Top 10 Greatest Selena Quintanilla-Pérez Fashion Moments
#10: Leather on Leather
On Selena Quintanilla, black was anything but basic! The songstress frequently rocked all-black looks with leather elements, like a biker jacket over a sheer top, or leather pants with a cropped vest, but she gave us a double dose with this one from the Tejano Music Awards in 1994. The jacket featured embellishments on the shoulders and was worn open over a black bra, and the pants had leather panels sewn down the legs. For bonus points, she added glittering guitar-shaped earrings, which were somehow both adorable and very rock n’ roll. It’s fun little touches like that that made her outfits not only very chic, but also unmistakably “Selena”.
#9: Cow Print Coordinates
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You’re probably no stranger to a classic leopard print, but it takes boldness to rock a head-to-toe bovine pattern! In this playful take on more traditional animal prints, Selena served us literal cowgirl vibes (sorry, we had to - the joke wrote itself!). And it wasn’t just the lead singer sporting the print, but the entire “Selena y Los Dinos” band had matching costumes. While the rest of the members wore white dress shirts and black vests, Selena stood out in a black bra under a short jacket. Like the pants, which evoked a cowboy’s chaps, the jacket had sparkly black patches on a white background. The unique attire made us smile, and let us know that we were in for a memorable show.
#8: Off-White Dress with Cutouts, Bow & Pearls
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In addition to being a talented performer, Selena was a fashion designer, and had two boutiques under the name “Selena Etc.”. At the brand’s 1994 fashion shows, she wore this elegant off-white brocade-like dress with a flowy, asymmetrical hemline. Eye-catching details included cutouts, a bow at the waist, and an oversized pearl collar. Keeping with the pearl theme, there were smaller pearls strewn on the bodice, and she wore big pearl drop earrings to match. This dress was classy, but still remained youthful, and the skirt was perfect for twirling at the end of a runway - especially her own! It’s a great example of why Selena remains both a music and a fashion icon to this day.
#7: Black Ruffled Sleeves & High-Low Skirt
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This fashion moment is all about the drama! It started with the classic Selena bustier, decked out in a golden design that carried over to the top of the ruffled sleeves. The skirt was short in the front, which allowed us to see her footwork, and long in the back, made up of a cascade of lustrous black ruffles. Finally, her hair was gathered into a bun, with a single curl of baby hairs on her forehead, leaving her hoop earrings free to shine. Reminiscent of the costumes worn by rumbera dancers in Mexican films, Selena honored her heritage in this striking attire.
#6: Blouse with Ruffled Collar, Leather Jacket & Hoop Earrings
This is a classic ‘90s look, and even twenty-plus years later, we are absolutely here for it. On the cover of her 1994 album “Amor Prohibido”, which translates to “Forbidden Love”, Selena sported a black leather jacket over a white lacy blouse with ruffled collar and cuffs. She accessorized with big gold hoops, and kept her hair and makeup simple to let her bold red pout take center stage. Actress Jennifer Lopez wore an extremely similar ensemble in the ‘97 film. Not only does “Amor Prohibido” give us a stylish Selena look, it’s also a quintessential Selena album, as it was a chart-topper and a huge best-seller. It was also nominated for a Grammy, and won the 1995 Tejano Music Award for Orchestra Album of the Year.
#5: Red, Sparkly & Strappy
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The Tejano Music Awards honor the best in Tejano, or Tex-Mex, music, which is a style that combines sounds from Europe, the United States, and Mexico. Selena won her first one in 1986, and has collected 36 of them in total, several of them posthumously. At the 1993 ceremony, she performed her hit song “Como la Flor” and scooped up her trophies in style. The singer wore a red and silver sequined bustier with criss-cross straps, black bottoms decorated with a matching V-shaped design, and oversized heart-shaped earrings. Her hair was slicked back into a glossy updo, and she gave us glamorous, grown-up “Dorothy” vibes with sparkly heels that evoked ruby slippers. This was a head-to-toe stage look fit for a star.
#4: White Pants with High Waist
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This look is clean, simple, and sexy. Fitted, high-waisted pants in a crisp white are paired with a matching bra top dotted with pearls. Never one to shy away from accessories, Quintanilla-Pérez added dangling pearl earrings, and sometimes also added a belt. She mixed up her footwear too, occasionally opting for white cowboy boots, or for pointy boots with a cascading pearl fringe. Another monochromatic look was this fierce and fiery red number, which similarly featured an embellished top, high-waist pants and matching boots with a shiny buckle. Frankly, we’d be mesmerized by this outfit in any color of the rainbow!
#3: Halter Dress with Crystals
Selena was an absolute vision in this glittering gown, which she wore to the Grammys in 1994. She was there to collect her award for Best Mexican-American Album, which was a first for a female performer in the typically male-dominated world of Tejano music. The floor-length dress featured a halter neck and winged details at the top, which were given a metallic look with silver crystals. By contrast, the skirt was a simple and shimmering snow-white. She wore large, shiny earrings to match, and her hair was styled in a gloriously-90s updo, with loose tendrils softly framing her face. To complete the look, Selena went for the classic combo of red lipstick and nails. But her best accessory of all was that Grammy!
#2: All of Her Bedazzled Bustiers
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Selena may not have been the first to popularize bra tops, but she wore them so well that they came to be known as her signature look. Whether you called them bras or bustiers, they always looked fantastic, sexy, and fun. She often made them herself, and had them in multiple styles, including floral, tassled, jeweled, and adorned in ornate gold. One of her most iconic versions had an asymmetrical design, which was actually a happy accident resulting from her running out of rhinestones! As seen in her biopic, the singer amped up the glam by adding a rhinestone belt and hat. Her wax figure is wearing this look, too, but with a purple jacket and boots, immortalizing it for all of her fans. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. All-Blue Look with Bolero Jacket Coordinated Ensembles Were Staples in the Singer’s Closet Pale Yellow Suit & Gold Statement Earrings Pure “Bosslady” Chic, Because Selena Was Also a Businesswoman Sheer Shirt Under a Mirrored Vest This Avant-Garde, Reflective Top Also Came as a Full-Length Dress Leopard Print Hat & Belt Jazzing up a Monochromatic Look with a Pop of Pattern Green-Patterned Jacket, Bustier & Skirt Sophisticated Stage Style That Shows Off Some Skin
#1: THE Iconic Purple Jumpsuit
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You know the one… and it is absolute FIRE. Selena wore it in 1995 while singing for a full house at the Houston Astrodome, which sadly turned out to be her last televised performance. This sparkly number featured a criss-cross halter neckline, a matching bolero jacket, and pants that flared dramatically at the bottom. It showed off her fabulous figure, hugging every curve while flashing some midriff, and accentuated her moves as she danced across the stage. Small details like her signature red lip and the jewels on the jacket’s clasp - and even near the sides of her knees! - only added to the overall perfection. Oh, and did we mention that purple was her favorite color? This look has it all, and just like Selena’s incredible legacy, it will be remembered forever.
