While Selena Quintanilla is remembered for her dedication to cumbia rhythms, upbeat dance tunes, and her bubbly personality, she was committed to business and entrepreneurship, and in her young twenty-three years was the proud owner of two boutiques, Selena Etc., that offered customers a variety of services and goods for purchase, including a unique line of clothes designed by Selena and her personal fashion designer Martin Gomez.
Throughout her career, Selena wore a multitude of outfits, some high fashion, some on-trend streetwear, all with her classic red lipstick. She was a fashion icon for her fans, and today is given credit for her contributions to popularizing many 90s trends.
In 2016, twenty-one years after Selena’s untimely death, the cosmetic company MAC announced the MAC x Selena Quintanilla Collection, which launched in October. This collection was made to replicate items directly from Selena’s personal makeup bag, including red lipstick, pink eyeshadow, and beige blush, and sold out in stores around the country in a matter of hours.
In 2020, MAC relaunched the collection, renaming it the Selena La Reina Collection, a 15 piece makeup line sold at America’s biggest cosmetics retailers. This new relaunch sold as individual pieces, and in a Collectors Vault, which retailed for $300 and sold out online in two minutes. The Selena La Reina Collection included four lipsticks in a range of shades with fun names like “Inolvidable”, “Queen of Cumbia” and “La Reina”. It also included two lip pencils and three lip glasses in shades “Dame Un Beso”, “Siempre Selena”, and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”. Among the lip products were a Skinfinish, similar to a highlighter, and an eyeshadow palette, all given names relevant to Selena’s career. To store the makeup, the collection came with a makeup bag that matched the packaging of the eyeshadow palette and the Skinfinish, boasting one of Selena’s signature studded bustiers.
The lipstick and the Skinfinish each have a rose carved into them, representing Selena’s favorite flower. White roses have been a symbol of Selena’s legacy since her passing. Selena also reported dreaming of a white rose thrown at her, but she could never catch the flower or see who threw it. She woke up with visions of white light every time. Some fans speculate that this was a premonition of her death. Accents of purple on black packaging pay homage to the singer’s favorite colors to tie the collection together.
To further honor Selena’s fashion and beauty legacy, find below four of Selena’s most influential statement outfits. Read about the history and inspiration behind each look, and find insight from fans, family, and close friends of Selena, speaking about the impact Selena made on their individual lives. Below each description, find modern recreations of Selena’s iconic looks available in-store and online today.
LOOK ONE
Selena’s Selena Live! won Best Mexican-American Album at the 1994 GRAMMYS. She thanks Los Dinos, her father, and her sister for her accomplishment wearing a stunning white sequin dress, as seen in the recording of her acceptance speech. Selena was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 GRAMMYs.
The gown was not designed by Selena or her fashion designer Martin Gomez but instead purchased from the company Cache who later remade an exact replica of the gown for the 1997 Selena biopic for Jennifer Lopez to wear. The gown is currently on display at the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi. Selena was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 GRAMMYs.
A May 2020 Refinery 29 interview with Selena fans from around the country had a conversation with a young woman from Los Angeles, who states: “Growing up, Selena Quintanilla felt like family. She danced like my mom, looked like my sister, but most importantly, she spoke both English and Spanish…Representation truly matters, and it made me feel like it was ok to be me. Selena made me proud to have long dark hair and rock an updo for my quinceanera and prom. Today, she inspires me to wear my favorite red lipstick in any setting from the beach to the workplace.” It is in her GRAMMY-award attire that she sports her signature bright lipstick and striking, dark hair that encourages fans to embrace their natural features with confidence, grace, and poise.
GET THE LOOK:
Net-A-Porter Retrofête Olivia Embellished Tulle Halterneck Gown – $1,575
Neiman Marcus Retrofête Prima Sequined Cocktail Dress – $1,395
ASOS Be Mine Bridal Neima Blcok Heeled Shoes in Ivory Satin – $50
Sam Edelman Hazel Pointed Toe Heel in Bright White – $130
JazzyAndGlitzy Chandelier Wedding Earrings with Large Crystal Drop – $63
LOOK TWO
Selena famously debuted this outfit on the Johnny Canales Show in 1994, where she performed a variety of her hits to a live audience. Below, she sings “Amor Prohibido” in full leather, flamenco-inspired attire.
