These 37 Super Bowl Headliner Outfits Show How Fashion Trends Have Changed Over The Years
Headlining the Super Bowl is an incredibly big deal, but the big show hasn't always been so ~big~.
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Halftime celebrations used to feature high school and college marching bands, but starting in the 1970s, that began to change.
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As musical acts started entertaining the masses during the biggest game of the year, their fashion garnered as much attention as their performances.
NFL / Via giphy.com
Here's a look back at Super Bowl fashion throughout the decades and how it's evolved.
1.In January 1970, the New Christy Minstrels took the field in folksy '70s garb for the halftime show at Super Bowl IV in Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.
The band's corduroys and printed shirts look in place with the peasant dress and button-down look their singer wears.
2.Carol Channing was dressed to the nines at the 1972 halftime show as the first official celebrity performer, wearing a full-length, fur-trimmed white coat that would still crush it on any stage today.
The Cowboys may have won the game, but Carol Channing won the night.
3.Andy Williams took on the halftime show in 1973, wearing an all-cream ensemble with a statement belt.
4.There was a brief return to marching bands before 1977 when the Mouseketeers took the field in a Disney-themed halftime show.
They can be seen here in all-green outfits with black tights in the midst of their performance of "It's a Small World After All."
5.In 1980, Up with People began staging halftime shows that combined song and dance with colorful costumes and an array of performers. They also performed in 1982 and 1986.
The 1982 looks are a callback to go-go styles, with lots of bubblegum pink and olive green.
1986 brought out the shiny performer in everyone, with dancers wearing white leotards with shiny silver vests, matching bow ties, and white gloves as they took the field.
6.Elvis impersonator Elvis Presto took the field in Miami in 1989, wearing a bedazzled gold leather outfit as dancers donned '50s costumes for the performance.
7.1991 signaled a return to the big-name performers and a return to a Disney theme, with characters from the Mouse House joining New Kids on the Block as they performed Disney hits and their own.
NKOTB performed in black, gold, and white outfits that even featured some sequin Mickey Mouse heads, surrounded by kids and Disney characters alike in the large-scale effort.
8.Michael Jackson took halftime performances to the next level in 1993 when he performed some of his biggest hits in his classic larger-than-life way.
Beginning the show in a military-style commander jacket and perfectly tailored pants showing off the white socks and the black shoes, the singer was a force, orchestrating the whole event with the move of his aviator glasses. He later removed the jacket and finished the show in the oversized button-downs he wore throughout his HIStory era.
9.Country took on the halftime show in 1994, beginning with Clint Black in an all-black outfit, paired with a black guitar.
Despite the very solemn look, he was surrounded by a bunch of dancers in white and baby blue cowboy outfits, so it wasn't quite as grim as appearances may lead you to believe.
Tanya Tucker then joined Black, opting for black with studded accents.
Next up was Travis Tritt, who was in a denim blue leather fringed jacket with matching pants.
Closing out the show are the Judds, dressed in contrasting dresses.
10.1995 brought together Patti LaBelle and Tony Bennett for a vocal performance like no other.
The two managed to make the focus music in yet another Disney-produced halftime show that featured Indiana Jones. LaBelle looked beautiful in a long-sleeved red dress with a sweetheart neckline and a high-low hem, while Bennett opted for a white suit.
11.Never had the Super Bowl halftime show featured wardrobe changes until the ultimate diva, Diana Ross, took the stage.
Diana Ross emerged onto the Super Bowl halftime stage wearing a red sequined mini dress and matching pumps with suited dancers at her side as she performed her first few songs.
She then changed into a gorgeous orange gown with fuchsia tulle layers.
She added a giant gold coat that enveloped the whole dress as she closed out the show.
12.ZZ Top kicked off the the1997 halftime show, dressed in mostly black with velvety blazers. They were then joined by James Brown in a bedazzled red suit and matching shirt, and later, they came together with the Blues Brothers...who were dressed like blues brothers in their classic simple suits and fedoras.
