Michael Jackson was a picky dresser, and he wanted to stand out. That’s why his costumes had a lot of details that made everyone wonder why they were there and what they meant. For example, almost every jacket Michael Jackson wore had an armband on the right sleeve, and some of his jackets also had “777” sewn onto them.
We at Bright Side are fascinated with Michael Jackson`s wardrobe, and we`re ready to reveal some of the secrets behind his costumes!
1. Why he wore smaller costumes at the end of his shows
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.
2. How his lean shoes worked
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.
3. Why he only wore one glove
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.
4. Why almost every jacket had an armband on the right sleeve
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.
5. Why there are 3 № 7s sewn onto his jackets
Michael was the 7th child in his family. Also, he was born in 1958, and if you add 19 plus 58, it equals 77.
6. Why he never polished his shoes
Once, the singer`s managers were concerned about the condition of his shoes and asked his costume designer to polish them. He did it, but it made Michael extremely angry. He explained that the leather was worn off exactly as he needed it to be, and that polishing would make it too slippery for him to perform his dance moves.
7. 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.
8. Why he taped his fingers
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.
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. What the letters CTE on his jackets stand for
These letters don`t stand for anything. In the 90s, Michael`s costume designers created a few new shirts for him. He liked them, but he wanted to add some letters on the epaulets. He said it didn`t matter which ones, so his costume designers put all of the letters of the alphabet into a hat, and took 3 of them out at random. That`s where the letters “CTE” came from.
Do you think Michael Jackson had great taste in clothes? Is there any costume of his that you like in particular? We`d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Preview photo credit Smooth Criminal / Quincy Jones Productions
A mother’s love is shown in her decision to use makeup to recreate her son’s birthmark, helping to restore his confidence amid critical stares.
One-year-old Enzo Castari, of Cáceres, Brazil, was born with a noticeable birthmark that spans one side of his nose and covers most of his forehead. His mother, 26-year-old Carolina Giraldelli, vowed with all of her heart that her son would never let the mark define him and that he would always feel perfect in his own flesh.
Carolina said, “It was a trying time for both of us.” “Judging looks and murmurs met us; they were filled with fear, scorn, pity, and even disgust. To demonstrate Enzo that he is normal despite the mark, my spouse and I decided to act as though nothing was out of the ordinary. We want him to know that he is loved exactly the way he is, to be resilient, and to have faith in himself.
Carolina and her spouse put forth a lot of effort to fight the discrimination that Enzo encountered. “We explain that Enzo is a normal boy, capable of playing, making friends, and experiencing love just like any other child,” we say to those who react with unease, curiosity, or terror.
Carolina asked a friend who works as a cosmetic artist to replicate Enzo’s birthmark on her face for a particular event. She remarked, “I was touched and surprised.” “I thought I was the world’s most beautiful woman.” Enzo was ecstatic, despite his inability to completely comprehend the significance.
Carolina even wore the makeup to work. “I felt like the proudest mother in the world, but people looked at me differently,” she remarked.
The birth of Enzo was challenging because the umbilical cord was wound twice around his neck. Carolina initially believed the birthmark to be dirt, but when she learned it was permanent, she sobbed, but not in grief, but in relief that her son was well. She understood then that in order to support him in facing the outside world, she would need to be strong, brave, and bold.
Carolina was shocked by the amount of support she received after posting a picture of herself online with the painted birthmark. “There have been innumerable words of love, support, and consolation for my son,” she remarked. “I think a lot of moms would be able to relate to
+my emotions upon viewing these images.”
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