Aretha Franklin: The Style Icon and Fashionista

Aretha Franklin  died on thursday at her home in Detroit, the Queen of Soul was 76 years old.
With a successful carreer spanning over six decades, her fashion and style can be said to be just as magnificent and iconic as her voice


Franklin’s style was extravagant, lavish, and befitting of a superstar. Although one of Franklin’s sartorial choices may not be as popular today — she loved wearing fur. She often wore luxurious fur coats on and off the stage, with intricately embroidered dresses threaded with beads and feathers. Franklin had a penchant for regal jewelry, too: statement jewel earrings, emerald rings, and pearl necklaces.

The “Natural Woman” singer was unafraid of bold, bright colors, loud, statement prints, and elaborate hair and makeup looks. In the ‘60s, Franklin often wore beehive hairdos and glossy, nude lips with maxi-length embroidered dresses and caftans. During the ‘70s, she embraced the era’s “flower power” aesthetic, on one occasion in 1975 wearing a dress with an oversized floral print and feathers stitched along the collar and trim. Franklin also sported well-coiffed Afros and neat cornrows.

In the ’80s, Franklin saturated her wardrobe with ruffles, tulle and metallics. Maximalism was Franklin’s go-to — and she paired it with glaring haircuts. In the ’90s, she often wore gowns by fashion designer Arnold Scaasi, the same designer who has dressed American First Ladies Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush, and Mamie Eisenhower. In the aughts, Franklin continued to flaunt her figure and wear glamorous gowns that hugged her curves, rocking them with shoulder-skimming hairstyles before settling into her most recent pixie cut.

From her 20s to her 70s, Franklin’s style epitomized her extraordinary talent. She embraced old Hollywood glamour, wearing Oscar-worthy red-carpet gowns that shimmered, and shined on and off stage. More was always better with this diva.

Having started her musical career at a time when there wasn’t as much widely-reported scrutiny of a woman’s appearance as it today (think entertainers like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, or Jennifer Lopez), Franklin freely and effortlessly experimented with just about every beauty trend.

Throughout her 76 years, the “Queen of Soul” has been a force to be reckoned with, earning a myriad of accolades that musicians only dream of. In 1967 at just 25, she released her hit song, “Respect,” which quickly skyrocketed to the top of the music charts. In subsequent years, Franklin continued to produce hit songs such as “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Baby I Love You,” and “Chain of Fools,” which helped define her generation, known as the “Golden Age of Soul.”

In 1987, Franklin became the first woman to ever be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994, she became the youngest recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors at 52 years old. That same year, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005, she was selected as one of 14 recipients for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Throughout her decades-long career, the Detroit-born artist has earned 44 Grammy nominations and won 18 of them.
To say Aretha Franklin is a legend is an understatement.

Ahead, go back in time to see Aretha Franklin’s most iconic fashion and beauty looks.



1960
The higher the hair, the closer to God. Aretha Franklin’s big hairstyle balanced out her olive green turtleneck and trench coat. (Photo by RB/Redferns)



1961
Aretha Franklin looks over her shoulder, with her hair pulled up into a beehive style. Franklin was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Photo: Getty Images)



1967
Aretha Franklin wears a turquoise feather trim coat with super-teased locks and dewy skin. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)


1965
Aretha Franklin wears an intricately beaded maxi gown and flowing strands with blunt bangs while posing for a portrait. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)



Aretha Franklin wears a long-sleeve embroidred caftan dress with balloon sleeves and a teeny weeny Afro while performing at a jazz festival. (Photo by GAMMA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)



1968
The “Queen of Soul” wears a luxurious gown with intricate embroideries and a fur trim hem along with a large fur stole around her shoulder. Her ‘fro really sets off the look. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)


1968
Aretha Franklin wears a pleated empire dress with crystal earrings and glamourous hair at the Martin Luther King Benefit. (Photo by Getty Images)


1969
Aretha Franklin fixes her makeup backstage, wearing a gold lace gown and delicate jewels, before a performance at Symphony Hall in Newark, N.J. (Photo by:Walter Iooss/Getty Images).




