The Fashion Style of Britney Spears

Britney Spears

Rolling Stone magazine has called Britney Spears “a mixture of innocence and experience.” The magazine played this up in its front cover portrait, showing Britney in white polka dot shorts, black brassiere, and open white shirt, clutching cuddly Telly Tubby toy...

The Fashion Style of Britney Spears         

Rolling Stone magazine has called Britney Spears “a mixture of innocence and experience.” The magazine played this up in its front cover portrait, showing Britney in white polka dot shorts, black brassiere, and open white shirt, clutching cuddly Telly Tubby toy.

Britney Spears herself capitalizes on the same qualities, both with song titles such as ‘I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman’ and ‘Over Protected’ and, more especially, in her choice of clothing. Her outfits often give the impression of an experienced player in an earlier and more innocent age. Appearing on the cover of her new Circus album, with long, wavy blonde hair, and shoulder-less organza dress, Britney looks like a classic female icon from the 1950s, 60s or, perhaps, 70s. In other photos for Circus, her outfit, and the backdrop suggest France decades or perhaps even a century ago.

There is a sense of the Wizard of Oz about it – the circus itself is an old-fashioned, almost historical form of entertainment. On her official MySpace page, visitors are greeted by a photo of the singer dressed in a white corset, black and white striped vest underneath, and cocktail-type skirt. Poised on a rope, with arms raised, and holding a black umbrella to the side, she appears to be welcoming an audience, while performing the tightrope walk at the same time. Despite the broad and natural smile, there is a sense of danger.

In dance routines, promoting the album, she has worn a tight black top, tight black shorts, thigh-high black boots, and a top hat. That last detail may seem cute – and it is – but it reminds us of the lion tamer’s outfit, and of cabaret. It’s dangerous and sexy, and has more than a touch of class.

She was recently spotted rehearsing a dance routine wearing a colorful Ed Harvey bikini. The tattoo design, in predominantly orange, green, blue, and mauve, had been enlarged, with the images cut off at the seams, so that from a distance the pattern appeared as an abstract, Pucci-type design, similar to the packaging of her perfume ‘Fantasy’. Look closer and you’ll see a playfully drawn green skull, mermaids, and other motifs, all overlapping.

And then there are her catsuits: a silver one, and a red PVC one worn with Barbarella-type big hair. It’s both a nostalgic look back to old sci-fi movies, as well as a declaration that she is looking forward to the future.

But if this is Britney Spears dressed up for performing, she can do the same with simpler, contemporary fashion. One of her gifts is to make dance rehearsal-type apparel (such as tight tops exposing the midriff, and tight shorts) look as if it could be worn to an upscale gala event. But wherever she goes, and whatever she wears, Britney Spears always stands out.