There is just something undeniably cool about Lenny Kravitz. It’s probably the fact that he’s been a prominent rock star now for decades since his career started in the late 80s. As a singer-songwriter, his sound is hard to define because it crosses over quite a few genres of music. Pop, rock, funk, progressive soul, no matter what you call it, his songs have a resonance and longevity that’s hard to beat. At the peak of his popularity, he won four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance from 1999 to 2002. And that’s just a few of the awards that grace his shelves. He’s also sold over 40 million records.

Besides an award-winning music career, Lenny has also dipped his toes into the acting world. He made an impression playing Cinna in the Hunger Games films, fittingly as the fashion designer who created incredible clothing for heroine Katniss to wear. Speaking of style, Lenny’s is second to none. As an artist, his wardrobe on stage and off is eclectic, hip, offbeat, and memorable. His family is equally as stylish. His oldest daughter with ex-wife Lisa Bonet, is actress Zoe Kravitz, who routinely turns head with her spot-on red carpet style. She and her dad are truly father-daughter style goals.

But let’s get back to how well Lenny is able to rock out with looks that range from bohemian to retro in a way that is just effortlessly cool. It doesn’t matter if he’s performing in front of thousands or just hanging out at his sprawling compound in the Bahamas. This 57-year-old is truly a style icon.

Lenny Live

On stage, Kravitz tends to favor looks that are a little undone. Think unbuttoned shirts, jackets baring his chest, and tight leather pants. It’s rocker chic to the max, and a look that few men can pull off. Go ahead and give it a try if you dare. Nothing he does says nine to five job.

He talks a bit about his stage style in the memoir he just recently wrote, Let Love Rule, named after his first album. In one of the most memorable stories about his time on stage, he talks about the infamous pants-splitting episode of 2015 during the song, “Fly Away.” Unfortunately, a part of his leather trouser pants did fly away, and he exposed himself to fans that caught the embarrassing moment. He’s been vocal about his penchant for going commando, so you can imagine the crowd got an eyeful.

Even though Lenny isn’t in the Rock and Roll of fame yet – he’s only been eligible since 2015 – chances are he will be inducted at some point. He performed at the Rock Hall induction ceremony a few years ago giving a memorable performance in tribute to Prince, who had just passed away.

He wore his typical on-stage ensemble, dark aviator sunglasses, tight black leather pants, a tuxedo jacket, and an open shirt with multiple layered neck chains. The look was effortless and sexy, like most everything he wears on his fit frame.

It should come as no surprise that he’s always been a style stand-out on the red carpet. Whether he’s wearing a silver suit, head-to-toe blue velvet, or even a floral blouse with tan leather pants, it’s always memorable. Even though he’s seen in a ton of black, Lenny isn’t afraid to wear copious amounts of color or shocking prints. The way he’s able to put looks together is a tribute to how secure he is in all of his personal style choices.

For example, at the 1997 Grammys, Lenny wore a long black leather trench coat, zig-zag patterned pants, chains, and a bright yellow fur fedora. It sounds kind of crazy, right? But he somehow pulled it off, as he does with everything he wears.

In His Downtime

Kravitz spends some of his downtime living out of an airstream trailer on the Bahamanian island of Eleuthera and on his otherworldly compound in Brazil. So you can imagine that his style is a bit laid-back island-inspired with clothes that fit the weather. In an interview that he did for US Magazine recently, he said that he’s “over the whole fashion thing” and even went so far as to say that he washes his clothes with a hose, drying them on a rock.

In a video photo shoot for GQ that took place at his home in Paris in 2018, he wore a vintage Saint Laurent light denim shirt and dark charcoal jeans, with boots by Michael Cazabat. His jewelry and sunglasses were his own because his collection of both is extensive, as you can imagine for this leather pants wearing rock god. Plus, he’s not afraid of a feather boa or large accent scarf. You know, that scarf.

Looks Like Lenny

If you want to model your style after Lenny, it’s going to require just a few key pieces to own. Confidence is the biggest part here because anything Lenny wears he does it with just the right attitude. You can also tell he’s the kind of man that keeps luxury pieces of clothing and accessories forever, wearing them until they have just that right lived-in look. Beautiful. Elegant. Comfortable.

The biggest statement piece that Lenny wears is the iconic black leather pants. You don’t have to wear real leather, if you’re vegan either. Lenny has spoken about wearing faux leather at times since it’s easier to wash and lay out to dry in the Bahamas.

For true leather, go with these Saint Laurent Skinny Pants in Stretched Grained Leather. They are low-waisted, five pocket, and zip up. These are the ones you can wear until they have that perfect, vintage, and worn-down look to them. Lenny probably has at least six pairs of these in his closet.

If faux leather is more your idea of sustainable fashion, try a pair from Nanushka, their Gabe Vegan Leather Pants in black are locally made and have a straight leg, but roomy silhouette that’s comfortable.

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Lenny loves a statement jacket, whether it’s cropped or down to the floor, all of his jackets are a significant part of his look. Many times he’ll wear one with a shirt that’s barely buttoned. In some of Lenny’s onstage wardrobe costuming, these jackets are flamboyant and flashy made of interesting fabrics, but in real life, he tends to favor black or neutral tones for his jackets in a 70s bohemian spirit style. This Tom Ford Suede Asymmetrical Biker Jacket in Tobacco is just the right cut and texture that you can picture Lenny rocking with ease.

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Excessive jewelry on men can be quite tricky, but with the right layering of pieces that are meaningful to you, you’ll be channeling exactly what Lenny does with his accessories. Find a jewelry brand you love and layer those looks. A few designer men’s brands that make great jewelry to try are Tiffany, John Hardy, Bvlgari, and Gucci. John Varvatos makes some ideal cuffs and bracelets for layering, but you’ll need a statement necklace like this Versace Tartan Necklace to start with and then build more chains around it.

To complete a rock god look, you definitely need the perfect boots on your feet. Lenny stated this fact very simply in that GQ article, “I always wear boots.” He probably wears a variety of different types of boots, but if you are new to the boot game, start with a pair that you can wear with distressed jeans and leather pants. These Tecovas Men’s Ostrich Zip-Up Boot in Midnight are going to fit the bill to perfection in emulating Lenny’s considerable style.

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Oh, and one more thing. Aviators. Get some. Enough said.