MICHAEL JACKSON - what was your favorite MJ fashion moment?

Michael Jackson in a Balmain Tee shirt; his favoured hat _ a fedora _ and his penchant for gold military style jackets, the simplicity of black and white (a la Yves Saint Laurent), , slim black 'skinny' pants not forgetting sequins, sequins and even more Swarovski sequins.

Michael Jackson wearing a piece from his fashion collection (at left)

AS the world gears up for the 3am (AEST) mega public memorial for Michael Jackson on Wednesday morning (80 million albums sold and 3 children later) and while hardly any of us knew an iota about the real man, one of his legacies will be certainly come in the form of fashion.

Just after his death I posted a small wrap of the 'trends' he was instrumental in bringing into the mainstream and as the week as moved on, his fashion legacy as had him tagged with terms like 'King of Fashion', "Style King' and "Clothes King Ind'.

No matter your stance on his often questionable personal life, just hat he wore will go down as one very important part of the man he was. So, I've updated a few more of his fashion knock-out's.

Sure, there have already been a zillion fashion autopsies, reviews, obits and analysis, but here are just a few of the 'trends' that spring to mind when I think of the man who I grew up as the "Elvis Presley' of my childhood.

While Mr Jackson can, quite rightly, be heralded as an innovator in the worlds of music and choreography, he kick-started some real fashion trends.

Some lasted just as long as the particular concert tour he was on; others will transcend his 50 years of life and will be remembered well after his death of a heart attack on Friday, June 26.

*White socks - MJ made it cool to actually 'see' white socks worn with black skinny leg pants or stove-pipe pants, both topped off by a pair of loafers.

*Red leather jackets - The Thriller album and subsequent music videos featured the most extra-ordinary quilted red leather jacket (usually edged in black leather) and spawned a huge trend in a "Thriller' red leather jacket. (I still have a variation somewhere in the Hoyer wardrobe.)

*Ray-Ban 'Aviator' sunglasses with usually very, very dark lenses or with a mirrored lenses.

*Military style cropped jackets (epaulets, braiding and the whole military she-bang) were being worn by MJ well before French design house Balmain and even our own Collette Dinnigan (who happened to re-address the trend last season) came out with them. MJ was recently spotted in a recent Balmain t-shirt.

*Leather, Full stop. He adored it and who still doesn't?

*The fedora style hat was one of his favored chateaux styles and continued through most of his life.

*The simple, v-neck white cotton t-shirt - whether you go for Bonds, American Apparal or Comme des Garcons - a white Tee, black skinny jeans and a flowing white shirt is SO Billie Jean.

*The Tux or his 'Smooth Criminal Look' was MJ's 'classic' fashion moment and a highlight on the cover of his Off The Wall album cover. Simple, chic and a look that can be easily re-interpreted.

*The Glove: While this trend didn't exactly move into the real mainstream (a singular glove on a mere mortal gave an appearance of a medical type having just come from a visit to the surgery) but the MJ glove scenario has since been re-interpreted by fellow celebs and entertainers

*Sequins? Well, I will leave that trend to examiner.com's Laurie Brucker to explain in her tribute a bit further below.

Anyway, later in his life, Mr Jackson's 'fashion' sense took on a slightly kookier vibe, simply because he was always trying so hard to hide every part of his body, even giving us interpretation of a Muslim bhurka, a series of embellished and non-embellished face masks and various other forms of camouflage clothing, worn by both himself and his three children.

Here's Laurie Brucker, from examiner.com, and her fashion words on MJ's style:

'

Michael Jackson had a fashion gift. The gift of originality, consistency and his own stylistic perspective. The King of Pop has left us with fashion and style ingrained in our minds. Forever will we all look back and remember every single look, outfit and detail so clearly and forever will we can say that his look defined the music and fashion at the time.
Over the years we have seen Michael Jackson’s transformations and I am talking about from a clothing perspective.

And in doing some research I have found something relatively consistent with all of his fashion styles. Sequins jackets! Which at first makes you chuckle, but then makes you think.

Wow, he really did love wearing sequins. Call it the true entertainer in him. But, yes! Throughout his career the sequin jacket has made its fashion mark and can absolutely be considered Michael Jackson’s true style staple.
From a fashion designers standpoint, there is a fine appreciation, not only for the wearing of such stunning jackets but also the intricacy of each design. Being encrusted in sequins in not an easy thing to pull off, and it most definitely is not an easy thing to sew.

But when you look closer, Michael’s jackets have so much detail and character, yet consistency which gave him his signature look. Whether it was a tuxedo jacket or a military jacket, Michael always kept it flashy. Depending on the look that day, he tops it off with sequin armbands, sequin sashes, gold epaulets, his single sequin glove and in contrast, his tapered cropped tuxedo pants and glowing white ankles. These are all beyond the trend concepts that will resonate with us in our fashion membranes forever. Therefore they become timeless.

But it is pretty amazing when you look back and see everything complied in one setting. This man, this legend, this style icon has a fashion all of his own and for that he is truly what makes me just love fashion. For me. it is all about the people to beat to their own drum, who do what they want, do what they feel and do what makes them feel like a super star. Maybe wearing a sequin jacket can do that for all of us?'

So, as my personal fashion tribute, I'll be getting out all those sequinned jackets tucked away in the cupboard . . . . Here's to Michael Jackson . . . and his fantastic fashion legacy.

So, have you a favorite MJ fashion moment? Let men know and then we can let the man finally rest in peace . . . .