HERE ARE 7 TRENDS SELENA QUINTANILLA ROCKED THAT PROVES SHE WAS A FASHION ICON AHEAD OF HER TIME
Selena Quintanilla’s 90s outfits were as robust and sultry as her voice and personality; here, I have compiled 7 outfits she rocked back then that you can wear in 2022.
It has been 27 years since the singer’s untimely passing, and her legacy has inspired the lives of millions. Though short, her 23 years alive left a permanent mark on the music industry (with the whole world still playing her songs today) and how we view beauty and fashion.
A brief history of Selena Quintanilla
Selena Quintanilla-Perez was a Mexican American singer. She was often referred to as the Queen of Tejano. Tejano is a Spanish-language genre of Mexican music that incorporates other styles like country, polka, jazz, and western. Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, on 17 April 1971. Her father, Abraham Quintanilla, was a former musician who managed and produced his family’s music group, Selena Y Los Dinos.
Around the age of 10, Selena became the lead singer in her family’s band. She was the youngest of the Quintanilla family and debuted on the music scene as a Selena Y Los Dinos band member and her elder siblings.
In the 1980s, the band’s music career was off to a rocky start. They were often criticized and refused bookings by Texas music venues for having a female lead singer performing a, at the time, predominantly male-dominated music genre. However, in 1987 Selena’s popularity grew after winning the Tejano Music Award for Female Vocalist of The Year, which she continued to win for nine years.
Selena Quintanilla was an inspiration in many forms and ways. Her music transformed the heavily male-dominated Tejano style by incorporating R&B and pop styles that appealed to a larger audience, catapulting the Tejano genre into the mainstream market.
Her contribution didn’t stop there either, as she took the fashion world by a storm with her then considered bold and audacious outfits and ever-present bold color lipstick.
Selena Quintanilla-Perez’s influence on the fashion world of today
She was often referred to as the Queen of Tejano and fondly dubbed the Mexican Madonna for her sexy outfits and dance moves.
Selena Quintanilla designed her outfits to pay homage to her Mexican American heritage rather than conforming to Eurocentric beauty standards.
Back then, in the 90s, that was a huge deal.
It was a time when Latino celebrities in American pop culture were few and far between. The few Latinos that did make headway faced cruel racism quite often.
Selena stood as a much-needed representative for the women in that marginalized community. The famous Latino celebrities had fairer skin, blond hair, and blue eyes; Selena was on the opposite end with darker skin and brown locks.
Selena’s bold take on beauty and fashion inspired many women and girls of various backgrounds and ethnicities. In a time when model thin and boyish figures were deemed the perfect feminine form, Selena, with her curves and thick body, stuck out like a sore thumb. But that was a good thing.
Many Latino girls and women would watch her perform and feel seen. In her, they saw their sister, their mother, themselves, someone who looked like them and radiated so much beauty and confidence. It was the type of representation they needed.
Her on-stage outfits were inspired by both artists she looked up to, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, and Madonna, and typical outfit choices of Mexican American working-class communities.
Selena also designed her on-stage outfits herself. She spiced up her jackets and bustiers with rhinestones and other embellishments that could be gotten from any DIY store. She took essential everyday wear and glammed it up to her taste.
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7 Selena Quintanilla 90s outfits trends you can try out today
Selena broke glass ceilings and shattered limitations in both the music and fashion industry way before it was considered cool to do so.
Like her music, Selena Quintanilla outfits were a mixture of various 90s styles. Selena was combining different styles to make something that showed off her heritage and also made her stand out. She simultaneously took from her culture while championing its evolution.
1. Embellished bustiers
One of Selena Quintanilla iconic 90s outfits was her embellished bra or bustier top. If you’ve watched the original film Selena, you might remember the scene where her dad wasn’t happy about her wearing a bra to perform. But as she’s shown countless times, Selena is her own woman capable of making her own choices.
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You can style this sensual piece of clothing with a leather jacket, split hem jeans, and chunky boots for an edgy take of the singer’s iconic look. A fierce look for a fierce woman. Read more