The Queen of Cumbia took musical inspiration from a variety of influences, and to this day, Selena is credited as a frontrunner in the movement to popularize traditional Mexican music by combining it with rock beats, heard in “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Como la Flor”. Selena credited influential female icons Madonna, Paula Abdul, Gloria Estefan, and Donna Summer as inspirations for her music, and clearly her fashion, as all four women donned powerful statement outfits throughout their careers. Hear Paula Abdul in Selena’s vocal style and slow, melodic ballads. Selena’s 1994 song “No Me Queda Más” draws striking similarity to Abduls 1991 hit “Rush Rush” in this way. See Madonna in Selena’s studded bralettes and structured leather outfits, and feel the energy of Donna Summer’s upbeat synth vibrations in each of Selena’s cumbia numbers. The essence of Gloria Estefan ties together her musical influences as Estefan paved the way for Latin artists like Selena to penetrate the mainstream market like never before.
Selena’s fashion incorporates elements of each of these singers’ personalities but stays true to her Mexican-American roots with flared sleeves and a flowing leather skirt. The hard rock edge in Selena’s fashion and music alike comes from bands like Taste of Honey and AC/DC, whom the singer’s father introduced to her in childhood. Members of the San Antonio punk band Fea even claim Selena’s music was borderline punk rock. In an interview with Texas Monthy in March 2021, bassist Jenn Alva shares ‘When you see Selena sing ‘Si Una Vez” live, she’s got this pure attitude in her face. It was a no-brainer when [Fea] chose that song. We love dynamics in a song. It’s like a telenovela: it’s dramatic all of a sudden, and it was slow just a second ago.” Drummer Phanie Diaz gushes: “I think the reason we relate to Selena so much, and why Girl in a Coma covered [her] is her upbringing. She was very humble; she worked really hard. And she always remained true. And that’s something that we always strove to do: to represent our hometown, to be proud of where we’re from…Selena opened the door, and we gotta keep doing that.”
GET THE LOOK:
Black and Matte Gold Bra Crop Top Half Corset Bustier Decorated Sequins and Beads – $45
Windsor Bohemian Charm Coin Embellished Bustier – $34.90
New York & Company Flare High-Low Maxi Skirt – $139.95
ExpressURWay Women’s Black Faux Leather Design High-Low Hem Skirt With Side Zip – $99
La Seuza Fishnet Tights – $16.95
Knee-High Stiletto Boots – $49.99
Lulus Katreena Black Suede Pointed-Toe Lace-Up Heels – $38
Anthropologie Dainty Hoop Earrings – $38
LOOK THREE
Selena is remembered for her humble personality, and while she often performed in shiny bedazzled bustiers, she is also famously celebrated for the street clothes she wore on stage. Inspired by the trends of the 90s, Selena wore cropped tops, high-waisted pants, and oversized sweatshirts and jackets. Today’s fashion trends revolve largely around revitalized influences of earlier decades, and Selena’s most iconic looks are slowly working themselves back into popularity. Selena is a timeless beauty who embraced her curves and natural features.
In late 2020, Netflix premiered an original show titled Selena: The Series, meant to revive her legacy for the twenty-fifth anniversary of her passing. While the show was criticized for it’s poor production, horrendous dramaticism, and bad acting, the series’ costume designer Adela Corazár designed each of Selena’s character outfits with intent and purpose. In an interview with Vulture, Corazár shares: “Every single change, every look, was part of Selena’s growth and inner search…Even though our story takes place ina relatively recent period in time, it’s still part of the history of fashion in the 20th century; what I like most about my job is turning each project into an opportunity for research and understanding how fashion has evolved. To have a better understanding of [Selena] and her family, I constantly resorted to the fashion of that time to create their image.”
Texas Monthly also spoke with Tejano musician and archivist Veronique Medrano, who shared that her passion for Tejano history was deeply rooted in Selena’s legacy: “I always felt like when you see Selena, you see the image of la santa (‘the saint’). But when you see photos from behind the scenes? She’s sleeping on the floor of a bus. She’s just like every one of us who struggles and fights to he heard, who puts in work.” The interview also includes a conversation from Bidi Bidi Banda singer Stephanie Bergara, who remembers Selena as someone she wanted to be friends with, “She looked like my cousin who I meet at Whataburger at two o’clock in the morning. [Selena] was so personable.”
