Let's be real: when it comes to style, Gwen Stefani has always been on pulse. She's been a Westwood muse, a tongue-popping savant as the front woman of No Doubt, and a dueller of Akon on Sweet Escape – a tune so iconic it is only eclipsed by Stefani's bouffant-style curled bang that she parades in the music video.
Now, looking back on two or so decades of musical “F*ck you, I’m a girl!” chants, (which propelled Just A Girl back into action on TikTok) she's back at the centre of musical life: as a headliner of Coachella 2024 over the next two weekends. In preparation of her return to the main stage, we've put the best of the best of Gwen together for your nostalgia-brimmed pleasure.
The singer captured national attention with her pop rock ska punk approach. Paired with a grunge fashion sensibility, her high-pop looks fuse her gutsy persona with an undeniably femme counterpart. Breaking onto the scene solo with Love Angel Music Baby, the singer's initial foray into the world of bubblegum pink pop was one mired in derision over her presentation. Society wasn't ready for Stefani's vision: to christen the Y2k stylings of the world as we know it with pomp.
However, when Stefani does fashion right she's a quintessential part of our 90s grunge / punk mood boarding. There's trucker hats for every Von Dutch babe. No Doubt groupies can enjoy asymmetrical crop tops and cargos paired erratically over fishnets. For the festival inclined, there's plenty of midriff-baring to go around. With the 90s and Y2K fashion revivals happening now – Stefani's personal style still feels impossibly current.
This is not to say that she hasn't had her errant method-dressing moments of the past – scan past her entire catalogue of looks from the early noughties and you will often find our Harajuki Girl dressed, well, exactly as she self-titled.
My personal favourite look off of her wrap sheet is found in the Rich Girl music video from 2004. Stefani is a pirate vixen in black lace capris and a hefty bandana, swinging from an over-sized anchor with Jean Paul Gaultier-remniscient nautical sleeves. There are black pearls studded in her hair, which is a touch brighter peroxide blonde than my own. It's everything tough and sweet. It's essential Gwen Stefani.
Below, we round up some of our favourite Gwen Stefani style moments from the 90s and early 2000s...
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A softer look at Stefani's stylings.
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Long live pink-haired Gwen.
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