15 Most Stylish Rockstars Whose Closet We’d Love To Raid

We’re Actually Jealous

Fashion and rock ‘n roll go together like grilled cheese and tomato soup on a cold, winter morning. It just works. And it doesn’t matter what decade we’re talking about. Although in modern times, you often just see band members donning basic shirts. Well kids, back in the day, our rockstars were dressed to the nines.

15. Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson

Nowadays, he enjoys wearing tuxedo jackets with silver studs, medals and other clockwork trinkets. And he looks hot as hell – this is his toned down style, by the way. You see, Bruce Dickinson is known for so many things – his passion for aircraft, his deep love for music and his ridiculously tight pants. Whether if it’s black, red, yellow or a checkered print of all the colors in the rainbow, the man can get away with it. He is so metal he can wear an outfit straight from an aerobics workout class and still manage to look cool. And he knows how to complement the entire ensemble too – add his long, fabulous hair, stylish arm cuff, oversized belt and statement vests. He once said, “Apart from death and taxes, the one thing that’s certain in this life is that I’ll never be a fashion icon.” Well, Bruce. We totally disagree with you on this.

14. Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister

When you think of Lemmy Kilmister, you think of three words: that awesome hat. He looks so badass on stage he can actually just stand there and still look cool. It’s like his sense of fashion is the perfect reflection of his hard rock demeanor. He’s not a huge fan of prints or colors and while his outfit is almost always just black, dark blue and red; he still managed to create an iconic ensemble. Denim and leather with metal accents and sometimes paired with aviator glasses – that’s his thing. You can see someone sport these clothes while walking on the street and you instantly know, they’re trying to pull off a Lemmy. This guy’s a metal pioneer but apart from his massive contribution to music, he will also be remembered in terms of his style. With that long black hair and beard, he screams ‘rock star’ in big, bold letters.

13. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler

Sometimes, he can be over the top but let’s face it, he’s iconic both in music and fashion. Remember when he wore that striped tight onesie? Yeah, we want to completely erase it from our memory too. Sure, he’s had various style faux pas (case in point, his ugly sandals and oversized scarves that look like your grandma’s spare curtain) but still, several of his outfits will make you want to take down notes in the fashion department. He always has this hippie vibe in his clothing. He’s truly one of a kind and some of our favorite looks include a leather jacket paired with ripped, semi-flared denim pants complete with accessories (a staple in every Steven Tyler ensemble) and fabulous hair with red at the tips. He pulled it off pretty well, didn’t he? Of course he did, it’s Steven we’re talking about here. For all we care, he can wear his rug at home and still slay it.

12. Guns ‘n Roses’ Axl Rose

Axl Rose in his prime was a seriously hot male specimen. Girls were crazy about him and guys wanted to be in his shoes. Let’s not talk about his perfect golden locks because it seems like the guy’s never had a bad hair day until recently. You know what makes him awesome? He made bandana look badass. And his unpredictability isn’t confined to his insane stage antics – it also extends to his sense of style. You see, he once wore kilt and suddenly, every man in the audience felt like wearing it too. Yellow fringe blazer, American flag print bike shorts, luxurious mink shawl, fishnet top – it’s as if he randomly pulls stuff out of his closet. And he’s all inked up like a total bad boy. So, what’s the outfit we love the most? It’s when he donned leather jacket, tight leather pants, and cowboy boots – classic Axl Rose.

11. ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons

Here’s some fashion inspiration straight from one of the guys who taught us that “Every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.” There’s no other way of putting it – he’s iconic in every way. Okay, let’s be real here. When you see a man with chest-length beard wearing all-black (and probably a leather jacket and dark sunglasses to boot), how do you normally react? Walk the other way? Run as far away as possible? Or dodge them as much as you can? With Billy Gibbons, you do nothing of the sort. He’s not the kind you’re afraid to bump into. Instead, he’s the guy you want to be taking fashion advice from. Many want to recreate this iconic look but they always fall short. No one can pull it off but him. And that beard is so famous he was once offered $1 million to shave it off! Good thing he turned it down.

