Cyndi Lauper has never toned down her eccentric fashion sense over the years. Since bursting onto the music scene in the ’80s with her debut album She’s So Unusual, her sartorial style has been infused with bold colors and a rock-and-roll edge. HELLO! is taking a look back at one of her most daring bikini moments that has long been forgotten in the archives.
Back in July 2023, Cyndi served up the ultimate swimwear shoot in celebration of Independence Day. The singer wore a bandeau bikini top emblazoned with the USA flag, styling a second flag around her waist as a sarong. She finished the tiny ensemble with a statement hat, black heels, and a handheld flag she raised for the cameras.
Cyndi's blonde locks were swept back while her makeup oozed soft glam, courtesy of a smoky eye and a bold red lip. In the caption, she penned: "Happy #IndependenceDay."
The daring look was a hit with fans at the time, who flocked to the comments to gush over Cyndi's ensemble. "So creative and spontaneous! And of course always pretty!" penned one social media user.
"Wow, she's still got it!!!!!" added another fan. "Girls just wanna have fun," commented a third follower.
Cyndi has previously opened up about how her music helped forge her sense of identity and fashion. "I worked in a vintage clothing store and I felt comfortable enough in my own skin to create a look that was unique. And the music also empowered me. I actually would add tulle onto things because I always felt I’m too small and when I went on stage I wanted to be bigger. I wanted bigger hair," she said during an appearance on Project Runway in 2020.
The singer's hair is also just as iconic as her outfits. In an interview with Good Morning America, Cyndi shared that her half-shaved head in the "Time After Time" music video symbolized rebellion at a time when women were "haunted by the image of their mother in a life of drudgery."
"Cutting my hair in that way would also be a rebellious act, one culture fighting to move away from a more oppressive culture for women," she said. "The hair symbolized a counterculture and rebellion, and that was significantly important to me. If you're going to color your hair, you might as well ... color it a color."
Cyndi continued: "From the clothing to the hair to the makeup, it symbolized one culture fighting to move away from a more oppressive culture for women."