Some call his style choices avant-garde, others call them a tour de force. Whatever word Michael Jackson's fans used to define him during his celebrated career, it was never boring.

Mon., Aug. 29 marks what would have been the King of Pop's 53rd birthday. To commemorate the gift he bestowed upon us, serving up soulfully powerful vocals, poignant lyrics and stellar dance moves, The BoomBox takes a look at his collection of fashions over the years, all in honor of his born day.

From his work as a burgeoning force with the Jackson 5 to his acclaim as a solo act, the 'Thriller' creator never once faltered in dressing for any occasion. His tour gear -- outer bodysuits and elbow pads included -- always proved to be ahead of the curve and his red carpet appearances -- full of glitter and gold -- were a topic of conversation for those who didn't even consider themselves to be immersed in the fashion spectrum.

Whether he considered himself to be an icon of epic wardrobe proportions or not before his untimely death on June 25, 2009, MJ was a bad style connoisseur, in a good way, of course.

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