An Appreciation of Amy Winehouse’s Ever Enduring Signature Style
Amy Winehouse became a modern-day style icon shortly after bursting onto the scene in 2003, with a little help from her signature beehive; heavy winged eyeliner; skin-tight, thigh-skimming dresses and skirts; and, of course, her rockabilly forebears. In fact, until her death, seven years ago, on July 23, 2011, Amy Winehouse was so committed to her signature style that she was rarely pictured in anything else. (For a court appearance in 2009, for example, she was pictured in the surprising combination of a tight tailored suit and pearls—hair and makeup intact.) When it came to maintaining that status, she didn’t shy from shortcuts; while on tour in 2007, Winehouse once saved packing space by wearing one of her go-to ensembles—short shorts and a white tank top—while performing at both the Isle of Wight festival and Coachella. Sometimes, she studded those staples with embellishments; over the years, everything from real roses in her hair to a bottle of wine and a tabloid served as her accessories. In honor of the late singer, take a look at some of her most pioneering looks—plus a snapshot of her blonde streak matching the manes of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen—here.
Amy Winehouse wearing roses in her hair while performing at the V Festival in Telford, England, August 2008.
Amy Winehouse performing in platforms and a floral dress at the opening of the Center for Contemporary Culture in Melnikov Garage in Moscow, Russia, June 2008.
Amy Winehouse wearing more checkers and lace while performing at Lollapalooza in Chicago, August 2007.
Amy Winehouse, pre-beehive and worldwide fame, posing for a portrait taken in Rotterdam, November 2004.
Amy Winehouse, wearing a white ribbed tank top, with her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, at the Isle of Wight Festival in England, June 2007.
Amy Winehouse wearing a head scarf and taking a break during a surprise appearance with Mark Ronson at the 100 Club in London, July 2010.
Amy Winehouse, pre-beehive but post-BRIT Award nomination, performing at a record store on Oxford Street in London, January 2004.
Amy Winehouse wearing one of her signature black belts while performing at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, May 2007.
Amy Winehouse and her flower-studded beehive performing for the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony in London, February 2008.
Mary-Kate Olsen, Amy Winehouse, and Ashley Olsen posing together at the Olsens’ launch dinner for the Row in London, October 2007.
Amy Winehouse wearing a cropped motorcycle jacket, red short shorts, and her signature black belt while performing in Kinross-shire, Scotland, July 2013.
Amy Winehouse wearing the same white tank top and denim short shorts ensemble she wore while performing at Coachella onstage at the Isle of Wight Festival in Wight, England, June 2007.
Amy Winehouse wearing roses in her hair while performing at the V Festival in Telford, England, August 2008.
Amy Winehouse in a tailored suit and pearls while on her way to Westminster Magistrates Court to address assault charges after allegedly hitting a fan in London, July 2009.
Amy Winehouse wearing a simple polo shirt while performing at the Astoria in London, February 2007.
Amy Winehouse accessorizing with a tabloid and bottle of wine while out and about in London, March 2008.
Amy Winehouse, in a checkered crop top, performing at the Highline Ballroom in New York City, May 2007.
Amy Winehouse performing in a matching black and white head scarf and tank top at the V Festival in Telford, England, August 2008.
Amy Winehouse wearing short shorts and another crop top while performing at the International Festival of Benicassim in Spain, July 2007.
Amy Winehouse performing at Coachella in platforms and the same ribbed tank top and denim short shorts that she performed in at the Isle of Wight, April 2007.
Amy Winehouse wearing a head scarf and short shorts at the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago during Lollapalooza, August 2007.
Amy Winehouse performing in Belgrade, Serbia, during what would be her last live concert before her death, the following month, June 2011.
