Fergie's Worst Looks Ever
Multi-talented singer and legendary name speller Stacy Ferguson, better known as Fergie, started in showbiz long before she was a member of the Black Eyed Peas. Heck, it started long before she was old enough to drive. Fergie showcased her serious vocal chops on Kids Incorporated when she was just a kid incorporated, and she joined the Peanuts universe as the voice of Sally for several episodes and made-for-TV specials.
As for Ferguson's career as a recording artist? That chapter began with three-piece girl group Wild Orchid. And at that time, she made some fashion choices that, well... look like the fashion choices of someone who was in a '90s girl band. And the rest, they say, is nothing short of G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. And by that, we mean some of her outfits are about as confusing as the spelling of "tasty" on "Fergalicious."
Calling all lovers and haters of aughts fashion: The time has come to remember Fergie's worst looks ever.
Fergie prom-ably would call this a dated look
It can be fun to look at our high school photos and cringe at the fashion choices we made, and it can be really fun to look at — and lovingly laugh at — old prom pictures. For a #WaybackWednesday post on Instagram, Fergie showed her prom style: A low-cut, bright green, sequin-covered dress paired with a very '90s updo. It's Jessica Rabbit-meets-Poison Ivy-meets-Beverly Hills, 90210. She doesn't look bad, but there's no denying that the whole getup is incredibly dated.
As a Los Angeles native, Fergie was simply Stacy Ferguson as a kid and teen. She grew up in "a Catholic upbringing," according to The Daily Mirror, but as she told the outlet, she had an "out-of-control phase" as a teen. "I had a gun put to my head during a drug deal that went wrong," she recalled. "Luckily I got out of it."
A lot has changed for Fergie since then, and she has learned a thing or two about styling along the way. In the aforementioned Instagram post, Fergie showed off a killer green dress that she wore as host of the music competition series The Four: Battle for Stardom.
The wild outfits from Fergie's Wild Orchid days
From 1984 to 1989, Stacy Ferguson starred in the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated. Some of her co-stars included Jennifer Love Hewitt and Mario Lopez, the latter of whom claimed Fergie was his first kiss. After she left the show, Ferguson "formed the cheesy R&B-pop trio Wild Orchid with Kids alum Renee Sandstrom and childhood friend Stefanie Ridel," Entertainment Weekly reported. The girl band signed with RCA Records and released its self-titled first album in 1996. After its sophomore album Oxygen in 1998, the group still found little success. "We were uncategorizable," Fergie remembered. "Too urban for pop radio, and too pop for urban radio."
The group's outfits probably didn't help. "We didn't have stylists, obviously," Fergie told Allure. In the video for the group's single, "Be Mine," Ferguson is wearing chunky sneakers, red capri pants, and a slinky, red, sleeveless crop top. She completed the look rocking a high-bump with straightened bunches hairstyle and a super-thick bracelet.
After two middling albums, Ferguson needed to shake things up. "My whole look changed," the singer told Entertainment Weekly. "I would cut my own bangs, and dye my hair, and dress really freaky." This coincided with her change in social activities too, often in the "underground club scene" in Los Angeles. Ferguson reportedly "began experimenting with drugs" like Ecstasy and crystal meth at the time. The group "began working on a never-released third album, Fire" as Ferguson spiraled into drug use.
Talk about an un-Fergie-ttable pair of sandles
When she was a member of the girl band Wild Orchid, Stacy Ferguson's addiction, as Entertainment Weekly put it, "started to take over her life." Fergie told the outlet that she went through all of her "childhood actor money," which was likely a significant chunk of change, as she "landed a Hollywood agent by age 8," appeared in commercials for big names like McDonald's and Hello Kitty, did voice work for multiple Peanuts specials, and was on Kids Incorporated. "I had collection agents after me because I built up credit card debt," she recalled. Thanks to hypnotherapy, Fergie has "kicked crystal meth cold turkey."
The singer left Wild Orchid and her wild days behind, and she also bid some wild outfit choices farewell. For example, there was the time she wore a cowboy hat, a pair of baggy cargo pants, platform sandals, and lacy camisole to a Hollywood Knights Celebrity Basketball Team game. This ensemble, which she wore the year before she left Wild Orchid, is like everything wrong with 2000s fashion in one look.
Don't forget the Black Eyed Peas' 'garish wardrobes'
With fresh start outside of Wild Orchid and a kicked drug habit, Stacy Ferguson started to put her life on track. The singer "moved back home and signed up for unemployment benefits," according to Entertainment Weekly. And her career advancement came as a result of hard work. "I was hustling — using the [frequent flier] miles that I earned from Wild Orchid to work with whatever producers I knew that had a home studio," Fergie remembered.
Then, in a career move that would change her life, she linked up with rappers Taboo, will.i.am, and apl.de.ap. The Black Eyed Peas, as Rolling Stone put it, "hired a blond bombshell named Stacy 'Fergie' Ferguson and gave up their pursuit of backpack-rapper cred." The foursome landed its first hit with the single "Where Is The Love?" featuring Justin Timberlake. The song was a massive success and even earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.
