On Her 80th Birthday, Look Back at Cher’s Inimitable Style

Six decades. Endless transformations. One Cher.

Over the singer’s illustrious career, she’s embraced everything from the ’60s flower power to rock’n’roll leather.

Born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California, Cher burst onto the scene with then-husband Sonny Bono in the early 1960s. While the duo were known for their adventurous sartorial spirits—think feathers, beads, and vests galore—Cher, with her long black hair and statuesque figure, always stood out.

Cher met her most consistent fashion collaborator, Bob Mackie, during a 1967 guest appearance on The Carol Burnett Show. From there, he helped her up the ante, using her fashion to shape her larger-than-life persona. When Sonny and Cher kicked off their variety show, The Sonny and Cher Show, in 1971, Cher tapped Mackie for her costume needs. A single episode could contain up to 20 different outfits, and Mackie used the opportunity to share fantastical fashion with the American public. Who but Cher could entertain an audience in belly-baring halter tops or marabou feathers and sequins?

While Cher adopted a simpler, more rock-inspired style in the early ’80s (coinciding with her ramped-up acting career), she stayed true to her glitzy roots for the important moments. For the 1986 Oscars, Cher opted for a custom crop top, skirt, and feathered headdress from Mackie, delivering one of the most memorable Oscar looks of all time. It certainly helps that she took home the best actress trophy for Moonstruck. An outlandish outlier during a time when actresses were expected to keep their outfits subdued, she picked up her award on her terms, jokingly telling the crowd that she’d received the handbook on how to dress like a serious actress.

These days, Cher’s style hews closer to the leather-heavy rock influence she adopted in the early ’80s. Just this month, she hit the 2026 Met Gala red carpet in a leather Burberry corset and an organza skirt over a lacy bodysuit; at the 2026 Grammys, she picked up a Lifetime Achievement Award in a sculptural leather Luis de Javier gown and jacket. But, fear not, she can still break out the sparkle.

Cher’s irreverence is part of her charm. She may be waltzing around in wearable art, but she isn’t self-serious. Her famous wardrobe is an expression of her artistry, but it’s also what she enjoys wearing. Is it any wonder then that stars like Zendaya and Dua Lipa look to her when they need inspiration?

In honor of Cher’s 80th birthday, take a look back at some of the singer’s most iconic looks, from 1960 til now.