This slightly reminded me of how I felt when Prince invited me to dance onstage: that strange moment you actually are with Prince and expected to find your feet and use them to dance as he watches...

“1990. There I sat, 20 years old, cross-legged on the hardwood floor of the dance studio located in the heart of Hollywood. I was eager to begin my first day of dance rehearsals with Prince for his music video titled “Cream.”

All of a sudden I glanced up, and standing in the doorway at the back of the room, was Prince! The Prince. My stomach fluttered. The man I had been in awe of since seeing his film Purple Rain made direct eye contact with me, smiled and started walking toward me. I nervously said hello, and within moments, the choreographer had us tangled in one another’s arms as we began to learn the dance routine.

There was an instant chemistry between me, Prince and Lori, the dancer hired to play my twin, although we are not related. Before the day was over, Prince had the idea to name Lori “Diamond” and me “Pearl,” and we instantly became his muses for his upcoming album Diamonds and Pearls. A dance job that was intended to last a week morphed into almost two years of shooting music videos and album covers, and an international concert tour.

We all bonded deeply and shared countless memories over those two years. Prince was funny and intelligent, and we often engaged in playful, sarcastic banter with one another. He always wanted me to dress like a superstar, and I preferred jeans and a t-shirt. I, in turn, ribbed him for always being dressed to the nines in his signature suit: fitted jacket, slim pants and high-heeled boots. No matter when I saw him, day or night, he was wearing his “uniform.”

I chided him, “When am I going to see you in jeans or sweatpants?”

“Never,” he replied.

We had this conversation numerous times, but one day, in a moment of vulnerability, Prince allowed me a glimpse into his soul. He spoke of growing up poor and how difficult it was for him to have nothing. He divulged a vow he made with himself as a young boy that one day, when he had money, he would never wear shabby clothes again but always dress like a star.” - Robbia LaMorte “Pearl”



Tumblr ~ Neonrendezvous

I've heard many people say that he was ALWAYS "stage ready" as far as his apparel. If he wasn't dressed to nines, he was in his silk pajamas. He also didn't want his staff to be seen in jeans either. His hair dresser was caught by Prince in the hallway of a hotel they were staying at going to get some ice, and she got a good scolding for coming out of her room in jeans. The man had high standards, that's what made him so PERFECT.

He wore jeans in the LRC video, although they were 'improved' with buttons on the side of the legs.

Aaah ... miss Calendar. I like her!

And in the footage for sign of the times... check out the trix bunny on his jeans..LOL.

CherryMoon57 said:

He wore jeans in the LRC video, although they were 'improved' with buttons on the side of the legs.

The story I heard was that int he early days (maybe after the first or second album), he was out and about and some fans saw him and were disappointed that he wasn't dresses crazy as they expected. He took that seriously and decided to be always dressed as the Prince character and that it wasn't about some poor childhood. Who knows, though? The story I heard could be completely false. Prince seemed to rewrite history all the time. He may have actually believed it.

I've also heard an interveiwer say that P mentioned that back in the early days he was in jeans, TShirt, with a bandana wrapped around his head...on his way to "help a friend move" and he walked past some gals and overheard them ask sorta shocked, "Is that Prince???" and he vowed to himself never to be caught not looking his best ever again.

Yeah, P has said in various interveiws that he grew up modestly but didn't want for much, so...After leaving home it certainly must've been a different story financially, but I'd guess he knew both sides of middle class in this earlier years.