When Beth Ditto first entered public consciousness in the early aughts, it was as if she’d arrived fully formed. The self-described “fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas” had a distinctive voice, often compared to fellow powerhouse singers like Etta James and Janis Joplin, that was as much of an attention-grabber as her bold, sometimes scandalous outfits. As the lead singer of punk-dance band Gossip from 1999 until she left the band in early 2016 to go solo (her debut album, Fake Sugar, drops June 19, and she’s also focusing on her plus-size clothing line), she was a bona fide firecracker who was unafraid to show some skin while advocating for gay rights, more inclusive fashion adverts, and the moniker “fat” in the face of the mainstream media’s tepid embrace of “curvy” women.
Although Ditto’s inclusive, radical politics have remained constant, her style has certainly transformed over the years. She established her predilection for bright, primary colors early on with a body-hugging, lustrous purple dress that she paired with cyan eyeshadow. She has long shown an appreciation for a tight, fitted dress, like the satiny one she wore in Gossip’s gilded “Heavy Cross” video. And while her fondness for a good fit may seem to imply a traditionalist streak, many of her onstage looks resoundingly suggest otherwise: For 2010’s Wireless Festival in the U.K., Ditto sported a three-dimensional spiky black top complete with spiky black eye makeup to match.
As of late, Ditto has turned heads on numerous runways, serving as a muse of sorts to some of fashion’s biggest designers. From Marc Jacobs’s Spring 2016 show, where she wore a flowing, eggshell-hued off-the-shoulder number with a feathery boa in hand, to Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2011 show, where she walked in a ruffled, flower-festooned cocktail dress (all while double-fisting Champagne!), she has established herself as a refreshing Fashion Week presence. It seems that the access to designers has rubbed off on her personal style as well: Recently, she’s been sporting custom-made Gucci suits and rainbow floral Christopher Kane Resort dresses. But although Ditto has found ways to incorporate more refined pieces into her wardrobe, she’s still as fearless as ever. Here, a look back at her most iconic style moments.
Beth Ditto Does Brighton Beach