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WWF Fashion -- 6 Wrestlers Who Changed the Way We Dress

Posted: Jan 23rd 2010 By: CMBurnham

Yeah, we know it's fake and that it often lacks in political correctness, but still, you'd be hard-pressed to find a red-blooded American male that has never been into professional wrestling.

Whether you're a WWF (World Wrestling Federation) fan from way back when or a WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) enthusiast today, you know that loving wrestling is a rite of passage for any young man.

Feats of strength and theatrics aside, StreetLevel has to acknowledge these gifted grapplers for their contribution modern style. That's right, style. These kings of the ring are actually the unsung heroes of "swagger," Here we honor six influential wrestlers who unknowingly redefined urban style as we know it.

"The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase

With a diamonds and dollar signs aesthetic reminiscent of a grown-up Richie Rich, Ted Dibiase a.k.a. the Million Dollar Man was famous for three things: his obnoxious attitude, his diamond-encrusted "Million Dollar Belt" and his manservant Virgil.

Before the Notorious B.I.G. went from "ashy-to-classy" Dibiase set the standard for what classy was. His superior tuxedo game has been emulated by many stylish high scool prom attendees and music biz impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs has even taken a page from Dibiase's book and had his own manservant. A little known fact is that a very young Dwayne Carter first uttered the words "bling bling" upon seeing the Million Dollar Belt on television.

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Before female rapper Eve described herself as a "pitbull in a skirt" there was "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. The Scotsman terrorized his way to the top of the WWF in the mid-eighties while wearing his signature kilt and "Hot Rod!" tee.We're sure that his get up may have caused some confusion about gender roles for young men, but that is the price of cutting-edge fashion.

Piper's star turn in 1988's "They Live" cemented his impact on the fashion industry as he resurrected the Ray Ban, Influenced by Piper, designers Marc Jacobs and Thom Brown have both incorporated elements of his style into their menswear lines making the wail of his bagpipes as sweet a sound as the ring of the cash register.

"Macho Man" Randy Savage

Randy Savage's impact on the fashion industry is undeniable. His effortless fashion sense ushered in multiple trends such as western hats and stunna shades. The original rhinestone cowboy's chants of "oh yeah" have even assisted in molding the animated personas of beloved characters such as the Kool Aid Man and Jodeci.

A man of his fashion dominance only deserves a fitting counterpart, and the beauty pageant stylings of his girlfriend/manager Miss Elizabeth had adolescent fan boys fantasizing about what lay under the layers of pastel chiffon. The dominant duo caused waves in the industry with their beauty and the beast pairing bringing a regal upheaval to the ring.

"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels

Before Kanye West could welcome you to Heartbreak, before KiD CuDi made it cool to be solo dolo, Shawn Michaels was the original lonely stoner. After splitting with his then partner (think tag team, not life partner) Marty Janetty in a public and emotional tiff, hockey-haired Shawn went on to being known as "The Heartbreak Kid." His slinky white leather outfits didn't break hearts as much as they did the rules of men's wear.

His penchant for high kicks, acrobatics, arrogance and posturing became the template for groups like like Aerosmith, Van Halen, Motley Cr?e and countless hair bands. He also inspired Billy Ray Cyrus's 1992 hit "Achy Breaky Heart."

Bret "The Hitman" Hart

"One glare and wink [and he] had everyone wearing pink" this line penned by Harlem rapper Cam'ron in his song "Take 'Em To Church" was actually a nod to "The Hitman" Bret Hart. He and his brother-in-law, Jim ""The Anvil" Neidhart, ruled the wrestling roost as the Hart Foundation all the while making pink an accent color in the American consciousness.

His unapologetic pink unitards left little to the imagination but what you couldn't image was what process he used to actually invent the Jherri Curl. Yes, contrary to popular belief it was this Canadian champion who developed the hair process that'd become all the rage in the African-American community of the 1980s. His long lackered locks sported a chemical curl so gangsta that it would inspire groups such as NWA to pick up glocks just to be half as hardcore as "The Excellence of Execution"

Koko B. Ware

Lesser known for his wrestling steez than for his immaculate style, the original Birdman, Koko B. Ware, turned the ring in to Wet Willies with his Miami Beach inspired get-ups. An accomplished singer as well as an athlete, his fondness for mixing colors and patterns spawned the early days of streetwear as his cosign made it safe for kids to begin experimenting with mismatched fashion.

His smooth moves and stage presence motivated a then young Bryan Williams to take on the name "Birdman" and start Cash Money Records even though at the time he could not afford a fabulous Macaw like Koko's "Frankie."

Honorable Mention

"The Model" Rick Martel

Jumping the gun on his own fame, the self-proclaimed model went on to bottle his own fragrance "Arrogance" Though it featured a clever ad campaign, discerning cologne buyers did not want his man-spray anywhere on their bodies.

Tags: WWF, WWE, Ted DiBiase, Roddy Piper, Jim Neidhart, Koko B. Ware