2 weeks Ago By Eliza Thompson
Gwen Stefani always turns out a unique look on the red carpet, but even she’ll never top some of the outfits she wore in the ’90s and early aughts. While the No Doubt frontwoman favors a sleeker look these days, she was once the queen of mismatched patterns, neon hair dye and bikini tops as evening wear. While she eventually started incorporating designer pieces into her outfits, Stefani has said that her style was originally born out of the DIY ethos of the music scene.
“Growing up in Orange County, I would look at magazines and I’d be, like, anti-magazine: ‘Oh, my God, you can’t get those clothes, they’re so expensive!’ she recalled to Vogue in 2016 . “I would just be all about getting a pair of old men’s pajamas and pegging them, making my own stuff. I just wanted to dress different from everyone else, and I don’t know why.
” Stefani also intentionally blended inspiration from different eras, often mixing Old Hollywood glam with punk accents. You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News “I really liked the idea of mashing time periods together, so my face and hair would be inspired by a glamorous screen siren from the olden days, and from my chin down, I was quite masculine in the way that I dressed,” she explained in a 2020 Vogue interview .
‘But then it would be fun to find one girly thing to add, like, I’d let my bra straps show and let them be a contrasting color or put diamonds on the bra straps. I was really into this whole sort of masculine and feminine thing at the same time.” Keep scrolling for a look back at Stefani’s most memorable throwback looks: Credit: James Devaney/GC Images Gwen Stefani’s Most Memorable Throwback Looks: Hot Pink Hair, Fur Bikini Tops and More Gwen Stefani always turns out a unique look on the red carpet, but even she’ll never top some of the outfits she wore in the ’90s and early aughts.
While the No Doubt frontwoman favors a sleeker look these days, she was once the queen of mismatched patterns, neon hair dye and bikini tops as evening wear. While she eventually started incorporating designer pieces into her outfits, Stefani has said that her style was originally born out of the DIY ethos of the music scene.“Growing up in Orange County, I would look at magazines and I’d be, like, anti-magazine: ‘Oh, my God, you can’t get those clothes, they’re so expensive!’ she recalled to Vogue in 2016 .
“I would just be all about getting a pair of old men’s pajamas and pegging them, making my own stuff. I just wanted to dress different from everyone else, and I don’t know why.”Stefani also intentionally blended inspiration from different eras, often mixing Old Hollywood glam with punk accents.
“I really liked the idea of mashing time periods together, so my face and hair would be inspired by a glamorous screen siren from the olden days, and from my chin down, I was quite masculine in the way that I dressed,” she explained in a 2020 Vogue interview . ‘But then it would be fun to find one girly thing to add, like, I’d let my bra straps show and let them be a contrasting color or put diamonds on the bra straps. I was really into this whole sort of masculine and feminine thing at the same time.
”Keep scrolling for a look back at Stefani’s most memorable throwback looks: Credit: Barry King/WireImage 1989 Stefani — in the pre-platinum days — performed with No Doubt in Newport Beach, California, wearing a bikini top and a coordinating miniskirt. Credit: Barry King/WireImage 1989 At another early No Doubt performance, the singer wore a tulle petticoat with a hot pink belt. Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images 1996 For a Bay Area concert, Stefani opted for a cropped white tank top and neon yellow pants with black zipper accents.
Credit: Getty Images 1997 The Grammy winner was pure ’90s in a puffy Tommy Hilfiger coat at the Hollywood premiere of Scream 2 (with then-boyfriend Gavin Rossdale ). Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images 1998 Stefani wore a bindi to the Bay Area Music Awards in San Francisco. While some critics slammed the look as cultural appropriation, she later defended her more controversial looks as an expression of love for other cultures.
“If we didn't buy and sell and trade our cultures in, we wouldn't have so much beauty, you know?" she told Paper magazine in 2021 . “We learn from each other, we share from each other, we grow from each other.” Credit: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage 1998 The bindi was back at the MTV Video Music Awards, where Stefani debuted pale blue hair that matched her furry bikini top.
Credit: Brenda Chase Online USA, Inc 1999 Stefani’s neon pink hair era was short-lived, but it looms large in the minds of people who have never gotten over No Doubt’s Return of Saturn . Here, she matched her locks to her dress and shoes at the VH1 Fashion Awards with the band in tow. Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images 2000 The pink hair was back for an appearance on MTV’s Total Request Live .
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images 2000 Stefani channeled a sexy sailor for No Doubt’s performance at the My VH1 Music Awards. Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images 2001 The “Cool” artist offered a modern take on Old Hollywood glamour at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards. Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage 2001 Stefani promoted her first collaboration with Eve , “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” in a red satin bomber jacket and a striped, sequined bikini top.
Credit: Kevin Mazur Archive 1/WireImage 2001 At the MTV VMAs, Stefani geared up for the release of No Doubt’s Rock Steady with pinup curls and a bedazzled, candy-striped halter top. Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage 2001 The Rock Steady era continued at the VH1/ Vogue Fashion Awards with a mesh tank worn under a bikini top. Credit: SGranitz/WireImage 2001 Dressed in a red bodysuit and houndstooth capris, Stefani picked up a trophy at the My VH1 Music Awards.
Credit: SGranitz/WireImage 2002 The pop star paired a necktie with a bikini top and newsboy cap at the “Love Rocks” concert honoring Bono . Credit: Jason Nevader/WireImage 2003 For No Doubt’s Super Bowl halftime show, Stefani chose a silver sequined top and pants accented with racing stripes. Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic 2004 The “What You Waiting For?” artist attended the premiere of Anchorman in green, wide-leg pants and one of her signature halter tops.
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage 2004 The singer opted for a more traditionally glam look at the MTV VMAs, pairing a blue corset top with a dark red skirt and matching hair accessory. Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images 2004 Stefani kicked off her solo career with an Alice in Wonderland –inspired outfit at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic 2004 The No Doubt frontwoman and her then-husband, Rossdale, attended the premiere of The Aviator , with Stefani looking ready for her close-up in a shimmering pink gown.
She played film star Jean Harlow in the movie, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as entrepreneur Howard Hughes . Credit: Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic 2005 Stefani stunned in a figure-hugging, leopard-print halter dress at MTV VMAs. Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage 2006 The singer styled her platinum tresses in a contemporary variation on the victory roll while wearing an asymmetric — and relatively subdued — white dress for the Billboard Music Awards.
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage 2007 Stefani wore a sequined minidress backstage at her L.A.M.
B. fashion show. Credit: Kevin Mazur/VF/WireImage 2009 The fashion designer chose a black Chanel gown for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/FilmMagic 2010 For the Met Gala, Stefani wore a metallic gown from her own L.A.M.
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