10. Queen’s Freddie Mercury

He may be an introvert but he always puts on a show – glamorously at that. He was clearly the total package. When he takes the stage, he instantly transforms from shy guy to a flamboyant, energetic frontman. But of course, the whole appeal includes his fabulous wardrobe. His outfits consisted of leather, tracksuits and jumpsuits, elaborately embellished and studded jackets, suspenders, cropped tops, platform boots and let’s not forget his iconic yellow concert jacket. This man has deep understanding of his sartorial splendor. He can go bare-chested or ride on Darth Vader’s shoulders in shorts and still look like a certified rockstar. To say that he has a knack for style would be a bit of an understatement. His fashion is always bold and loud. He was once quoted saying, “It’s not a concert you are seeing, it’s a fashion show.” He’s avant-garde where his outfits are concerned and we love him for it.

9. The Who’s Keith Moon

Keith Moon wasn’t just a legendary drummer. He was simply one of the greatest musicians behind the kit. Aside from being known for destroying hotel rooms, flushing explosives down the toilet, and numerous well-planned pranks; he is also a fashion icon. He is undeniably the best-dressed member of the legendary band The Who. When he’s not doing anything wild like driving his car into a swimming pool, he’s busy dressing up like a boss. Whether he’s wearing bespoke suits, colorful blazers, statement sweaters, slim-fitting shirts or lavish fur coats – he’s every bit the rock star he is. Incredibly so, he knows what looks good on him and what patterns work best. If he takes time to carefully plan his pranks, then it’s obvious he’s not the type to just wear the first thing he grabs from his closet. He can go from casual to sharply dressed and he surely hasn’t failed in the fashion department.

8. Bruce Springsteen

What does Bruce Springsteen do in his spare time when he’s not drinking from the fountain of youth and cruising through his 60s like a real champ? As if all the accolades and accomplishments under his belt aren’t enough, he also added ‘fashion icon’ to the things he can brag about. And it’s well-deserved. But what does it take look like The Boss? There are few staples actually – jeans, shirt and leather jacket. Because if there’s any style advice you can get from him, it’s that ‘less is more.’ He’s the master of street rebel style and he’s not one to dress up based on what’s currently ‘in.’ Uhm, hello. He’s Bruce Springsteen in case you forgot – he doesn’t follow the trend, he sets them. It’s always the good ‘ole American look he’s trying to pull off – nothing flashy or over-the-top. He sticks to the simple classics and it worked for him throughout different decades.

7. Guns ‘n Roses’ Slash

Like Angus Young’s schoolboy uniform, it’s so predictable what Slash would wear during shows or jamming sessions. It makes you think the man is deeply devoted to wearing black and we’ve no doubt, it’s probably the only color in his closet. Then again, we’re not complaining. It’s undoubtedly one of the most iconic outfits – all-black ensemble with a top hat and cigarette. Although to be fair, Slash stopped smoking years ago. Anyway, the entire look is easily identifiable and has even become a popular Halloween costume. And it doesn’t matter if he’s attending a red carpet event or just playing another gig, he is always consistent with his wardrobe choice. And don’t even get us started on his hair. That always completes the look perfectly. It’s obvious he knows what good design is. After all, his not-so-humble abode is evident of his good taste. See? It’s all about owning it.

6. Eric Clapton

For the record, we’ll be talking about Eric Clapton’s younger days – not the sandal-wearing legend you see on stage today although that’s still okay. You know, just so we’re clear why he made it to this list. We know he’s not exactly the first person who comes into your mind when you think ‘stylish rock star’. We get it, he’s insanely good with the guitar and he’s an incredible songwriter. But we can’t deny that in his prime, he was a trendsetter and a certified fashion icon. Pink Armani suits, leather vests, cowboy shirts, worn-out jeans, and the various hairstyles – he is truly something else. According to Jack Bruce, “He [Eric Clapton] was very fashion conscious. Because of that, we started the hairstyles and flared trousers. We actually went to an Army-Navy store and bought U.S. Navy whites with huge bellbottoms.” P.S. We love the simple jeans and dark shirt with leather jacket.

