“I'm an instant star. Just add water and stir" -- David Bowie

He was someone to whom stardom came naturally. This pioneer of the blue-eyed soul left no stones unturned while working in the genres of music and the same can be said about his style. Every time he came up with new and exciting music, he complemented it with the most outrageous of fashion choices. From eye-patches to sequin onesies to skinny jeans, his outfits over his long music career have inspired designers and fashionistas to make bold statements and rise above the mundane, arbitrary standards of the fashion world. 

For Bowie, nothing was off limits. We have seen him sport a mandress (maxi style dresses inspiring androgynous trends) and a debonair blazer with an ease that only someone other-worldly can achieve. He aptly called himself 'alien' and 'superhuman'; he refused to be bored and would do anything to make his life and those of his countless admirers more interesting. As Earth grieves for Ziggy Stardust's departure to his home planet on 11 January, Lifestyle pays homage to the many styles of David Bowie.

SUITS AND INNOCENCE
Starting off in the 60s in British TV Bowie was in a professional suit with a sweet expression, leaving the audience completely unsuspecting of the rabble he was going to raise in no later than five years. 

HUNKY DORY
The early 70s saw him as a gender-bending fashion icon with long hair and feminine pants, dresses, and jackets. It was still a few months before Ziggy arrived on stage but Bowie was already creating quite a stir with his iconic dress on the cover of "The Man Who Sold the World." 

THE RISE OF ZIGGY STARDUST
The year was 1972, and Ziggy Stardust landed with full alien glamour in tight and sparkly outfits with the album 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'. Even though the album title suggested that there was going to be a fall of Ziggy, the stage persona had such a strong impression on the audience that it clearly showed that he was here to stay.

From the red hair to the fiery one-legged dress to the red lightning scar painted across his face, Ziggy made the fans go crazy enough for the newspapers to be printing instructions to a DIY Ziggy dress.  This period was about Bowie playing with colours. He went in huge bursts of colours and also in full white making it known that you can never predict who Bowie is going to be.   

REBEL IN SCARVES
Not entirely going away from the Ziggy look, Bowie came performing his hit song "Rebel Rebel" in a truly rebelous outfit. His eyepatch, his polka-dot scarf tied angrily on the neck, and his shirt knotted halfway, all sung in harmony with his song while the rest of the world took notes.

THE THIN WHITE DUKE
One of the personas of Bowie that inspired many was the thin white duke in full flowing shirts and a sleek, blonde back-brush. He had still retained the scarf but now it was loosely tied and was closer to the shirt with a more serious look. 

THE EARTHLING
Bowie did many experiments during the 80s' and the 90s' with suits, marine caps, and bowties hanging on his neck. One particular outfit caught the eyes during his 1996 release of the album "Earthling" and became an instant icon. It was a Union Jack coat with burn holes that he was wearing in the album cover and the following tours. Of course, the British fans were ever so enthusiastic to get this brand new look.

The cover jacket look stuck to Bowie through the start of the new century. He had on floral jackets, solid coloured coats and interesting vests as he matured with his now established place as the music and fashion phenomenon. 

ELEGANCE
David Bowie never failed to surprise the fans. When everyone was about to take him for granted as the creator of quirky styles, he arrived in total elegance in the 2000s'. His bowtie was now in proper shape with the most gorgeous of suits with an expression of a seasoned musician. He was doing soul in full regality but be sure that there is more to Bowie than to be hung up on one genre. A state of hiatus from the music scene was obviously keeping the fans wanting when Bowie released his album "The Next Day" after a decade. Bowie was now in more mellow colours keeping up with the elegance. 

The last album by David Bowie came in a couple of days before his departure. Maybe, we would have seen more surprising things in his fashion for this release if we had got more time. Then again, this parting is even more surprising and doing what is least expected was, in the words of the star in his latest song (Lazarus, Blackstar), "Ain't it just like me?" 

Afsin Ahmed
Photo: Collected