From his earliest days in the public eye back in the ’70s, Prince has always awed audiences with his dynamic, vivid fashion sense and his dizzying array of looks. Never dull, Prince has always been a fashion icon. Take a look back at his colorful, daring and stylish looks.
1979
A shirtless, wavy-haired Prince appeared on the cover of his 1979 self-titled album, looking his audience dead in the eye and boldly reintroducing himself au naturale.
1981
Never one to be timid, a “Dirty Mind”-era Prince performed in a sleeveless tee, a bandana, thigh-highs and black underwear at the Los Angeles’ Flipper’s Roller Disco Boogie Lounge in March 1981.
1985
Intently playing his guitar, Prince rocked a fierce two-piece suit, decorated with swirls of raspberry and purple on stage in 1985, around the time his album Around the World in a Day hit shelves.
1986
With his hair cropped shorter, Prince wowed an L.A. crowd in a sleeveless shirt that bared his abs and matching skin-tight, button-dotted pants in 1986, — the same year his Parade album brought Hot 100 No. 1 single “Kiss” to fans’ ears.
1991
A bearded Prince wore a gold two-piece outfit with a matching guitar to the MTV Video Music Awards on September 5, 1991. Viewers of the show got an unexpected eyeful when Prince turned tail and revealed the outfit’s back-less pants to the cameras.
1993
Prince rocked a pajama-like green-and-blue striped suit with a few gold chains dangling from his neck, a megaphone, and shades completing the look in 1993.
1997
Wearing a short haircut, with some of the ends of his locks dyed, Prince sports a big loose white jacket and a purple lace two-piece outfit at the San Jose State Event Center in San Jose, California.
1999
In blue leather and beaded braids, Prince hits the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards at Metropolitan Opera House in New York in September 1999.
2005
Sporting a mustache and a soul patch, a hooded Prince goes all-white at the People’s Choice Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
2006
Prince wears a blood red shirt with a purple jacket and matching slacks during the Season 5 finale of “American Idol” at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
2007
Enjoying an All-Star basketball on Feb. 18, 2007 in Las Vegas, Prince goes all-black — from his shoes, to his shiny jacket, to hit tilted hat.
2011
Dressed in dazzling gold and rocking out, it was at this same show that he invited Kim Kardashian onstage to dance before kicking her off because she refused to groove.
2012
In bright yellow pants and matching heels, a subdued yet colorful turtleneck top, Prince plays in Vegas on Sept. 22, 2012 at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.
2015
Prince speaks on stage during the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.