Lil Kim’s Purple Outfit Costume

Lil Kim’s purple outfit at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards is a memorable moment. The outfit isn’t just her most memorable fashion moment; it’s also an important moment in pop culture history. After all, the VMAs was a time when women rappers were encouraged to be sexually discreet. Hence, a woman wearing a pink tiara and a thigh-high laced booties was an anomaly. Not so a few years later, when women rappers were more commonplace, Lil Kim’s purple pasty made headlines.

Obviously, a lot of credit must go to Lil’ Kim and her longtime collaborator, Biggie Smalls. For example, when Kim was in her prime, she had one of the hottest wardrobes on the planet. In addition to her plethora of leopard prints and sequins, she donned a slew of nipples, or lingerie, as they’re called. She also wore one-legged silk pants, a dressy mermaid-like catsuit and an opulently embellished pair of boots.

However, the most interesting part of the outfit is the matching wig. Misa Hylton was responsible for the design, which was complemented by a monochromatic lilac wig by Diane Alexander. This is arguably the most noteworthy and enduring of all her ensembles, and has been preserved in a secret archive of sorts. Even though the outfit has been worn on countless occasions, it’s still considered the best sexy attire in pop culture history. Having the opportunity to speak with Lil’ Kim about her career, it’s clear that she was as much a chameleon as a fashion icon as she was a rebellious teenager. While she’s never been able to fully reconcile her childhood, she has certainly forged a newfound career path. Currently, she stars in the BET+ series, American Gangster: Trap Queens.

As for the actual outfit itself, the nipple has been reproduced numerous times over the years, most recently in Lil’ Kim’s “Hard Core” album cover. Other notable iterations include the aforementioned VMAs and the one that spawned many a viral meme. It’s not hard to see why. Although Kim has had a difficult life, she’s managed to overcome her upbringing to become a successful entertainer, philanthropist and, at last count, a household name. With her birthday less than a month away, we can expect a slew of homages to her greatness in the years to come. Of course, we can’t wait to see the outfit again. Until then, we’ll just have to settle for the occasional jab at it in the press. Regardless, we’re glad Lil’ Kim had the courage to go for it, even if it did result in a few bad apples.