Shania Twain is the Queen of Country Pop. The Canadian singer officially earned the title after her 1997 album Come On Over became the best-selling record of all time by a female solo artist. You know the album, the one that brought us eternal hits like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”, “That Don’t Impress Me Much”, and “You’re Still The One”. Shania’s career has only gone “Up!” from there: earning Grammys (and AMAs and CMAs), headlining the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and holding Las Vegas residencies. You know, the stuff of legends.
Shania’s style is equally legendary, upholding the campy legacy of country-pop divas like Dolly Parton. From Disney Princess ball gowns and sequin hockey jerseys to Bob Fosse stage garb, Shania’s looks are always OTT, larger-than-life, and basically everything we’d expect from one of country music’s biggest acts. Here, in honour of the star’s 58th birthday, we look back at a selection of her most iconic outfits from the 90s through Y2K.
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At the Grammys, 1996
Shania broke international records in 1997 with Come On Over. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t already scooping awards left, right, and center. In 1996, the singer won a Grammy, an AMA, and a Canadian Juno Award off the back of her sophomore album The Woman in Me. Here, the newly-minted country-music it girl shows off her Grammy for Best Country Album wearing (what else?) a naked dress and her signature black leather jacket.
“That Don’t Impress Me Much”, 1997
Sure, Shania’s the Queen of Country Pop. But she’s also the queen of leopard print. And nothing proves it more than the music video for the 1997 single “That Don’t Impress Me Much.” In the clip, the singer wears a head-to-toe leopard ensemble including a crop top, flared low-riders, a hooded coat, massive platforms, and a carry-on suitcase, for good measure! The look was so iconic that Shania has reprised it not just once but twice on the red carpet.
At the Billboard Awards, 1998
Cinderella or Queen Amidala? Shania pulled up to the 1998 Billboard Awards (where she snagged three trophies) looking like an interstellar Disney Princess in this celestial sequin gown and matching headband.
At the Grammys, 1999
It seems that Star was on the moodboard for Shania’s Come On Over awards circuit. Here, two Grammys in hand, the star wears a sequined turtleneck gown that’s equal parts Princess Leia and Marilyn Monroe.
Performing at the Grammys, 1999
“Forget I’m a lady; men’s shirts, short skirts,” Shania sings on girl-power megahit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” And that’s exactly what she wore in the single’s iconic music video. A role-reversed version of Robert Palmer’s “Addicted To Love” video, the clip begins with Shania taking center stage in a white button-down and evening jacket, eventually stripping down to a stunning Cabaret-style look complete with corset, miniskirt, and bedazzled opera gloves. Here, Shania sports the music video’s unforgettable final look at the 1999 Grammys. Bob Fosse eat your heart out!
At the American Music Awards, 2003
The new millennium meant a brand new look for Shania. Here, at the 2003 AMAs, the singer went full Y2K — and then some — in all of the era’s most outré trends. The spiky updo, the bondage boots, the tulle train — they’re all there!
Performing at the Super Bowl, 2003
In 2003, Shania joined the ranks of pop music legends as the headliner of the year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. And, of course, the singer went all-out glam with her on-stage look, which included a bedazzled bra and a billowing, maxi-length version of her signature leather jacket.