13.1998 was a salute to Motown's 40th anniversary that brought together Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, the Temptations, and Queen Latifah.
The Temptations opted for gray suits while Smokey Robinson wore a purple suit, and Boyz II Men went for all-white athleisure looks. Martha Reeves wore a gold-sequined red gown, and Queen Latifah wore a black bustier, gray paisley-printed pants, and a matching full-length coat.
14.Gloria Estefan and Stevie Wonder took the stage in the last halftime show of the decade (and the millennium).
Wonder started his performance in a red suit jacket with a black T-shirt, with Estefan coming out in a black satin corset-style top and a black skirt. Then, he later rejoined her, in a black tunic-style shirt with "African" written on the sleeve.
15.Toni Braxton proved less is more in a simple white floor-length dress with a slight train and bedazzled spaghetti straps at the 2000 halftime show.
Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias dressed pretty casually.
Aguilera wore a red sleeveless turtleneck tank with a black statement necklace and a black leather skirt. Iglesias wore a green sweater and black pants.
Phil Collins also made an appearance in his '90s uniform — a backward cap and a sweater with cargo pants.
16.2001 brought together pop stars and rock stars, with a ton of interesting fashion choices to be found.
NSYNC appeared in uncoordinated outfits that all featured jackets, a breakaway from their early boyband matching looks.
Steven Tyler and Britney Spears both opted for matching tees, but Britney's was a little racier with a crop top, lace-up look paired with super low-rise silver pants.
And don't forget about Mary J. Blige and Nelly.
Mary J. Blige wore a pea-green fur-trimmed coat top with black leather low-rise pants with a nameplate belt (a whole millennium moment tbh), while Nelly wore a split jersey representing both the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens, the two teams playing.
17.U2 headlined a heavy-hearted performance in 2002, just months after the events of 9/11.
Bono honored the US by wearing a black jacket with a flag-printed lining that he flashed throughout his performance.
18.Shania Twain, Sting, and No Doubt joined forces for a 2003 halftime show that was a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll.
Shania dressed in a studded bra, a skirt with a blingy layered belt, knee-high boots, and a futurist black coat that totally channeled The Matrix.
Gwen Stefani went a little more pin-up with her look, also going for a blingy bra top but pairing it with a red bra and red panties poking out from her studded belt. Sting opted for a split red and yellow tee.
19.Jessica Simpson channeled a drum majorette, wearing a sequined bustier top with white short shorts to kick off the show.
Does it feel weird that you don't remember that? 2004's performance featured an eclectic bunch of performers, each going for their own fashion statements.
Nelly and Diddy were casual, with Diddy in a jersey while Nelly wore just a tank and jeans.
Kid Rock wore the same, but added a fedora and cloaked himself in an American flag.
But anyway, you don't remember any of that probably because of the infamous moment between Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson that turned the whole night upside down.
Janet wore a latex dominatrix look with a chunky fringe belt and tailored trousers while Justin Timberlake was dressed like he was going to literally anything else in khakis, a T-shirt, and a coat.
20.Paul McCartney wore a suit with a long-sleeved shirt when he performed in 2005.
21.The Rolling Stones dressed in black and gray for their turn on stage in 2006.
22.Prince brought his signature style front and center in 2007, wearing a turquoise jacket with a tangerine shirt as he played his purple guitar.
23.Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were 2008's halftime performer, with Petty dressed in a suit with a polka-dot shirt.
24.Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band played in 2009, with the boss wearing his usual all-black ensemble.
25.The Who hit the stage in 2010, with Pete Townshend dressed in all black while Roger Daltrey wore a striped jacket.
26.The Black-Eyed Peas were in their futuristic element, taking the stage in 2011 pairing black leather looks with studs, jewels, and LED lights.
Usher and Slash also took the stage during the performance, with Usher in an all-white streetwear look while Slash wore his classic all-black with a studded hat.
