100 Ravishing Retro Fashions

It's no secret that fashion is cyclical, with designers constantly drawing inspiration from -- and paying homage to -- the styles of decades past, and Etta James in particular was enjoying the most important years of her career during the pattern-heavy, color-blocking 60s and 70s. Just as the fashions of these eras continue to move stylistas in the present, so does the music and legacy of Ms. James.

Etta James, whose timeless hits include 'At Last' and 'A Sunday Kind of Love,' died on January 20, 2012 at age 73 after a long battle with leukemia. James had also been diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008.

A celebrated Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Etta James was a part of some of the most illustrious eras of fashion and will continue to inspire through her music that shares the same longevity. Etta James' passing is truly bittersweet, as many look back on her legacy fondly but are sad to have lost one of pop culture's biggest style icons.