Pop icon, gay icon, style icon. George Michael is one of pop culture’s true legends. The singer-songwriter burst onto the UK music scene in 1982 as one half of pop duo Wham!, soaring to the top of the charts with smash singles “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, “Careless Whisper” and “Last Christmas.” After going solo in 1986, George ascended to icon status, releasing platinum-selling albums, dropping enduring hits like “Faith”, campaigning for LGBTQ rights, and even enlisting supermodels Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell as music video co-stars in “Freedom”.
George wasn’t just a pop icon — he was also a style icon in his own right, pioneering crop tops (for men!), absurdly oversized outerwear, and shirtless blazers. Beyond trends, George’s cross earring has become a cultural artefact, the immediate reference point for single dangly earrings across the board, to this day. To celebrate the release of Netflix’s highly-anticipated Wham! documentary, we look back at George’s legacy, both musically and sartorially, through seven of his most iconic outfits.
Performing with Wham!, 1983
Did you know that Wham!’s ascent to international stardom began with a mere scheduling error? Not even a year after being signed, George and bandmate Andrew Ridgeley got their big break when British chart show Top of the Pops invited them to fill in for a band that had dropped out at the last minute; the fated performance of “Young Guns (Go for It)” shot the languishing single to the top of the charts, and the rest is history. Here, the duo perform at London’s Hammersmith Odeon wearing cropped band tees and matching Fila short-shorts.
At Heathrow airport, 1984
Wham!’s style signature was definitely the slogan tee. The duo doubled down on the look in the music video for 1984 smash single “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, with George wearing a T-shirt emblazoned “Choose Life”. The now-iconic tee was created by London designer Katherine Hamnett as an anti-war statement, but over the years has also been co-opted by the pro-choice movement, among others. Here, George wears the T-shirt off-screen at Heathrow airport, proving the style was truly one of his faves.
At the American Music Awards, 1986
Before Timothée, there was George. Alongside Iggy Pop and Prince, the Wham! singer was a pioneer of the shirtless blazer, wearing the look to scoop Wham’s Best Pop Duo award at the 1986 American Music Awards.
At the Wham! Farewell tour, 1986
After five years of massive success among teen audiences with Wham!, George was eager to begin making more sophisticated music. In the spring of 1986, Wham! announced their official breakup and by June, the duo held their final concert at London’s Wembley Stadium. During the eight-hour show, with special guests including Elton John, George bid farewell to over 72,000 fans wearing a fringed leather jacket in 80 degree weather. That’s dedication.
At the Faith album launch party, 1987
Move over David Byrne, turns out there’s another 80s legend who loves absurdly oversized outerwear just as much as you. Here, George Michael arrives at the launch party for his debut solo album, Faith, wearing a massive, massive leather trench. Chic!
On the Faith tour, 1988
George’s debut album Faith was a platinum-selling smash-hit, spawning four number-one singles. In 1988, George took the album — and this tricked-out Canadian tuxedo — on the road with a world tour that spanned nine months, 109 shows and 61 countries.
On the Faith tour, 1988
The Faith tour was so powerful it blessed us with not just one iconic look, but two. Here, George wears another of the tour’s most famous stage outfits: a leather BSA brand motorcycle jacket, fingerless gloves, light wash jeans and aviator shades. Beyond the tour, George sported this outfit in the music video for single, “Faith”, right down to the legendary dangly cross earring.
Credits
All images courtesy Getty Images