Spice up your wardrobe - can the nation's favourite girl band still cut it as style icons?

This week saw the return of my favourite band - the Spice Girls.

Despite the fact that half of my misspent youth was taken up pouring over copies of Smash Hits, admiring their platform trainers, leopard print hipsters and outlandish make-up, I wasn’t sure I’d be charging out to buy Sporty’s latest tracksuit this time around.
Ten years, seven children, five solo efforts and one fling with Eddie Murphy later, can they still cut it as style icons for us girls?

As photographs of their first live performance in Canada show, the answer is a resounding yes.
The girls exploded onto the stage looking glitzier, and younger than ever.

Their trademark looks were all still there - Emma Bunton in girly, baby-doll dresses, Scary in daring, figure-hugging animal prints, and Sporty sticking to her casual roots, in sequinned jeans and a leather jacket, the epitome of laid back cool.
Posh, was, of course Posh. With dark, bobbed hair and skintight gold leggings she recreated the look that first caught David Beckham’s eye all those years ago.
My personal favourite had to be Geri, who wowed fans by appearing in a version of the Union Jack Dress she wore for the Brit Awards in 1997.

Their make-up may have been more subtle, and they certainly gave a nod to 2007 trends, with Mary-Jane shoes and metallic colours a-plenty, but in essence the Spice Girls held onto the quirkiness that made them famous.

It was a risky move. But instead of looking like jaded parodies of their younger selves, they proved that, almost a decade on from their last hit record as a five-piece, they can still knock the socks off any of the pouting, peroxide, skinny-jean-clad girl bands of today.

How could I ever have doubted them?

The Spice Girls never claimed to be the definition of sartorial elegance - but they had a fun, sexy, individual style that normal girls could take inspiration from.
Can they keep it up?
I’m going to see them next week when they arrive on our shores for the UK leg of the tour. I’ll keep you posted. Now where did I put my leopard print platforms..?

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