Michael Jackson will forever live in people’s minds and hearts through his music and emblematic performances. It wasn’t just his songs that make everyone start dancing, but also his unique dancing technique and his on stage persona. And that includes his costumes that were either completely simple or super extravagant.
1. Why he wore silk
The designer that was for a long time the creator of Michael Jackson’s costumes said that the King of Pop preferred China silk, silk charmeuse and stretchy fabrics. Not only that, but spandex made him feel secure and sleek while on stage.
2. Why he wore smaller costumes at the end of his shows
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Michael Jackson`s dance routines were very physically strenuous, and he gave his all during his performances. By the end of the show, he would often lose up to 5 lbs, and his waist would become one inch thinner. And since it was important that his clothes fit perfectly, so that he could show off his dance moves, every next costume was a bit smaller than the previous one.
3. How his lean shoes worked
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Michael Jackson`s shoes that helped him defy the laws of gravity had a V-shaped clasp at the bottom of the heels. With its help, he could hook into a nail attached to the floor and perform his famous 45-degree forward tilt. However, to be able to do that and to keep his whole body straight, an incredible amount of core and leg strength was also needed.
4. Why he only wore one glove
© White House Photo Office / Wikimedia Commons
Michael had vitiligo, a skin condition where patches of your skin lose pigment. It started on his hand and he wanted to cover it up. And he thought it would look too ordinary to wear 2 gloves, so he would only wear one.
5. Why he loved rhinestones
Another detail his designer revealed was that Jackson loved rhinestones. He would ask his designer to go to the factory and gather the stones in raw form. “Every time I opened the swatch of white felt that encased the rhinestones, he’d gasp,. He’d take them from me and delicately move them around with his fingertips and whisper ’Can you imagine being a pirate opening a treasure chest? And seeing all the glitter inside? What a fascinating life, to be a pirate like that.’”
6. Why almost every jacket had an armband on the right sleeve
© David Valdez / Wikimedia Commons
Michel Jackson just wanted his clothes to be different from everyone else’s. And having an armband on a sleeve makes your look distinguishable. Michael also liked to make his fans wonder why that armband was there.
7. Why there are 3 № 7s sewn onto his jackets
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Michael was the 7th child in his family. Also, he was born in 1958, and if you add 19 plus 58, it equals 77.
8. Why he taped his fingers
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Hand movements were an important part of Michael Jackson`s dance routines. So he and his costume designers decided to wrap white tape around his fingers in order to attract more light. Michael also decided it would be more unusual to only tape his index, ring, and pinkie fingers. It was also fun for him, because fans would ask why only 3 of his fingers were taped.
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When Michael danced, he would unconsciously put his 2 untaped fingers together. And that would also add mysteriousness to his performances, since the fans would think this sign had a secret meaning.
9. Why he wore white socks
Michael loved wearing white socks for several reasons. No one else wore white socks with black shoes. Moreover, they would catch the light and attract attention to the movements of his feet when he was dancing.
Did you watch Michael Jackson on a live concert? If not, would you have liked to be able to enjoy him on stage?