During the peak of her career, Queen Latifah was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. With her signature green gowns and long, luxurious hair extensions, the Grammy-award winning rapper/singer looked like a goddess on the red carpet. But over the years, the 44-year-old has transitioned from glamour girl to mother, sister and grandmother, and has taken on a new and more mature look. In 2020, she even removed her long-time makeup artist’s number on TikTok.
Back In Black
When she turned 44, Queen Latifah decided to celebrate her big milestone by taking on an iconic look from the golden era of black fashion – the ‘80s. With a nod to Dior’s iconic black-and-white dress, she posted a picture of herself on Instagram in an outfit composed of a long black dress with white trim, black high heels and a floral crown. “What a look!” one of her followers exclaimed. “This is how you celebrate 44 years of being queen,” another added.
The ‘80s were a big decade for fashion, and for black fashion in particular. It was an era of lavish parties and celebrity-studded red carpets, and it was also the decade that launched Nicki Minaj’s career. The queen of rap herself even admitted that she had an “affair” with the fashion of the ‘80s during a Q&A session on Twitter.
A Matronly Appearance
The following year, Queen Latifah was back on TikTok with another black-themed look. This time she opted for a sporty attire combination that was inspired by the fashion of the ‘90s. The multi-hyphenate sported a white dress with blue trim, a white high-waisted leggings and white espadrilles. Her haircut and makeup were also in keeping with the ‘90s vibe.
The sporty ‘90s look is quite a departure from Queen Latifah’s earlier incarnations. She’s worn quite a uniform of sorts over the years, usually opting for a classic look full of glamour. In 2020, she kept the sporty attire look but swapped the white dress for a floral print dress.
TikTok followers seemed to resonate with the ‘90s look, commenting that she looked “so comfortable” in sportswear and that the outfit “worked perfectly” for her. One even quipped that Queen Latifah was wearing “grandma panties”.
New Look, Same Queen
Queen Latifah has continued to keep up with the styles of the decade that followed, continuing to change her look as she’s aged. In 2021, she once again swapped out her heels for sneakers and donned a classic black dress with white flowers for a look that was inspired by the ‘90s. Her hair and makeup also followed the ‘90s trend, with one user commenting “I love how she keeps evolving with the times but still remains true to herself.”
This time around, Queen Latifah didn’t hashtag her outfit, but she did include the initials “Q.L.” In the caption, she explained that it stood for “Quality Luxury Ladies,” a reference to the brand that manufactured her signature gowns. This brand is no longer in business, but fans may still see the initials “QL” on her clothing and accessory lines.
The Comeback To The ‘80s
In 2022, Queen Latifah reprised her ‘80s look, this time in a blue dress with white trim. The only difference was that this time she opted for a beret instead of a floral crown.
While these outfits were still fashionable and received positive responses from fans, it was apparent that not everyone was thrilled that Queen Latifah was trying to copy Dior’s iconic black-and-white dress. One user lamented “I feel like it’s 2019 again and you went back in time… Why does she always have to go back in time?” Another added “If you’re going to dress like that, you may as well just wear black.”
Thoughts on the 70s and 80s? Which look is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.