It's a good thing Fergie put her energy into crafting wonderful melodies because her outfit choices were questionable. In fact, the entire Black Eyed Peas were known for "a total aesthetic commitment" that includes "their garish wardrobes," according to Rolling Stone. Consider the look she donned at the 2003 MOBO Awards. A shiny bra with a pair of shiny low-rise pants? Sure. Low-rise pants that are either tucked into or connected to her boots? Sure. And yep, that's a gold anklet of sorts over one of the boots.
From Stacy Ferguson to Fergie
When original Black Eyed Peas members Taboo, apl.de.ap, and will.i.am were looking to add a female vocalist to round out the band, one of their first choices was Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls. In a discussion between will.i.am and Scherzinger for a Myspace segment called "Artist on Artist," will.i.am detailed the initial idea. "Nicole was the first person that we thought of to join the Peas when we were in transition," he revealed. However, it didn't work out because Scherzinger's then-boyfriend "was hating." Then, the Black Eyed Peas member talked to a friend who said, "I know this girl named Stacy."
Stacy Ferguson became a full-time member of the band on the 2003 album Elephunk. "Fergie in the group has completed us in a way," will.i.am told MTV News. He added, "a lot of our songs on the first record have a lot of singing in the hooks, but it was always a person, it wasn't a member" and "when you see us now, it represents the music."
Bringing Fergie on board was a huge success. The same probably cannot be said about the outfit she wore to a party following the 46th Annual Grammy Awards: a sea foam tiered mini skirt paired with a sheer top in a slightly different color green. And don't forget about the leg warmers that were pulled over a pair of high heels or the giant gold cuffs on her wrists. No one is green with envy for this fashion statement.
Fergie was a little lost in Los Angeles
In 2003, Fergie and the rest of the Black Eyed Peas released their first album together, Elephunk. As reported by NPR, the album "sold more than seven million copies." The band continued to ride the success of singles like "Hey Mama" and "Let's Get It Started": Both songs stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 26 weeks and peaked in the top ten, according to Billboard.
Fergie was a bona fide pop star by the early '00s, and she was living the lifestyle. However, the "style" part of that was not great. In 2014, she posted a throwback photo on Instagram that she took with her sister in the '00s. The family love is cute but the look is a lot. Fergie's in a super-short hot pink skirt with ruffles, a studded white belt that seems to be casually resting on top of the waistband (you know, instead of actually holding up the skirt), and a touristy white tank top that says "Los Angeles" in medieval font. To top it off, the singer wore matching hot pink and checkerboard earrings and dirty blond highlights. Is she auditioning to wave those checkered flag earrings at an underground car race? Let's "get it started" with a new outfit.
Fergie's bangs brought the monkey business
Black Eyed Peas' released its fifth album and second with Fergie, Monkey Business, in 2005. The lead singles "Don't Phunk With My Heart" and "My Humps" both dominated the airways and climbed to the top five on the Billboard Hot 100. Of all the songs on the album, The New York Times declared that "My Humps" was the "track most likely to live in infamy." The single has it all, from provocative lyrics to an addictive beat. Fergie makes sure to name check designers like Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as L.A. denim companies 7 For All Mankind and True Religion. The song also won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
In the music video for "My Humps" and at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards, Fergie shows off a peculiar hair choice. "This was the bang era, or 'fringe' in Europe," Fergie told Allure. "I loved the look. The clip-on bangs were a huge deal, and there was always drama about the bangs being lost. They would travel with us, and one of the bags would get lost, and it'd have the bangs in there." Fergie rounded out this European look with a shiny tube top and aughts-washed jeans featuring a rhinestone heart and "F" on the back pocket. And watch out for those stones on her heels, bracelet, and belt!
Dutchess Fergie has arrived
While still in Black Eyed Peas, Fergie released her first solo album 2006, The Dutchess. Her lead single, "London Bridge," became an instant success and reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, according to Billboard. In the music video, she famously dances with mock Queen's Guard members that throws England's history and traditions out of the window. There are several, um, bold looks in the video, including a barely-there cropped tank top and tartan capri pants. Need a refresher? You're in luck, because in 2018, she posted photo on Instagram that she took on the "London Bridge" set in that very outfit.
The Dutchess kicked off a legendary year for Fergie. "Fergalicious" peaked at number two and "Glamorous" at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in early 2007. By the end of the year, her third single from the album, "Big Girls Don't Cry," peaked at number one and earned her a solo Grammy nomination. It was an incredible year with some not-so-incredible looks.
Which brings us to the less-than-super outfit she picked out for a Super Bowl XLI party in 2007. First, there's the weird hat that is tilted in the strangest way, as if someone almost bumped it off. Maybe someone accidentally ran into her as they were rushing to the open bar? And the bold red pants are just long enough to sloppily bunch and slightly cover her oddly understated heels. As for the scarf? A quick throw over the shoulder for a finishing touch was all she could muster.
