Aaliyah is someone whose style defined the late ’90s and early ’00s. When the singer passed away in 2001 in a devastating plane crash after filming the video for her single “Rock the Boat,” the music industry wasn’t the same. Only two months prior to her death at just 22, she released her self-titled album, Aaliyah, to critical accolades. Now, 19 years after the R&B songstress’s tragic death, we’re looking back at her most iconic fashion moments.
Besides her catalogue of hit songs like “More Than a Woman,” which is one of my all-time favorites, Aaliyah also starred in movies like Romeo Must Die (she recorded the iconic song “Try Again” for the soundtrack) and Queen of the Damned. From her iconic MTV VMAs Roberto Cavalli dress to the multitude of crop tops she wore on the red carpet, it’s hard to choose a favorite.
Keep reading to see some of Aaliyah’s most memorable looks.
Related: I'm About to Write a 4-Page Letter of Praise For Yara Shahidi's Aaliyah-Inspired Outfit
Getty / Kevin Winter
Opting for a rock-and-roll look wearing a crop top and leather pants at the 2000 Teen Choice Awards.
Getty / Steve Granitz
Opting for a sheer sequined number for the Romeo Must Die premiere in 2000.
Getty / Evan Agostini
Rocking a sheer top with white jeans at the Planet of the Apes premiere in 2001.
Getty / Gregg DeGuire
Looking sleek and sexy in an LBD at the 2001 MTV Movie Awards.
Getty / Evan Agostini
Glimmering in a gold bustier gown at the Essence Awards in 2001.
Getty / Jeff Kravitz
Attending the 1998 Academy Awards wearing a simple yet chic black gown with a side slit.
Getty / Ron Galella, Ltd.
Proving you can wear white jeans with a crop top at the premiere of Me, Myself & Irene in 2000.
Getty / Christopher Polk
Mixing leather and denim while attending the MTV 20th Anniversary event in 2001.
Getty / Kevin Mazur
Remember Baby Phat? Here is Aaliyah at the Urbanworld Film Festival in 2000 wearing a top from Kimora Lee Simmons’s line.
Getty / Steve Granitz
Repping the Big Apple at an event for Janet Jackson in 2001 wearing a one-shouldered “New York” crop top and jeans.
Getty / Michael Ochs Archives
How cool does she look in this purple set at the Soul Train Music Awards in 1997?
Getty / Kevin Mazur
Accessorizing her one-shouldered LBD with a crystal arm tattoo at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards.
Getty / Diane L. Cohen
At the premiere of The Others in 2001 wearing a black dress and gold chain-link belt.
