Style Evolution: Britney Spears

From the girl-next-door (who just happened to be an ex-Mouseketeer) to a bald-isn't-beautiful mother of two, Britney Spears' decade in the spotlight has been a rocky road. With her sixth studio album Circus about to hit stores, rumors of a world tour to follow and arm loads of new music awards, the Princess of Pop is back...or at least on her way.

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In 1998, before she crashed onto the pop scene singing "Hit Me Baby One More Time" in a school girl's uniform, Britney Jean Spears was a fresh faced teen from Kentwood, La., with a wardrobe to match.

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At the First Annual Teen Choice Awards in 1999, the 17-year-old Spears already knew how to stand out in a crowd -- except, in those days, she did it by wearing mirrored pants in the bright L.A. sun.

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What a difference a day makes. For her second major awards ceremony, MTV's 1999 VMAs show, Britney ditched the bubblegum look in favor of a red-hot ensemble by funky designer Todd Oldham.

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Remember the days when Spears hinted that she would remain a virgin until she married? There was little doubt that she was hinting at something else by the time she was 18 and showed up at the 27th Annual American Music Awards in a navel-baring jumpsuit.

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For the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2000, Brit may have brought up her neckline, but her Old Hollywood screen-siren dress did little to cover up her curves.

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Is she a refugee from Haight-Ashbury? Or trying out for a role in "Shaft"? Who knows. But whatever she was channeling at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards, Britney's electric-kool-aid get-up is one of her most unforgivable fashion crimes ever.

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Nothing says I Love You like matching head-to-toe denim. A year after Britney and fellow Mousketeer Justin Timberlake went public about their romance, the duo showed up at the 2001 American Music Awards looking like they'd morphed into each other.

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From fully covered in denim to barely draped in lace, Britney showed off a mega-smile and a killer bod at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards.

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For the premiere of her first film Crossroads in 2002, Britney Spears picked this is-it-outer-wear-or-is-it-underwear slip-and-jeans combo. Like the outfit, the movie was instantly forgettable.

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