Fergie knows how to make a fashion statement
No one could escape Black Eyed Peas' single "I Gotta Feeling" in 2009. One of the song's producers, David Guetta, was a mostly unknown name in America at the time. "'I Gotta Feeling' really changed the game and opened the doors for dance music in America," Guetta told The Guardian. "They started to play it for the first time on the radio, so not only did I cross over, but my entire scene crossed over. It was pretty exciting," the French DJ recalled. The song ultimately reached RIAA Diamond status, that is, among a rare group of singles that sold at least 10 million certified units. In the music video and in person, Fergie showed off a new dark-haired locks, and this look apparently threw off even her nearest and dearest. Fergie told Allure that people couldn't recognize her and even her mother said, "I didn't put it together that that was you!"
Fergie experimented with both her hair and outfit choices, like the time she wore a statement necklace that, well, made a statement. When Fergie attended the Jump Footwear Launch TABOOXJUMP in 2009, she wore a necklace of a giant mouth that was wearing shiny black lipstick. But why? Was Fergie's bold red lipstick not enough of a pop? Let us not forget about the untied thin scarf draped over her shoulders that only adds the chaos. The double lips and a blueberry leather jacket make Fergie far too tasty — or "T-A-S-T-E-Y."
Fergie's orange look is not from concentrate
The 2010 release of the Black Eyed Peas' album The Beginning was actually the end for Fergie and the band. The foursome announced in 2011 to take an "indefinite hiatus to work on other projects," MTV News reported. The group certainly went out with a bang, after performing during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show in Texas.
During the hiatus, Fergie stayed close to the music industry and attended the Grammy Awards in 2012. She even brought her mother as a date. How cute! "The 36-year-old Black Eyed Peas singer wore an orange sheer Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture gown and Neil Lane jewels. She finished off her look with Walter Steiger pumps and a Judith Leiber clutch," Just Jared reported. This ensemble wasn't everyone's cup of orange lace; Gaultier, the famous French designer known for his divisive collections, certainly shocked once again with Fergie. The Washington Post referred to her look as "underwear and a floor-length doily."
A few years later, she delivered another dose of vitamin C. After Fergie split from husband Josh Duhamel in 2017, the singer appeared on The Wendy Williams Show (via People) in an all-orange outfit. Fergie posted her look on Instagram, featuring an orange turtleneck argyle sweater and a gigantic orange Balenciaga scarf. It was only a few days before Halloween but still, maybe the pumpkin vibes should stay hidden.
Wine not wear a better outfit, Fergie?
2013's The Great Gatsby starred A-listers Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire, and it arrived with an equally high profile soundtrack. The original motion picture soundtrack featured Beyoncé and André 3000 covering Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey, Jay-Z, and, of course, Stacy Ferguson. The song "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" featured, as Rolling Stone put it, "swinging sax licks boogie with Fergie's jazzed up vocals before GoonRock's synths storm through. Q-Tip later drops in a fun-loving guest verse to keep the energy levels pulsing."
Fergie focused her efforts outside of music in 2013 as well. For starters, she kept busy promoting Ferguson Crest, the wine company she and her dad founded in 2006. Before you ask, yes, as a matter of fact they do carry a wine named Fergalicious. And yes, as a matter of fact, Fergie did wear a questionable outfit when promoting the brand at a bottle signing in 2013.
The ensemble she chose for the event screams "Napa Getaway" in the worst possible way. Tons of rings, big nails, a fedora that's way too big, and an even bigger scarf. Sure, red makes sense with the wine theme, but three mismatched hues of red do not. And Fergie's long black and burgundy sweater and the red leather pants tucked into boots don't exactly inspire the taste buds.
Fergie doubles down on bold style choices
Prior to Fergie releasing her second solo record in 2017, Double Dutchess, Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am. told AhlanLive that Fergie was no longer a member of the band. "As for replacing, what people know The Black Eyed Peas to be, nobody is replacing Fergie," he explained. "She's working on her solo project at the moment," he continued and added that "we worked on a bunch of songs on her solo record, we're proud that she has her label." In addition to launching record label Dutchess Music, Fergie also made a visual album called Double Dutchess: Seeing Double.
According to Billboard, the music video for track "A Little Work" partly tells "the story of her drug-addled spiral before her Peas career." And it features extreme outfits. As reported by W Magazine, the looks were inspired by clinical themes from Nurse Jackie and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. As Fergie said, the name of the album and visual album represents "the duality of my personality, the dark and the light, the hard and the soft."
In one scene from the video, there is a little too much going on with the costume. A ghastly straitjacket-inspired garment made up of a cream-colored bustier, straps, and garters. Plus, high heels and what look like corsets for her thighs? Is she trying to be as uncomfortable as possible? Up top, Fergie is sporting ombré hair that unfortunately transitions from purple to green. Not sure how many chickens will be jackin' this style.