Today, Justin Timberlake is regarded as one of music’s biggest superstars. But newer Timberlake fans may not remember his come-up as part of the 1990s boyband NSYNC. And it turns out the singer/actor looks back at his iconic 1990s fashion with a sense of embarrassment. After all these years, Timberlake wants to forget those looks, but unfortunately the internet won’t let him.
Justin Timberlake has come a long way from his days as one-fifth of the iconic boyband NSYNC. While he still performs and cherished the group’s music, some of his looks from the 1990s he would rather forget. The pop singer recently did a songwriter's roundtable with fellow singing superstars Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Janelle Monae and Leslie Odom Jr for The Hollywood Reporter. While the conversation focused on a wide range of topics, and eventually turned to Timberlake’s 1990s fashion choices. He alluded to the internet never letting him forget, saying:
I confess that there was maybe a period in the '90s where I could skip over some of the outfits that were public, but the internet will never …
After admitting the internet is undefeated, Justin Timberlake was teased by fellow panel member John Legend. The Voice coach’s dig alluded to his infamous American Music Awards denim couple look with then-girlfriend Britney Spears. He said,
Denim on denim on denim on denim that will never be forgotten!
Seeing Justin Timberlake speak about his boyband fashion highlighted his ability to look back at those times with a sense of humor. But John Legend’s remark showed how the internet will never let the pop superstar forget how iconic some of these past looks are. Timberlake and Legend have crossed paths many times as music stars, including the recent inauguration of President Joe Biden.
As previously mentioned, the pinnacle of Justin Timberlake’s 1990s and early 2000s fashion moments was his couple look with Britney Spears. In 2001, both young stars were at the height of the teen pop craze when they attended the American Music Awards together. The couple took to the red carpet with denim-on-denim outfits; Spears was in a dress and Timberlake in a cowboy hat and suit. The look was panned at the time, but lived on in pop culture infamy. In fact, it was so popular that pop superstar Katy Perry replicated it at the 2014 Video Music Awards with her date rapper Riff Raff.
Besides this look, Timberlake’s NSYNC looks were prime 1990s fashion with premier outerwear, basketball caps, baggy jeans and bleached blonde locks. As long as Google Images and Twitter still exist, the world will never forget these looks. Justin Timberlake still cherishes some memories from the 1990s. For instance every May the internet goes crazy with ‘It’s Gonna Be May” memes. Timberlake usually does his part every year by making his own post. Even two decades after the heyday of the 1990s teen pop explosion, the singer and actor will never live down his fashion statements. That includes the good, bad and in-between.
