You don’t strictly need a reason to celebrate the majesty of one Ms. Mariah Carey, but this very Thursday—which just so happens to be the legendary diva’s 56th birthday—is a pretty good day to do so.
I know it’s hard to believe (seriously, Mariah, drop the skincare routine, not that I’m likely to be able to afford any part of it), but Carey is now officially in the back half of her 50s—and she’s got the well-developed musical catalog and matching sense of style to prove it. While we wait for news of her hotly anticipated 16th album, here are 30 throwback photos of Carey over the years to help inspire your next carefully coordinated waistless-denim aughts look.
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Mariah Carey made her first appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 1990, singing “Vision of Love” and “Vanishing” from her self-titled debut album.
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Carey at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, where she took home the prize for best new artist. Her speech was short and very sweet.
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Recumbent in a heavily fringed black jacket and loose curls.
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With then New York City Mayor David Dinkins, Tommy Mottola, Billy Joel, and Christie Brinkley at an event thrown by the Police Athletic League.
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Pretty in pink (and a prim updo) at the Second Annual Billboard Music Awards, where Carey collectsed four trophies.
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In a dramatic caped look at the 19th Annual American Music Awards, where Carey won favorite soul/R&B female artist.
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Singing with Tony Bennett in an oh-so-’90s Kangol hat.
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For her wedding to record executive Tommy Mottola in Midtown Manhattan, Carey wore voluminous custom Vera Wang. (The inspiration for her look? Princess Diana’s wedding dress 11 years earlier.)
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Hitting a high note at New York’s Madison Square Garden during her Music Box tour.
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Greeting fans in Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Attending a Chanel fashion show-slash-charity benefit in fetching pink tweed.
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Performing selections from her now-iconic Christmas album, released a few weeks earlier, at Manhattan’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
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Shooting the music video for “Fantasy”—the lead single on her fifth studio album, Daydream—at Playland in Rye, New York.
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Getting an assist from her Jack Russell terrier Jack onstage at Madison Square Garden.
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On the final night of her Daydream world tour, at the Wembley Arena in London.
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Visiting Camp Mariah, a “career awareness” summer program run by the Fresh Air Fund (and named in her honor), in Poughkeepsie, New York.
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Celebrating Daydream’s platnum certification with producer Jermaine Dupri and rapper Da Brat.
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Performing at the Rosemont Horizon—now the Allstate Arena—northwest of Chicago.
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At the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, where Carey presented the Video Vanguard Award to LL Cool J.
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For the Los Angeles premiere of Seven Years in Tibet, Carey picked out a Dolce & Gabbana tank and gray miniskirt.
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At the VH1 Replica Handbag Store Fashion Awards, Carey wore an off-the-shoulder dress from Tom Ford’s fall 1997 collectsion for Gucci to present the womenswear designer of the year award. (It went to John Galliano.)
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On stage with Aretha Franklin during VH1 Divas at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
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Posing with Giorgio Armani and Rosie Perez at a benefit in New York.
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With Whitney Houston at the MTV Video Music Awards, where they memorably presented the prize for best male video together. (It went to Will Smith for “Just the Two of Us.”) Dreamworks’s The Prince of Egypt, featuring their duet “When You Believe,” would come out a few months later.
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With Chaka Khan and Brandy at the 1998 Lady of Soul Awards in Los Angeles. (That night, Carey was honored with the Aretha Franklin Award for Entertainer of the Year, while Khan recieved the Lena Horne Award for Outstanding Career Achievement. Brandy was one of the show’s co-hosts.)
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With Barbara Walters, whose interview with Carey for 20/20 that fall addressed, among other things, her divorce from Tommy Mottola.
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Wearing a shimmery gold dress in Sydney, where Carey did two shows during her Butterfly world tour.
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Performing “Hero” with legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti in Modena, Italy.
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At the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, a stop on Carey’s world tour supporting 1999’s Rainbow.
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In sun-drenched Madrid, another stop on Carey’s Rainbow tour.
