Reppin Africa: Nigerian/British Sade Is Named a Beauty Icon

Style.com Names Sade a Beauty Icon! The Nigerian-born, British-bred crooner was a knockout, and she's still bowling people over decades after her last big hit. Her lacquered red lips, tight, braided ponytail, and oversized gold hoops are still in the likes. Jean Paul Gaultier sent Sade look-alikes down his Spring runway, and Olivier Rousteing borrowed her signature hoops and shoulder pads for his Balmain collection. See the photos after the jump:

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria (1959) and raised in Colchester, Essex, where she moved at 4 after her English mother separated from her Nigerian father. She studied fashion at St Martin's art college, only signing on as vocalist when a couple of old school friends started a band "until they found a proper singer". From there to singing with early Eighties Latin funk collective Pride, she discovered a rare delight in songwriting. It was while she was with that group, Sade co-wrote 'Smooth Operator' with Ray St. John, and it was from there that Sade abandoned diffidence and finally stepped centre stage to form her own group with fellow Pride members Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul Spencer Denman.

We love her effortless style. Although people do have a tendency to view consistency as boring,  she proves that you do not need to wear a bunch of prints and colorful outfits to be stylish.