London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Cher’s Most Outlandish, Inimitable Outfits

Cher’s Most Outlandish, Inimitable Outfits

Celebrate the superstar’s 75th birthday with a look back through of her most memorable outfits.

There is only one Cher. The Hollywood legend, who turns 75 today, occupies a singular space in pop culture. Sure, other singers act, but how many of them can claim to have remained relevant for six decades? Cher’s talent, versatility, and ability to pull off some of the most outlandish outfits ever worn by a celebrity have kept her in the limelight and inspired generations of performers. She may switch mediums every few yearsขher jump from musician, to variety show host, to Oscar-winning actress remains impressiveขbut Cher’s ability to command attention in any format is what makes her great. When she’s on stage, you’re either humming along to one of her melodies or dazzled by her latest Bob Mackie gown. Either way, you’re entertained.

Born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California, Cher’s journey from unknown to icon is a story of continuous transformation. When she burst onto the scene with then-husband Sonny Bono back in the early 1960s, she embodied the flower child styles of the period. With her long black hair, statuesque physique, and knack for pulling off psychedelic sixties trends, Cher would have stood out on her own, but her look came to life when she was side-by-side with Bono. The couple wasn’t afraid to experiment with their look and had fun coordinating with his and hers versions of the same trends. If Cher could pull off striped bell-bottoms and fringed vests, Sonny was game to try them too.

They took things up a notch with their variety series, The Sonny and Cher Show, which launched in 1971. Having met Bob Mackie years earlier while guesting on The Carol Burnett Show, Cher enlisted his talents for her costumes. A single episode could contain up to 20 different outfits, and Mackie used the opportunity to share fantastical fashion with the American public. Who but Cher would entertain the audience in belly-baring halter tops or marabou feathers and sequins? Each week she and Mackie went bigger and bolder.

The platform of a successful television show and plenty of pop hits made Cher a household name, but she sought to expand her oeuvre by the eighties. Though she’d done guest spots on classic series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Love, American Style, music had always come first. In 1982 Cher began to appear in high-profile dramas like Silkwood and Mask, and audiences who’d grown up on her campy TV persona had to adjust. The reinvention wouldn’t have been successful if Cher wasn’t a skilled actress, but her off-duty fashion helped shape the reinvention narrative. Her wardrobe of leather jackets, mini-dresses, and jeans was a move towards a simpler style, one that connected to the decade’s rock n’ roll aesthetic.

Straightforward fashion is nice, but when it came time to win her Oscar for Moonstruck in 1986, Cher didn’t hold back. By arriving at the ceremony in a custom Mackie crop top, skirt, and feathered headdress, she delivered one of the most memorable Oscar looks ever. An outlandish outlier during a time when actresses were expected to keep their outfits subdued, she picked up her award on her terms, jokingly telling the crowd that she’d received the handbook on how to dress like a serious actress.

Cher’s irreverence is part of her charm. She may be waltzing around in wearable art, but she isn’t self-serious. Her famous wardrobe is an expression of her artistry, but it’s also what she enjoys wearing. To this day, she keeps putting on over-the-top looks that delight her fans and followers. At 75, she’s wearing Rick Owens leather jackets, sequin-laden gowns, and that wild cut-out bodysuit from the “If I Could Turn Back Time” video. Is it any wonder then that her pictures trend on Instagram and Gen-Z stars like Zendaya and Dua Lipa look to her when they need inspiration? Cher remains an icon, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×