11 Best Looks From Lady Gaga's Music Videos

Any pop music-loving and fashion savvy person would agree that Lady Gaga's music videos are sartorial gold. Gaga has a great eye for style and art, and it shines through in her work. Featuring a number of prominent designers and some never-before-seen and unconventional accessories, her videos have always wowed me. Awaiting the release of yet another one, as well as watching each premiere and all the outfits, highlighted some of the most exciting times of teenage life for me.

In high school, I was pretty sure I was one of Gaga's biggest fans. She was more than my celebrity crush, she was the love of my life. I was absolutely obsessed with her: Her music, her personal style, her tattoos, but most importantly, her attitude. The unapologetic and candid way in which she discussed sex and her attraction to women made me feel an intense solidarity with her. I also felt I could identify closely with fellow "little monsters" over the Internet, engaging in conversations about bullying, queerness, and individuality. Through her music, activism, and her fanbase, I became more comfortable with my sexuality and sexual orientation. Gaga truly was the shining light at the end of the tunnel for all the queer kids, all the "weird kids," all the art and fashion-obsessed kids: I was all of the above.

Her music gave me the courage to come out, and to get the tattoos and other body modifications I wanted. I dyed my hair for the first time to the sounds of "Hair" from the Born This Way album. I listened to "Bad Kids" and "Born This Way" when I was feeling misunderstood at home and at school. Gaga's glorification of New York City, and singing about how it's "not just a tan that you never lose," helped me push through medical obstacles and anxiety to achieve my dream of being a writer living in the city. Going to her Monster Ball Tour for my sixteenth birthday was probably one of the greatest days of my life. I cried as she talked about fearlessness and being proud of your queerness. I'll never forget the impact she had on me, and how she got me through the toughest years of my life.

Nowadays, she seems to be advocating for queer youth less, and spending more time singing with Tony Bennett and hanging out with her fiancee than anything. But her videos, and the amazing outfits she wore in them, still prevail. I love watching her older videos, and reminiscing about her insanely great wardrobe and beauty choices. I've seen these all at least 100 times, so please bear with me as I recall all of the best and most iconic looks from her videos over the years. I'll try to keep the fangirling to a minimum, I promise.

1. Disco Bra Heaven

With the release of her single "Just Dance," Gaga is brand new to the scene. She's got that adorable platinum blonde fringe, those cool pink plaid nails, and the bra to end all bras. I still pause whenever I see a bra like this one in stores. I want more than anything to show up to a New Year's Eve party in suspenders and a disco bra. One day...

2. Hair Bow

My sister and I were obsessed with her hair bow for the longest time. We thought we could fashion one out of our own hair, which led to lots of painful knots and bitter disappointment. A smaller version of this, one that matched our light brown hair, was eventually purchased. But alas, we never found one as big and beautiful that was in our price range. Also, her eyelashes are so voluminous and feathery, and I just wanna go out and buy millions of false lashes, too!

3. Paparazzi Minnie Mouse

This Minnie Mouse-esque jumpsuit is perfect. Yes, I said jumpsuit. Here lies the source of my obsession with jumpsuits and rompers. I just love the plastic crazy shoulders, and the shaping of the black lip. So cute! Well, as cute as you can be when you're poisoning your boyfriend.

4. Walk, Walk, Fashion Baby

I'm screaming just looking at this GIF. It's Alexander McQueen from head-to-toe with this look, and I'm having a heart attack. McQueen is my all-time favorite designer, and I can thank Gaga for introducing me to his work.

I got to see this outfit up close at The Met's exhbition of McQueen's work a few years back. This full-body sparkling masterpiece is just so flawless that I can't take my eyes off of it. And don't get me started on the shoes. My Tumblr was dedicated to pictures of these shoes in every color for a while. They look like a bitch to walk in, but they're just the kind of aggressive fashion statement McQueen spent his career crafting.

5. DIY Prison Beauty: Part 1

I will probably never get over these cigarette glasses from the "Telephone" video. Or maybe "eye accessories" makes more sense?? She's definitely not seeing much out of those guys, I presume. I can certainly imagine her making do with she's got in a prison setting, using burning cigarettes and chains to accessorize. Very Gaga.

6. DIY Prison Beauty: Part 2

Once again, Gaga proves she's the queen of beauty and haircare, even when her supplies are limited to soda cans. And honestly, they're more than just DIY hair curlers, these soda cans are a full blown statement accessory. Plus, I can never get enough of Gaga in studded leather.

7. Packing Heat

Gaga stepped up her bra game since her disco-dancing days of The Fame. She's upgraded to full-on artillery in the "Alejandro" video, turning her tits into leather-clad lethal weapons. Honestly nothing hotter than that.

8. Skeleton "Born This Way"

This look is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. If you're a big fan of Tim Burton or zombie aesthetics, and are fascinated by tattoos, then you probably loved the "Born This Way" video. I used to watch this video over and over again just so I could experience this rad skeleton look. Gaga did her makeup to look like her costar Rick Genest, whose makeup job was of the more permanent variety. Known as "Zombie Boy," the model was tattooed as a living skeleton. I cannot think of a single thing that's more badass than that. Plus, I'm loving the tux and its cool, exaggerated shoulders.

9. Leather Lolita

Again, I love Gaga in leather. This strappy, kinky-looking thing takes it to the next level for me. She loves to accessorize with studs, a winged eye, and a red lip. I used a picture of her from one of her music videos to model the first winged eye I ever drew after. This skunky black and white bob going on had me this close to rushing to my stylist to get the same look.

10. Hot Mess In "Marry The Night"

Gaga is literally completely naked through much of the "Marry the Night" video (except when she's covered in bedazzled denim or spilled milk and Cheerios), crying off her bold eyeliner and caking bleach into her hair. This video, this song, this image, just speak to me on so many levels. She's picking herself up from a stint in a mental hospital to achieve her dream of being a recording artist and dancer in the city. Couldn't get more real than that.

11. The Ultimate, One And Only: Jo Calderone

The first time I saw the "You and I" video, I was blown away by Gaga's sexy alter ego, Jo Calderone. He may be kind of a rough and tumble guy, and probably a bit of an asshole IRL. But Gaga makes a gorgeous man. After the video and the VMAs, that was it for Mr. Calderone. The alter ego himself may be a little problematic, but one can only hope that she'll present more masculinely again. Because she absolutely rocked it.

Images: Interscope Records; Giphy