27.Madonna was channeling goddess, empress energy in 2012, entering in all gold on a gold throne with a gold headdress.
She then de-robed, opting for this more dance-number appropriate black and gold look.
She was joined by LMFAO, wearing bedazzled and printed outfits.
And then came Nicki Minaj during the cheerleader section of the night, dressed in a red and black mini-dress and fishnets.
M.I.A. also joined the ladies and, in a moment that would lead to a $16 million lawsuit from the NFL for breach of contract, flipped off the camera when she censored a lyric during "Give Me All Your Luvin'."
28.2013 brought us the Beyoncé Bowl, and Bey blessed us with a Destiny's Child reunion where the three channeled their coordinated roots with black leather bodysuits and knee-high boots.
29.The Red Hot Chili Peppers were predictably shirtless in their 2014 performance.
Bruno Mars performed deep in his doo-wop bag, wearing a metallic suit jacket with a skinny black tie.
30.Katy Perry had fun with her many costume changes in 2015, wearing a flamy orange and silver dress as she rode in on an animatronic gold bear.
Perry was joined by Lenny Kravitz, who was shirtless underneath his leather jacket and layers of jewelry, which he paired with jeans.
Next, she had fun going through her "California Gurls" segment, filled with '50s-inspired mini dresses and pin-up style bikinis.
Perry was then in a studded oversized hoodie as she took the stage with Missy Elliott, who wore a patch-laden jumpsuit.
She ended the night in a star-studded (literally) shimmery silver dress.
31.Coldplay kicked off the 2016 halftime show in classic middle-aged rocker dude looks, meshing boho and sport elements.
Then came Bruno Mars, throwing it back to the '80s in black leather sweatsuits.
And then came Beyoncé, dressed in a Black Panther-inspired bodysuit that was also a throwback to Michael Jackson's 1993 look.
32.Lady Gaga made a grand entrance in a Swarovski-adorned Atelier Versace bodysuit and boots.
Later, she re-appeared in a bedazzled version of football pads, paired with bedazzled bottoms and fishnets as she closed out her performance.
33.Justin Timberlake channeled the outdoorsy vibe of his then-new album during his 2018 performance, wearing a camo-printed suit with a red bandana and deer-printed graphic button-down.
34.Maroon 5's Adam Levine was in a pea coat when the performance started, but throughout shed layers including the coat, a zip-up sweatshirt, and a printed tank before ending up shirtless.
Travis Scott joined them, wearing a leather vest and leather pants with a cap and gloves.
Big Boi later joined them in a fur coat and red ATL cap.
35.Shakira and Jennifer Lopez each indulged in some outfit changes in their performance in 2020.
Shakira started the show in a scarlet red Swarovski cross-strap top and skort with matching platform boots. She was joined by Bad Bunny, who wore an all-silver metallic outfit with a full-length bedazzled coat.
Jennifer Lopez made her grand entrance in a leather studded bodysuit paired with matching chaps.
J.Lo then changed into a silver barely-there bodysuit, dancing with dancers in white pants and white chest harnesses.
The ladies closed out the night in complementary metallic outfits, with J.Lo sticking to silver while Shakira went for more of a bronze.
36.The Weeknd took the field to perform in 2021 in a black and red Givenchy suit with a sparkly suit jacket, completing the look with leather wrist gloves.
37.Last but not least, we have 2022's slate of performers, which began with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.
Dr. Dre wore all black while Snoop Dogg wore a blue-bandana motif sweatsuit.
50 Cent then joined in, paying tribute to his white tank and sweatband look in his debut music video (which came out 20 years ago this year; it's fine, we're fine).
Next came Mary J. Blige, looking fabulous in a white and silver, mirrored two-piece outfit with cutouts and matching knee-length boots.
Kendrick Lamar wore a black suit with a cross armband as he took the stage, followed by Eminem, who donned a classic black hoodie, gray T-shirt look.