1968
Aretha Franklin wears a vibrant orange off-the-shoulder dress, matching bead earrings, and an Afro. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)



1970
Aretha Franklin poses for a portrait wearing a towering turban and colorful caftan. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)


1973
Baby ‘fro, purple eyeshadow, and a fresh face is what makes this shot of Aretha Franklin stand out. (Photo by Anthony Barboza/Getty Images)



1973
Aretha Franklin is shown at a news conference sporting a printed top and stretched-out Afro. (AP Photo)



1975
Aretha Franklin performing live wearing a vibrant orange hairstyle and ’70s style “flower power” dress with white feather details around the collar and sleeves. (Photo by ABC via Getty Images)



1973
Aretha Franklin snaps her fingers during a performance on stage at the Astrodome Jazz Festival in Houston, Tx. Franklin has tightly braided hair and wears a sequined chiffon gown with a plunging neckline. (Photo by Tad Hershorn/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)



1976
Composer Sylvester Levay and Aretha Franklin, pictured right in a white fur coat, at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)



1977
Aretha Franklin wears a strapless dress, single pearl necklace, and slick topknot hairdo with lush eyelashes. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)



1980
Bring on the glam! Aretha Franklin poses for a portrait rocking a caramel-colored flipped hairstyle, blue eyeliner, and cherry red lipstick to match her bomber jacket. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)



1982
Masculine meets feminine. Aretha Franklin sports a stylish pixie and tons of rouge for the cover of her record “Jump To It.” (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)



1985
Who’s bad? Aretha Franklin wears purple eyeshadow and a studded denim jacket. (Photo by Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)



1983
Aretha Franklin wears a strapless black sequin gown with crystals along the bust at the American Music Awards. (Photo by The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)



1986
Aretha Franklin performs onstage in 1986 wearing an extravagant green ruffle and metallic gown with chandalier jewel earrings and a larger-than-life pompadour. (Photo by Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)



1988
Aretha Franklin, wearing a red leather studded jacket and short auburn haircut, joins George Michael on stage during his Faith World Tour in Detroit. The duo sang their Grammy-winning hit “I Knew You Were Waiting.” (AP Photo/Rob Kozloff)



1986
Aretha Franklin wears a leaopard print mini dress, leather shawl jacket, and gold hoop earrings while posing with comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg. (Photo by Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images)




1990
Aretha Franklin wears a luxurious white fur coat, emerald and diamond ring, and smoky eyeshadow for the Night of 100 Stars. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)



1992
Aretha Franklin wears a white mini dress underneath a leopard print coat with black fur trimmings and statement crystal earrings at the Arista Records Pre-Grammy Party. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)



1993
Aretha Franklin wears an oversized brown fur coat over a red mod-style mini dress with gold emerald earrings while preforming at the Lincoln Memorial for President William Jefferson Clinton’s inaugural gala in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images)



1993
Aretha Franklin wears a yellow empire dress with beaded details along the sleeve and bust while performing at the inaugural gala for U.S. President Bill Clinton in Washington D.C. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta).



1999
Aretha Franklin shows off her strapless blue crystal embroidered gown to photographers as she attends the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner. (Photo by Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images).



2009
Aretha Franklin’s grey felt hat accented with a bow and decorated with crystal details became the center of attention during the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. The accessory is now preserved at the Smithsonian. (Photo: Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images).




2012
Aretha Franklin wears an orange ruched halter sequin dress and bright blond hair during a performance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” (Photo by: Stacie McChesney/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)



2017
Aretha Franklin wearing a glamorous white and gold A-line gown while performing at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival Opening Gala premiere of “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives.” (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)



2017
At 75, Aretha Franklin was still going strong wearing a luxurious cream sequin gown decorated with floral appliqués and a white fur coat while performing at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Gala in New York City. (Photo: Getty Images)


Sources: Getty images, Yahoo entertainment, Newyork times