Why bizarre Nicki Minaj’s got the look

Pop stars dressing up outrageously is not uncommon these days. But Nicki Minaj has carved a niche in outlandish dressing. The Trinidadian hip-hop sensation dislikes being labelled and makes it a point to show that in her fashion choices.

Pop stars dressing up outrageously is not uncommon these days. But Nicki Minaj has carved a niche in outlandish dressing. The Trinidadian hip-hop sensation dislikes being labelled and makes it a point to show that in her fashion choices.

From palm leaves hairdo to skeleton-shaped dress, the singer fearlessly mixes and matches different styles together. “Exaggerated, fantastical, inflated and loud. Her style screams for attention. Some marvel at her courage, others enjoy the extremity. If style is a form of personal expression, this has its place as well,” says Grazia India fashion editor Ekta Rajani.

People may have a conflicting opinion about her style sense, but her fans give her a thumbs-up for defining her own style. “Just like her music, Nicki wants to bring something new to the table in terms of fashion. She is a curvy girl and she is not shy about it. Most of her styling ends up highlighting her assets,” says her 20-year-old fan Samrridhi Kukreja.

Minaj’s look was also a hit for this year’s Halloween as many tried to emulate her Harajuka Barbie aesthetics. On Minaj’s website one can buy a bubble gum pink wig for $25 (Rs 1,250) and T-shirt with graphics of thongs and breasts. “It is difficult to emulate her look as she is all about the shock factor. Having said that, it would be exciting to see girls in India dress up in rainbow coloured uni-tards and outlandish wigs like hers,” says fashion stylist Nikhil D.

Expert says
About the Grammy Award function look, Ekta says, “It’s hard to do head to toe, including hair in leopard print. And it would take someone with her sass to do this, but she pulls it off.” And about the Victoria Secret show look, she says, “It’s whimsical, sexy, but in a child’s fable set in the future — within her sexed up fantastical style.”