80′s-era La Toya Jackson

Once upon a time, before the reality shows, the Psychic Friends Network, and a spread in Playboy magazine which ticked off her family, La Toya Jackson was simply another pretty Jackson family sister whom Michael worshipped and considered one of his closest siblings. She had a couple of minor hits in the 80′s when anybody even remotely related to Michael Jackson was guaranteed radio airplay. She also provided back-up vocals for a couple of her little brother’s songs (including “PYT”) and made cameos in “Say Say Say” and “The Way You Make Me Feel”.

About The Look

In his autobiograhy, Michael described La Toya as a girly girl who wouldn’t feed the animals (ew!) and ran you out of her room lest you leave a fingerprint on the mirror. She also had an immaculate sense of style which she licensed for a fashion line called “David Laurenz for La Toya” (which included a collection of her signature leather headbands). In this darling photo taken in 1983, La Toya shows off that chic-ness in an ensemble representative of her playful 80′s image that also looks as though it could have come off the rack of Topshop circa now. She tops a black and white striped t-shirt with a cropped white tuxedo jacket. The black pants and both slouchy and tailored. The feather-detailed cowboy hat adds a little bit of wild wild west to new wave. And strangely, it all works.

Stripe Tunic: Zoe Tees ~ White jacket: Twenty8Twelve ~ Black Trousers: Topshop ~ Gold bow bangle: Kate Spade ~ Straw Hat: Mossimo Supply Co. ~ Eyelet Booties: London Rebel ~ Gold Necklace: Zoe & Morgan ~ photo by Todd Gray from the book Michael Jackson: Before He Was King