GET THE LOOK:
Levi’s Light Wash High-Rise Straight-Leg Dad Jeans – $98
Tony Lama Women’s Tooled Leather Layla Belt – $49
Argento Vivo Hammered Large Hoop Earrings – $32.90
ADORNIA White Rhodium Plated 10mm Freshwater Pearl Pendant Necklace – $27.98
LOOK FOUR
Of course, there’s no discussing Selena’s fashion legacy without recalling what has become her most iconic look of all time, the dazzling purple jumpsuit. She worked closely with fashion designer Martin Gomez to realize her fashion dreams, bringing her vision to life in time to wear to her 1995 Astrodome performance, where she sang to a crowd of 60,000 adoring fans. Martin Gomez recalls his time with Selena fondly, remembering: “I had portfolios and sketches and volumes of notes that I had written. Selena would call me, and I would start writing things down. It was just an incredible time…If you look at pictures of Selena’s costumes, they fit her like a glove. She would call me from God knows where, and I would illustrate. We were also creating something that worked for her body type. Selena’s waist was tiny. Her hips would fluctuate, and her legs were big.” These physical characteristics were exactly what won over the public, who longed to see a Latina representation of their body type in popular media.
GET THE LOOK:
Replica Selena Quintanilla Costume Purple Outfit – Starting at $55.25
Windsor Drama Queen Wide-Leg Jumpsuit – $49.90
Lulus Best of Luxe Plum Purple Velvet Backless Jumpsuit – $58
Faux Pearl & Rhinestone Decor Stud Earrings – $3.50
Metallic Chunky Heeled Classic Boots – $41
Works Cited
Acosta, Carmenlucia. “MAC X Selena Collection: La Reina — Part 2 for April 2020.” Temptalia: Makeup Reviews, Swatches, Dupes to Help You Shop Smarter!, 16 Apr. 2021, www.temptalia.com/mac-x-selena-collection-part-2-for-april-2020/?show_all=1. Accessed 18 Nov. 2021.
Aderoju, Darlene. “Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s Family Remembers Her ‘Life and Legacy’ 26 Years After Late Star’s Death.” PEOPLE.com, 31 Mar. 2021,
people.com/music/selena-quintanilla-perez-husband-and-family-honor-her-on-26th-anniversary-of-death/.
Balzano, Cata. “On What Would Have Been Selena Quintanilla’s 50th Birthday, How the Late Tejano Star Still Influences Today.” Variety, 17 Apr. 2021,
variety.com/2021/music/news/selena-quintanilla-50-birthday-influence-1234953782/.
Daly, Rhian. “Selena: The Series.” Rotten Tomatoes, 7 July 2021,
www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/selena_the_series/s01.
Diaz, Thatiana. “5 Selena Fans Share How La Reina De Tejano Influenced Their Outlook On Beauty.” Refinery29, May 2020, www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/05/9689669/selena-quintanilla-latinx-women-beauty-impact.
“MAC Just Dropped Another Selena Collection — & It’s Already Selling Out.” Refinery29,
Apr. 2020, www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/04/9646265/mac-selena-quintanilla-collection-2020-makeup-products.
Fishman, Elana. “The Story Behind Selena Quintanilla’s Iconic 1994 Grammys Dress.” Page Six, 12 Mar. 2021, pagesix.com/article/selena-quintanillas-iconic-1994-grammys-dress/.
Gomez, Roger. “MAC Selena.” LoveSelena.com, www.loveselena.com/Legacy/MACSelena.html.
Guerra, Joey. “Designing a Dream: Martin Gomez Says Selena Was ‘not of This World’.” Preview | Houston Arts & Entertainment Guide, 25 Mar. 2020,
preview.houstonchronicle.com/selena/designing-a-dream-martin-gomez-says-selena-was-15154889.
Htrayray501. “Rare “Selena Live” Interview 1993 – English.” YouTube,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0smndV5Ug0.
Mejia, Paula. “Why Selena Is Still the Queen of Tejano (and Punk Rock!).” Texas Monthly, 23
Mar. 2021, www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/why-selena-still-queen-of-tejano-and-punk-rock/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2021.
Mohammed, Sagal. “Selena Quintanilla Outfits: the Best 90s Inspiration from the Style Icon.”
My Imperfect Life, 6 May 2021, www.myimperfectlife.com/features/selena-quintanilla-outfits-90s-inspiration-style-icon.
Salazar, Savannah. “How Selena: The Series Charts Selena Quintanilla’s Fashion Evolution.” Vulture, 31 Dec. 2020, www.vulture.com/article/selena-the-series-costumes-fashion.html.
“Selena’s Most Iconic Looks.” Cosmopolitan, 4 Nov. 2013,
www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/g3545/selena-iconic-looks/.
