9 Black Fashion Moments That Had Us All Running to the Mall
Growing up, fashion wasn’t just something you wore—it was something you studied. Every Sunday night, I’d sit in front of the TV, flipping through my Word Up! and Right On! magazines, planning my outfits for the school week. And let’s be real—if That’s So Raven was on, you KNOW I was taking notes.
Fashion wasn’t just about looking cute—it was about keeping up with the moments that shaped the culture. When Aaliyah stepped out in baggy jeans and a crop top, we all suddenly needed Tommy Hilfiger boxers peeking out of our waistbands. When Destiny’s Child hit the Grammys in matching custom outfits by Mama Tina, we suddenly believed in coordinated group fashion.
And don’t even get me started on music videos. If Missy Elliott pulled up in a giant inflatable suit, or Foxy Brown rocked a Louis Vuitton bikini, best believe we were glued to the screen.
Some fashion moments come and go, but these? These were the ones that stopped time.
Let’s talk about the Black culture fashion moments that had us all running to the mall, the beauty supply, or our best friend’s closet—because if you know, you know.
1. Aaliyah’s Signature Tomboy Chic
Aaliyah’s style was so effortless, it was impossible not to want to copy it. The baggy jeans, crop tops, oversized sunglasses, and swoop bang? Perfection.
But her "Try Again" music video? That was the pinnacle of futuristic R&B style. She pulled up in a crystal-covered bra, leather pants, and sleek hair, giving us an entire fashion era in one video. Aaliyah made the oversized-but-sexy aesthetic a thing, and we’re still wearing it today.
2. Destiny’s Child’s Matching Outfits (Made by Mama Tina)
Photo: Scott Gries/ImageDirect
Say what you want, but early Destiny’s Child knew how to commit to a theme. If the fabric was different, the colors matched. If the colors were different, the sparkles were the same. And who do we thank? Tina Knowles-Lawson, the queen of custom group outfits.
One of their most iconic looks? The 2001 Grammy Awards, where they rocked green and gold slit dresses that were coordinated but still unique to each of them. The girls’ matching era was a cultural moment—and we’ll always be here for it.
3. Moesha & the ‘90s Black Sitcom Fashion Takeover
If you weren’t obsessed with Moesha’s closet, were you even watching?
The ‘90s were packed with sitcom characters who had fashion on lock, but Moesha Mitchell’s high-waisted jeans, cropped cardigans, and mini backpacks made her THE style icon of teen TV.
And she wasn’t the only one:
Hilary Banks (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) – Designer everything, luxury on another level.
Denise Huxtable (The Cosby Show / A Different World) – Cool, layered, and always ahead of her time.
Regine Hunter (Living Single) – High-fashion, high-drama, and the best wig collection on TV.
The ‘90s did not miss.
4. That’s So Raven & The Art of Over-the-Top Layering
If you were a Black girl in the early 2000s, chances are you spent Sunday nights planning your outfits for school while watching That’s So Raven—because same.
Raven Baxter’s style was bold, layered, and completely unique. She mixed prints, textures, and accessories in a way that should’ve been chaotic—but always worked. Denim on denim? Check. Chunky belts? Check. Funky jackets and colored sunglasses? Double check.
The best part? Raven’s outfits were fun and creative—just like the show itself. She didn’t follow trends, she made them. And let’s be real, if you didn’t at least TRY to dress like Raven, were you really watching?
Even today, early 2000s layering and statement pieces are making a comeback, proving that Raven Baxter was always ahead of her time.
5. Rihanna’s 2015 Met Gala Guo Pei Gown
Timothy A. Clary/ Getty Images
Rihanna never just shows up—she shuts it down. And in 2015, she hit the Met Gala red carpet in a massive yellow embroidered Guo Pei gown that had the entire internet talking.
Some people loved it, some turned it into a meme ("omelet dress," we’re looking at you), but one thing’s for sure: everyone was watching. And in true Rihanna fashion, she wore it like she was born in it.
6. Mariah Carey’s Butterfly Era Defined ‘90s & Y2K Glam
Evan Agostini/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Before Y2K fashion made a comeback, Mariah Carey was already perfecting the look back in the late ‘90s. Her Butterfly era (1997) gave us butterfly tops, slip dresses, low-rise jeans, and the ultimate glossy lip. Whether she was on the red carpet or in a music video, her style was effortless, feminine, and a little bit sparkly—just how we liked it.
Even today, you can see Mariah’s influence in the Y2K fashion comeback—because let’s be real, the girls are still trying to recreate that early 2000s style.
7. B2K & The Early 2000s Denim Takeover
Let’s be real—if you were alive in the early 2000s, you definitely had a thing for someone in B2K. And part of the obsession? The fashion.
B2K had us all into baggy denim, oversized jerseys, headbands, airbrushed tees, and do-rags. They were the definition of hip-hop meets R&B fashion, and if you had an older brother, he was 100% dressing like this too.
Even today, the oversized denim and sporty streetwear vibe they popularized is making a comeback—because honestly? It never really left.
8. Cardi B’s 2018 Met Gala Dress
Photo:Getty Images Frazer Harrison
Cardi B did not come to play in 2018.
She pulled up to the Met Gala pregnant, glowing, and dripping in pearls, jewels, and a massive Moschino gown with an extravagant crown. It was royalty, drama, and Cardi all in one.
She’s been a red carpet force ever since.
9. The Air Force 1 Era (Thanks to Nelly & Hip-Hop Culture)
We’re not saying Nelly invented Air Force 1s, but when "Air Force Ones" dropped in 2002, suddenly, everyone needed a fresh white pair.
This was bigger than a sneaker trend—it was hip-hop shaping fashion in real time. The influence of sneaker culture in Black fashion has only gotten bigger and more valuable, but let’s not forget: hip-hop made it a movement.
