Style History: Eminem

Image via Complex Original

Eminem’s career spans almost 20 years and today, October 17, marks the rapper's 39th birthday. From being signed by Dr. Dre, to signing 50 Cent, and currently building a roster of artists which includes Yelawolf and supergroup Slaughterhouse, Eminem's journey is still going strong. We can talk on and on about his 100 best songs and watch his latest BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher appearance, but today we're going to take a look at his evolution of style throughout the years.

He’s had a few signature looks; from blond hair to Jordan brand sweatsuits, du-rags to leather bombers, the real Slim Shady has come a long way in his style choices. Take a look back at some memorable moments in Eminem's Style History.

WHERE: Unknown

WHEN: Unknown

Complex Says: Ah, the famous pink Alf T-shirt. This is probably why Tyler, The Creator wears ironic tees all the time.

WHERE: Unknown

WHEN: 1990-1991

Complex Says: With his old Bassmint Productions crew, Em' knew what the deal was when he was rocking one of the '90s greatest trends.

WHERE: "My Name Is" Video

WHEN: 1999

Complex Says: This jumpsuit is kind of fresh, no?

WHERE: Wedding Ceremony

WHEN: 1999

Complex Says: Who says you need to wear a tux to a wedding? Eminem's not new to breaking the rules.

WHERE: MTV VMA's

WHEN: August 1999

Complex Says: Rocking all-over print, before all-over print blew up.

WHERE: Record Release Party

WHEN: 2000

Complex Says: Wearing Ecko Unlimited and Phat Farm. Who knew Em was the original streetwear stan?

WHERE: American Music Awards

WHEN: November 2000

Complex Says: Even with Funk Flex's loud NASCAR style jacket, Eminem proves a simple white T-shirt will make you stand out.

WHERE: MTV VMAs

WHEN: August 2000

Complex Says: Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? This performance with hundreds of his clones was a huge style moment.

WHERE: MTV VMAs

WHEN: August 2000

Complex Says: The sweatsuit might have been a couple sizes too big, but nobody in hip-hop was rocking their true size back then.

WHERE: Grammy Awards

WHEN: February 2001

Complex Says: The early 2000s was the time of velour sweatsuits. Looks like Em knew the deal. If you weren't dipped in Sean Jean, Rocawear, or ENYCE sweatsuits, you simply were not doing it.

WHERE: London Arena

WHEN: 2001

Complex Says: An outfit referencing Friday the 13th's Jason to match Em's equally brutal lyrics.

WHERE: "Cleaning Out My Closet" Video

WHEN: 2002

Complex Says: The trailer park uniform of a white tank and jeans suited Shady's early style.

WHERE: "Guilty Consience" Video

WHEN: 1999

Complex Says: Em' keeps it fresh with a dope varsity, a classic staple that's still a must-have in any closet.

WHERE: MTV VMAs

WHEN: September 2002

Complex Says: We can't fault him here—it gets pretty hot on stage with all those lights.

WHERE: 8 Mile

WHEN: November 2002

Complex Says: B-Rabbit's look was rugged '90s hip-hop style: a hoodie, cap, Timbs, baggy jeans, and a pair of headphones.

WHERE: Detroit Hip-Hop Summit

WHEN: November 2003

Complex Says: Em tends to keep it casual with sportswear. This time, he switched it up with a windbreaker.

WHERE: Grammy Awards

WHEN: February 2003

Complex Says: Jordan sweats (especially in baby blue) and a white du-rag was Eminem's quintessential look for a minute.

WHERE: Shady National Convention

WHEN: 2004

Complex Says: This was a rare time we got to see Eminem in a suit, and he didn't forget the pocket square and lapel pin. Thumbs up.

WHERE: Anger Management Tour

WHEN: 2005

Complex Says: A look Em is most known for, a simple sweatsuit get-up.

WHERE: Shady Bowl

WHEN: January 2006

Complex Says: Eminem took it back to the '90s with the leg roll, but stayed killin' em with Jordans.

WHERE: BET Awards

WHEN: June 2006

Complex Says: Em self promotes his brand by wearing a shirt from his now defunct clothing line.

WHERE: MTV VMA's

WHEN: September 2009

Complex Says: Eminem replaced the sweatsuit look for the leather jacket when he came back from his musical hiatus with Relapse.

WHERE: Motor City Casino

WHEN: May 2009

Complex Says: Eminem's always rocking trainers. Can't go wrong with a fresh pair of Air Max 95s.

WHERE: Hip-Hop Honors Awards

WHEN: October 2009

Complex Says: Eminem is the only person we know who rocks a curved brim. You can call him old-fashioned, but at least he has personal style.

WHERE: Complex Mag Cover

WHEN: Dec 2009/January 2010

Complex Says: Marshall Mathers blesses the cover of our Decemeber 2009/January 2010 Issue and rocks the leather jacket look which suits him well.

WHERE: BET Awards

WHEN: June 2010

Complex Says: During a memorable performance of "Not Afraid", we noticed the dope leather he was rocking.

WHERE: MTV VMA's

WHEN: September 2010

Complex Says: Looks like he pulled a little bit of inspiration from Rick Owens' collections for this outfit.

WHERE: Grammy Awards

WHEN: February 2011

Complex Says: A perfect example on how to wear all-black-everything, still.

WHERE: Private Airport

WHEN: January 2011

Complex Says: Best of both worlds: Em wears his new go-to uniform, but still rocks his Air Max sneakers.

WHERE: Complex Digital Cover

WHEN: June 2011

Complex Says: Bad Meets Evil as Eminem and Royce Da 5'9 square off. Who do you think would win in a style match up?