The outfit that defined a career

When an opportunity arose to write a book about the greatness of Cher, my biggest challenge was narrowing down the topics to cover. After all, she’s a decorated actress who (among other things) won an Oscar for her tough-but-tender performance in 1987’s “Moonstruck.” This honor came after she spent the '70s starring in multiple TV shows and becoming a cultural icon due to a succession of fashion-forward Bob Mackie outfits. And these things don’t count her musical achievements: Cher’s now the only solo artist ever to earn a No. 1 hit on a Billboard chart for the last seven decades.

She’s achieved such success due to her tenacity and resilience. When you look at her career, Cher has reinvented herself over and over again, picking herself up after trauma or setbacks and pivoting in savvy ways. Her generosity also stands out; she does extensive charity work and is hands-on with philanthropic causes she champions. And she doesn’t know the meaning of resting on her laurels. When she decided to record and release 2023’s holiday-themed “Christmas,” she rang up her 96-year-old vocal coach, Adrienne Angel, and trained every day to get her voice in tip-top shape. In other words, Cher’s work ethic, ambition and confidence have ensured her status as a Goddess of Pop.

For some background on the below excerpt: Cher sported her most iconic outfit in the music video for 1989’s “If I Could Turn Back Time” and continued to wear a variation on this look throughout her career. In fact, a stage-worn take on this outfit, which Cher rocked at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards while presenting an award to Lady Gaga — who happened to be wearing her famed meat dress at the time — sold for $115,200 in 2021. Just a few weeks ago, that same outfit sold at auction again for a whopping $162,500.