Stunning Celebs Who Didn't Deserve To Be On Mr. Blackwell's Worst-Dressed Lists In The '80s

Back in the '80s, one of the most prominent voices in fashion was a certain Mr. Blackwell. Blackwell, whose real name was Richard Sylvan Selzer, was like Perez Hilton and mean Gordon Ramsay mixed into one. Think of him as an even more cutting version of Joan Rivers. As the self-appointed fashion police, he released annual lists of women whom he deemed the worst-dressed celebrities of the year. Blackwell wasn't just some guy rambling to himself; the announcements were major media events, with outlets like the Associated Press and The Washington Post carrying his rankings.

Now, Blackwell loved his snark. He issued cutting remarks which we loathe to admit were sometimes hilarious, and despite the obvious mean-spiritedness of some of his comments, a few were on point. In 1985, he dubbed a dress worn by singer Apollonia to the 1985 Academy Awards "the ugliest dress I have ever seen, in the history of my entire professional life" (via Los Angeles Times). And sadly, it was sort of warranted.

However, not every celebrity who made Blackwell's list was meant to be there. Just like when Joan Rivers branded this look from Nicole Kidman a worst-dressed moment even when it didn't deserve it, many celebrities Blackwell slammed as poorly-dressed were fashion trailblazers. In fact, some regulars on his worst-dressed lists are seen as fashion icons today, and his scathing commentary just highlights what makes their style so iconic.

Cher was one celebrity that Mr. Blackwell loved to hate during the '80s. He branded her the worst-dressed woman of 1985, saying, "Cher is consistently getting worse as she has little or less respect for being a woman. She's apparently made a decision to be the fashion freak of 1985" (via The Kwajalein Hourglass). Beyond how gender-policing and misogynistic this statement is, it's also very false. Cher's style in the '80s was provocative, out-there, and daring, but it also looked incredibly breathtaking. She challenged societal norms and looked stunning while doing it.

One repeat offender on Mr. Blackwell's worst-dressed lists in the '80s was country music icon Dolly Parton, and he wasn't nice about it. In one roundup, he described her style as "an atomic jellybean explosion" (via The Washington Post), and in another, he reportedly said there were "too many yards of Dolly poured into too few inches of fabric" (via CNN). Blackwell clearly disliked her love of bold colors, exaggerated silhouettes, and shiny embellishments, but these were the exact things that led to the stunning looks that made Dolly Parton a fashion icon.

In 1982, Mr. Blackwell branded Princess Diana the worst-dressed woman of the year. He said she had "gone from a very young, independent, fresh look to a tacky, dowdy look" (via The Washington Post). It's worth noting that Diana was pregnant for half of 1982, so Blackwell judged her style by her maternity and postpartum wardrobe, which is the last thing a credible fashion critic would do. Besides this, her outfits were arguably loose and comfortable, not dowdy. She stuck to smock dresses, pastel colors, and cute prints which suited her.

Diane Keaton will always be remembered for being one of the first women to devote herself to the menswear trend. Through the '80s, she often wore loose-fitting outfits typically reserved for men, as well as large blazers and unconventional accessories. Despite how flattering this was on her, it wasn't typical, which mean that Mr. Blackwell was not a fan. He even described her as looking like "a bag lady" (via Midland Reporter Telegram). Beyond his use of caustic language, his analysis was just as flawed. Diane Keaton's unique style transformed her into an icon, and even years after her passing, she's still inspiring androgynous looks. 

Back in the '80s, Cyndi Lauper did it all. She wore crazy patterns, mixed colors and textures, wore bangles almost up to her elbows, and mixed and matched accessories. To no one's surprise, Mr. Blackwell hated this aesthetic, and placed her on the same worst-dressed list as Cher. However, from the viewpoint of a nuanced fashion lover, Lauper's style was expressive, colorful, and unique. It embodied everything we loved about the '80s, and certainly didn't deserve to be on the worst-dressed list.

Throwback photos of '60s model Twiggy show that she was quite stylish in the '80s as well. She loved bright colors, figure-hugging outfits, and daring necklines. This aesthetic seems delightful today, but Mr. Blackwell was absolutely incensed by it. He said Twiggy looked like "Lady Godiva dressed for a Roman or*y" (via Joan Collins Archive), which was his way of saying her outfits were scandalously revealing. While his scathing remark was on-brand, it wasn't exactly accurate, as Twiggy's outfits actually look pretty tame and in line with the trends of the era.