5. The Ramones’ Joey Ramone

It comes as no surprise that Joey Ramone is often hailed as a very influential icon in fashion. Punk rock was born because of The Ramones and the style that comes with it too. At a time when we were used to seeing musicians dress in what seemed to be a standard rock star look (ripped jeans, shirt and leather jacket), Joey added a hippie flair. Any of their successors obviously took a page from his fashion book. Can you blame them? He just bought so much ‘oomph’ into the classic outfit. And he’s probably one of the first people we saw who could pull off denim on denim. Plus, he once wore a ‘Beavis and Butthead’ shirt so that earned him around 250 points. And besides, he managed to look cool when he sported denim shorts while holding a surfboard. Okay, it was a little awkward but it’s Joey Ramone people. He can do what he wants.

4. Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix screams ‘psychedelia.’ His sense of style is so trippy – much like his music. When you think of Jimi, you get visions of exotic patterns, flowing scarves and bold, vibrant colors. Yes, he’s adventurous like that. He didn’t mind wearing outrageous and insane outfits as he makes his guitar scream on stage. Some of his signature pieces include bell-bottom jeans, fringe and beaded vests, tie-dyed and paisley scarves, floral shirts, wide-brimmed hats, hippie headband and sometimes, military jackets. He wasn’t one to shy away from clashing prints. Instead, he managed to mix and match them artfully. Up until today, he continues to be a fashion inspiration especially for hippies. Well, an exact replica of his jacket is being sold at $599. He can pair hot pink pants with white shirt and colorful cardigan and pull it off. Seriously, we can all try to wear the same thing and still not get away with it like Jimi did.

3. Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards

This photo is enough reason to consider Keith Richards as one of the most fashionable men in rock history. His penchant for pirate aesthetic even became the inspiration for Pirates of The Caribbean character Jack Sparrow. And his natural swagger is what propelled him to become a style icon. This is the man who started wearing headbands before they were thought to be cool. What else does he have in his wardrobe? He has leopard print jackets, billowing boho shirts, skinny scarves, fedora hats, leather pants, suede ankle boots, and even waistcoats. He’s so dang good at mixing patterns and clothes that you wouldn’t thought would go well together – take for example a striped shirt, leopard cardigan, white scarf with red print, and a polka dot bow tie. Even in his old age, his style remains as iconic as ever. Brown croc print jacket on a blue shirt? Only Keith Richards can make that a ‘yay!’

2. David Bowie

There’s no way we can skip the Thin White Duke or Ziggy Stardust. He wasn’t just a glam rocker, he also introduced us to a wide array of outrageous styles we didn’t even think would look aesthetically pleasing. But dang, it did. We’re talking red hair, shaved eyebrows and clothes which were designed specifically to blow us away like body-hugging striped jumpsuit and bright red platform boots, fringe number, or a billowing robe. Almost everything had a futuristic vibe to it. He rocked shoes that were so fashion forward – pairs of heels that Lady Gaga would kill for. But before anyone could recover from his avant-garde androgynous style, he started trading his Ziggy pieces with crisp tailored suits. Through the years, his style has mellowed down but he remained fashionable. Even in a simple black tuxedo with dark red tie, he looked amazing. He’s a true sartorial chameleon and his sense of fashion has influenced the next generation of artists and musicians. We’re terribly missing him.

1. Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger

Need we say more? He has more swagger in his pinky finger than the rest of the world. He can wear ruffled shirts, pussy bows, studded velvet bodysuit, polka-dot scarves, fur vests and wraps, pointy shoes, all-teal colored suit or simple shirt and jeans and there’s no mistaking he takes his choice of clothing seriously. Isn’t that the mark of a true fashion icon? He set the bar on how frontmen should dress and his style is a true reflection of his personality – wild. He once explained to WWD, “When you’re on stage, the costumes have to fit and they have to be glamorous.” This is coming from one of the best-dressed musicians of all time. In every concert, he steals the show even before the song starts and that says a lot. He probably has tailored suits in every shade imaginable. Today, his style is definitely still there. His closet is like heaven for all fashionistas!