Transformation

Never underestimate the power of a pop star. Take Mariah Carey, for example. Critics have had her down for the count on more than one occasion—namely for a few career stumbles, such as her 2001 movie Glitter, for which she was unmercifully panned—but she's managed to rise above it with the help of her faithful fans. So much so that she's roared back with a Number 1 R&B-pop CD, The Emancipation of Mimi, proving that you can't keep a phenomenal singer down for long. Her sense of style, however, hasn't always been the overwhelming success that her music is. Known for slightly outlandish outfits that expose miles of skin and cleavage, she has hit the fashion-don't lists more than once. But her beauty is undeniable. Her dark, curly hair and olive skin have been her trademark, although in recent years she's softened her look with warm gold locks and pale pastel makeup. Whether it's a sign of maturity or a simple shaking things up, we think it's working.

1987: As a senior at Harborfields High School, in Greenlawn, N.Y.