Dave M. Benett/Getty ImagesCyndi Lauper has always been an original, but at one point in her life, it took Lady Gaga to remind her of that.
Known for her colorful fashions and hairstyles, the singer tells People she tried to tone down her look when her now-22-year-old son, Declyn, was younger in order to fit in with the other moms.
“There was a long period when I just stopped,” she says. “Somebody told me, ‘Why don’t you just wear jeans and a t-shirt?’ And so in 2005, I just gave up and started doing that.”
She says she never felt quite comfortable dressing more conservatively and was inspired by Gaga to start expressing herself through fashion again.
“I felt like I wasn’t really comfortable in my own skin,” she tells the mag. “Then I did this thing with Lady Gaga, and she woke me up a little. What was great about working with her was I didn’t have to worry about looking like a freak. I am a bit of a freak!”
The 66-year-old adds, “I thought, no one is going to be looking at me. I can put colors in my hair. I’m just more comfortable like that.”
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