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singular sensation
November 14, 2014

Midriffs for Days: Praise Aaliyah for Defining the ’90s

By Allison P. Davis

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Photo: Warner Bros.

Based on the trailers for Lifetime’s Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B, we can already go ahead and call it unwatchable. But will that stop us from tuning in this weekend? Probably not. Because our enduring Aaliyah obsession lives on.

Starting in 1994, when she slunk onto that basketball court in the video for “Back and Forth,” Aaliyah defined the sexy tomboy-next-door style: baggy, low-slung pants, boxers, do-rags, Timbs — midriffs for days — all tied together with an unflappable confidence. It was a moment for sure. By 2000, Aaliyah had established herself as the icon for natural low-key beauty, but that didn’t keep her from adding a dose of glamour with dark lipstick, and dramatic red-carpet looks like that high-slit, tiger-print gown she rocked at that year’s MTV VMAs.

It’s been 20 years since Age Ain’t Nothin’ But a Number, and 13 since she tragically died in a plane crash at 22, but Aaliyah has remained a lasting influence for both her music and style. Upstart singers like Tinashe, Kelela, and  FKA Twigs (who paid homage to Queen of the Damned in her video for “Two Weeks”) have all cribbed from Aaliyah’s style notes, as have all those health-goth and athleisure fans who waited in line for Alexander Wang’s collection at H&M.

In honor of the Lifetime biopic, we’ve assembled the highlights of Baby’s Girl singular style — from her early “borrowed from the basketball court” look to her scorching red-carpet dresses. (And, of course, some choice music-video looks like her all-white ensemble in “Rock the Boat,” which will surely be mimicked by future generations for years to come.) Click through our slideshow to revisit Aaliyah’s iconic style.

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1 / 24 Photos
2001 In the music video for "Rock the Boat."
1997 In a Tommy Hilfiger ad. Photo: Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger
February 13, 2002 As Queen Akasha in Queen of the Damned. Photo: Warner Bros./See Caption
1998 In the music video for "Are You That Somebody."
1996 In the music video for "One in a Million."
October 4, 1997 Performing at the Forum in Inglewood, CA. Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/Jeffrey Mayer 2001 All Rights Reserved
1997 In a Tommy Hilfiger ad. Photo: Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger
c. 1995  Photo: Time & Life Pictures/Time & Life Pictures
March 15, 2000  Photo: Dave Allocca/Time Life Pictures
August 3, 2000 At the Urbanworld Film Festival. Photo: Sylvain Gaboury/Time Life Pictures
2000 In the music video for "Try Again."
August 21, 2001  Photo: Sylvain Gaboury/© Copyright DMI Photo™
July 23, 2001 At the New York premiere of Planet of the Apes. Photo: Frank Micelotta
March 15, 2000 Promoting Romeo Must Die at MTV Studios. Photo: Dave Allocca/Time Life Pictures
February 18, 1997 Performing on The Tonight Show. Photo: NBC/2014 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
October 13, 1998  Photo: Dave Allocca/Time Life Pictures
May 1, 1995 At the Virgin Megastore in London. Photo: Sarah Seymour
September 7, 2000 At the MTV Music Video Awards. Photo: Rob Beccaris
March 10, 2001 At "MTV Icon: Janet Jackson." Photo: Jeffrey Mayer
c. 1997  Photo: Chris Walter/Chris Walter
c. 1995  Photo: Time & Life Pictures/Time & Life Pictures
Jun 2, 2001 At the MTV Movie Awards. Photo: Gregg DeGuire
June 15, 2000 At the L.A. premiere of Me, Myself, and Irene. Photo: Jeff Vespa
August 6, 2000 At the Teen Choice Awards. Photo: Jeff Kravitz
1 / 24

Tags:

  • lookbook
  • aaliyah
  • lifetime movies
  • singular sensation

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