As we all lie in the wake of Beyonce’s recently released Vogue pictorial, it’s hard to imagine a time when the diva wasn’t the epitome of glam and fierce haute couture. Furthermore—a time when her best style accessory was not Jay-Z or a Chanel purse, but a bedazzler. A bedazzer guided by the overzealous hands of Mama Tina Knowles, who now heads the infamous House of Deréon fashion house.
Sometimes, it’s healthy to humanize, rather than deify, our icons, and thankfully, the years 1999-2005 give us plenty of material. Here is a fashion throwback to a few of Beyonce’s entertaining, but not exactly Vogue-worthy looks.
This picture finds Beyonce (far right) flanked by the original members of Destiny’s Child, wearing an Aladdin inspired getup. It appears Tina went on a magic carpet ride through the fabric store’s discount bin. Side note: The divisions in the group are even in the fabric. Kelly got to share a fabric with Beyonce, indicating she had been marked to survive.
The early Destiny’s Child days are really the gift that keeps on giving. This time, the girls are rocking ensembles that seem to feature either dolphins or swans. Sort of like Lisa Frank in monochromatic.
The group members were changing, and Tina was clearly trying to overwhelm us with fabrics so we wouldn’t notice. Beyonce’s skirt begs many question. Is it snakeskin? Is it denim? Did Solange sew it in Home Ec? Especially when paired with that banana-inspired halter, the outfit is so busy Michelle looks understated and classy by comparison.
In this look, it appears Tina was inspired by Girl Scout cookies. Kelly and Michelle look like unhappy scouts and Beyonce has taken on the part of troop leader, as she’s the only one allowed to wear a hat. No word on whether the girls won a “bootylicious” badge.
I like to call this Beyonce’s “wild horses” look. Maybe the Knowles family went to a dude ranch for Thanksgiving that year, because Solange didn’t escape the Western motif either. But again, Tina bestows the tackiest and most flamboyant outfit on her favorite, and Solange gets no horse.
This was a VMA look from right when Beyonce started dating Jay-Z. Clearly, he was embarrassed too. It seems Tina’s bedazzler took some adderall and went to town on those cuffs and collar. The incident prompted Jay to suggest Beyonce stop wearing looks made by Tina.
There is a bedazzled lining to these fashion mishaps, however. Blue Ivy no doubt will have the best Halloween costumes of all time.
