity to sunlight. To treat the condition, he used fair-colored makeup and likely skin-bleaching prescription creams to cover up the uneven blotches of color caused by the illness.

Why did Michael Jackson dress like that? ›

Michael Jackson had a simple desire for his clothes — he wanted them to stand out from the crowd. That's why he often wore an armband on one sleeve. It made him look unique and catch people's attention.

Why did Michael Jackson wear military? ›

The military jacket, in all its eventual forms, came out of Jackson's fascination with Disney fairy tales, the fantasy of a knight in shining armour with a form-fitting uniform. “It really pleased his female fans,” Bush told Rolling Stone.

Why did Michael Jackson wear a red shirt? ›

Michael Jackson was often seen wearing red and black. Red was his favourite and red and black was his favourite combination. He also liked Blue because it was like the sky. He also wore many different armbands of different colours for all the suffering children in the world.

Why did Michael Jackson cover his hand? ›

The single white glove became an ingenious means of addressing the visual impact of vitiligo. By covering one hand, Jackson could draw attention away from the uneven skin tone and focus it on his performance.

Where is mj buried? ›

Did Michael Jackson make his kid wear a mask? ›

The music legend didn't want his children to have a childhood like he did, so they all wore masks and face coverings to protect their identity. Michael Jackson's three children, Paris, Prince and Blanket, all famously wore masks and face coverings whenever they were in public.

Did Michael Jackson wear a disguise? ›

Michael Jackson was known for disguising himself to avoid Paparazzi. Here's a few disguises MJ used out in public.

How much did Michael Jackson's clothes sell for? ›

An iconic leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson in the 1980s has been bought for £250,000 ($306,000). The black-and-white garment, worn by the late singer in a Pepsi advert, had been expected to sell for between £200,000 and £400,000 at the auction.

What was Michael Jackson's most popular? ›

Ranked: Each of Michael Jackson's No. 1 Songs
  1. “Billie Jean” This song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks after it was released as the second single from Jackson's 1982 album, Thriller. ...
  2. “Rock With You” ...
  3. “Beat It” ...
  4. “Bad” ...
  5. “Dirty Diana” ...
  6. “Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough” ...
  7. “Ben” ...
  8. “The Way You Make Me Feel”
Sep 13, 2023

Why did Michael Jackson dress like a soldier? ›

A Man in Uniform

This military jacket featured on the cover of King of Style came out of Jackson's fascination with form-fitting uniforms. "And it really pleased his female fans," Bush told Rolling Stone. "Who doesn't love a man in a uniform? It was about that creating the sexual mystique.

Why did Michael Jackson wear one? ›

The single white glove became an ingenious means of addressing the visual impact of vitiligo. By covering one hand, Jackson could draw attention away from the uneven skin tone and focus it on his performance.

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