Michael Jackson star
Jade Small
Jade Small
February 24, 2024 ·  4 min read

9 Interesting and Little-Known Facts About Michael Jackson’s Costumes and Attire

Music and dance are something humanity will never lose. It is ingrained in our DNA in some way or another. There have been many famous singers who could seriously bust a move. Take Michael Jackson for example.

He literally invented dance moves that have gone down in history. However, the King of Pop’s stage presence was not only attributed to his songs but the way he moved. His fashion sense has been a curiosity for so many. Today, we are going to explain some of the strange things he wore, in the hopes it sheds some light on the late musician.

1. Why Michael Jackson’s outfits got smaller throughout the show

Michael Jackson was one of those dancers whose performance just never seemed to lag. His energy levels were phenomenal as he flew himself all over the stage. He was even known to invent some moves that have gone down in history. However, because he continuously gave 100% of his efforts, he would sweat a lot. Throughout each show, Michael would literally shrink. He would lose up to one inch off his waist, so each outfit had to be smaller than the last so it would fit him properly.

Before, during, and the end f Michael Jackson's shows
Image Credit: Brightside

2. Wearing one Glove, never two

This was to cover his vitiligo which was concentrated on his hands. Vitiligo is a condition where patches of your skin lose their pigment. He wore gloves to cover the patches, but one glove was more than enough for him.

3. Michael Jackson preferred his shoes unpolished

Never mess with Michael Jackson’s shoes. Or, at least that’s what one costume designer on tour with Michael learned after his managers requested his shoes get polished. They may have looked better, but Michael was furious. Allegedly, the polish ruined his performance because it made the shoes slippery.

4. Never fully dressed without his fingers taped

Michael’s dance moves were all about creating illusions. Even his costume designers liked to play around a bit. They thought the white ape would attract more light to his hands, and Michael liked the idea of having his index finger taped.

5. An armband on almost every jacket

There was nothing that special about the armband Michal Jackson wore on the right sleeve of many of his jackets. A lot of people thought it may have something to do with a dearly departed friend, but it was purely to make his jackets unique to everyone else’s.

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6. The reason behind the 777 emblem

Michael Jackson was the seventh child in the Jackson family, which accounts for one of the three sevens sewn into his jackets, the other two sevens come from his birth date. He was born in the year 1958, and 19 + 58 = 77.

Read: Jim Carrey Says There’s One Film He Regrets Making

7. Michael Jackson wears white socks

This one ties in with the white tape on his fingers. Even though wearing white shoes was not exactly fashionable, it sure did attract the gaze to his feet as he danced. The white socks would highlight his quick footsteps.

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8. Anti-Gravity Lean shoes

Of all the many dance moves that were notoriously Michael Jackson, the anti-gravity lean stunned the world. It did not seem humanly possible to lean at such an angle. This maneuver made it seem like Michael had found a way to defy gravity. According to studies done on professional dancers, they can lean at a maximum of 30 degrees, but then Michael’s lean was measured he was at 45degrees. The trick was in his shoes. He designed shoes that when aligned with a specific spot on the stage, a spike would shot up into the heel, and lock him in place. Then, all he had to do was lean forward.

Image Credit: Manjul Tripathi | Inverse

9. the meaning behind “CTE

If you are a fan of Michael Jackson, you might have noticed the letters, “CTE” stitched onto his clothing. Oddly enough, it had nothing to do with anything sentimental. They are simply some random letters pulled out of a hat. Michel wanted some letters sewn onto the new shirts made by his designer, and those letters seemed sufficient.

Keep Reading: Elton John admitted Michael Jackson was ‘a disturbing person to be around’

Sources

  1. Why Michael Jackson wore smaller clothes at his show and other revelations about his costumes.Opera News. BenRCtheCreator. November 2021
  2. “How Did Michael Jackson Do the Anti-Gravity Lean? Science Explains” Inverse. June 15, 2018