Loading the player... Public viewing of Franklin's body Franklin's body dressed in red dress and Louboutin heels The ‘Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin lost her battle with pancreatic cancer nearly two weeks ago , at the age of 76. However, she didn’t lose her sense of style. Known for her glorious and voluminous fur coats and show-stopping hats , Franklin had a music career that spanned five decades and influenced hundreds of artists and performers such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, and Whitney Houston.Since Monday, Franklin’s body has been on public view in Detroit , and according to Franklin’s longtime publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn and family friend Kevin Harry, Franklin has been dressed in different outfits for the public, to send her out in style.On Wednesday, Franklin’s team dressed her in a light, powder-blue gown with sparkling shoes to match, switching out her royal red garment from the day prior. On the first day of Franklin’s public viewing, she was dressed in an all-red lace and tulle dress paired with matching 5-inch patent-leather pumps. Franklin was adorned in all-red because she was an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority . “I mean she is wearing red Louboutin’s,” said Harry. Aretha Franklin’s funeral is scheduled to be held Friday, August 31st at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.<doc-sep>Once a diva, always a diva. As fans pay their respects to the recently departed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin has continued to impress, exhibiting three different outfits for the three days of public viewing of her body. Costume changes are a staple of nearly every performer’s concert routine, and Franklin is no exception, remaining as stylish in death as she was in life. On Tuesday, the first day of public viewing, Franklin was dressed in a lace, ruby-red dress and matching Christian Louboutin 5-inch patent leather pumps, ankles daintily crossed. Advertisement “She is presented in a way that reflects her life and her legacy,” Linda Swanson, executive vice president of Swanson Funeral Home, told Detroit Free Press. “She is, indeed, resplendent in repose, as a queen should be.” That wasn’t Franklin’s sartorial decision but rather her family’s, Swanson said, since the singer never talked about her death. With the second day of public viewing on Wednesday, Franklin was outfitted in a powder blue dress with matching shoes. On Thursday, as Franklin was transported to New Bethel Baptist Church for another memorial, she was, like her casket, good as gold. This time, it was a rose-gold, custom-knit suit with pink beaded lace. Her shoes, again, were Christian Louboutin heels, in matching rose-gold sequins. Perhaps it strikes you as petty, this obsession with how a music legend is presented after her death, but the care and detail put into this celebration of Franklin’s life is meaningful. Funerals and memorials are how we grieve our loved ones. Franklin’s family, as devastated as they are, clearly understand that they are not alone in their mourning. The public viewings, the fashion choices, the love and dedication put into the outfits, they’re all representative of Franklin’s life, which she lived out loud and without restraint. For a woman whose personality was as big as her voice, anything less than an absolute spectacle would be a disservice. Her funeral is Friday, and we can expect Franklin to be wearing her finest. She always knew how to go out on a high note. Advertisement libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire<doc-sep>First it was red. Then it was powder blue. Today it's rose gold. For this final viewing, at her home church New Bethel Baptist, Aretha Franklin was dressed in a rose gold custom knit suit with pink beaded lace. She also wore specially made pink South Sea pearl necklace and earrings. Her shoes were rose gold sequin Christian Louboutin heels. Aretha Franklin funeral:Details and a week of remembering the Queen of Soul On the first day of a two-day public viewing at Detroit's Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Queen of Soul wore Louboutin 5-inch patent leather pumps that matched a tea-length ruby red dress made of lace — with a full tulle skirt and chiffon overlay, said Linda Swanson, executive vice president of Swanson Funeral Home. More:Dressed like a 'resplendent' queen, Aretha Franklin rests in gold casket Franklin reportedly wore a powder blue dress and matching shoes for Day 2 of visitation at the Wright Museum. Swason disclosed a secret to the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday: Aretha Franklin would wear different clothing in coming days. "It's a surprise," Linda Swanson said. "Just natural changes in wardrobe that a queen would make." More:Aretha Franklin's vintage Cadillac hearse also carried her dad and Rosa Parks More:Delta Sigma Theta sorority members say final farewell to Queen of Soul Quotes:The Queen of Soul in her own words Cassandra Spratling and Phoebe Wall Howard contributed to this story.<doc-sep>Advertisement With the third day of public viewing for Aretha Franklin in Detroit has come a third spectacular outfit change fit for the Queen of Soul. Mourners at New Bethel Baptist Church saw the music icon dressed in a sparkling rose gold floor-length gown accentuated with pink beaded lace and paired with gold-sequined Christian Louboutin heels. Her accessories consisted of a custom-made pink south sea pearl necklace and earrings. Franklin's polished bronze casket sat at the front of the sanctuary, which was surrounded with photos of her and lavender and pink roses. In style: Aretha Franklin was transported to New Bethel Baptist Church in a vintage LaSalle, dressed in a sparkling rose gold floor-length gown accentuated with pink beaded lace and paired with gold-sequined Christian Louboutin heels All that glitters: Pallbearers carry the polished-bronze casket of legendary singer Aretha Franklin into New Bethel Baptist Church Thursday in Detroit Attendants stand by to open the doors as the casket carrying Franklin arrives at the New Bethel Baptist Church Franklin reposed in her rose gold gown in the polished bronze casket, pictured being carried into the church Man-made garden: A man works on a growing makeshift memorial for Franklin outside the New Bethel Baptist Church Members of the Nation of Islam pass out copies of The Final Call newspaper to fans of Aretha Franklin waiting outside of the church Say the name: The walls of the church where Franklin first learned to sing gospel were decorated with balloons spelling ot her name and posters All hail the 'Queen': Mourners left balloons shaped like stars beneath a sign on the walls of the church spelling out 'Queen' on Day 3 of Franklin's public viewing home: Franklin's father, Reverend CL Franklin, was the longtime pastor at the New Bethel Baptist Church The soul queen passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer, aged 76. Pictured: Franklin on stage in 1967 Thursday's viewing is taking place at a church where Franklin's father, Reverend CL Franklin, was the longtime pastor and she learned the gospel fundamentals that would make her a soul institution. Hundreds of mourners lined Linwood Street for the opportunity to say a final farewell to the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. singer, who lost her battle with pancreatic cancer at age 76 on August 16. The line to view Franklin, which stretched more than half a mile, was moving briskly shortly after noon. Members of the Nation of Islam were passing out copies of the newspaper The Last Call featuring Franklin on the front cover to those waiting in line to enter the church. The church viewing comes after two days of viewings at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Franklin was dressed in striking ruby-red for the first day, and wore a baby blue dress on the second day. Linda Swanson, executive vice president of Swanson Funeral Home, revealed to the Detroit Free Press that there are additional sartorial surprises in store for Franklin's many fans. Rev. Jesse Jackson is interviewed by media during the viewing of Franklin at New Bethel Baptist Church on August 30 Sheila Williams, center, raises her arm and sings with others standing outside New Bethel Baptist Church as a viewing for Aretha Franklin is held inside Women in a large crowd of mourners sing outside New Bethel Baptist Church in honor of Franklin A mourner holds a copy of The Final Call newspaper featuring Aretha Franklin on the cover outside the church Queuing up: The line to view Franklin's body at the church stretched more than half a mile on Thursday Many fans came out wearing T-shirts decorated with their favorite singer's likness (pictured) 'Just natural changes in wardrobe that a queen would make,' she said, referring to the legendary vocalist's planned funeral outfits. Franklin's invitation-only homegoing service will be held Friday at the Greater Grace Temple, one of the largest and most famous churches in the city. More than two dozen ministers, performers both secular and gospel, along with black entertainers, athletes and civil rights activists make up a who’s who list of black America that will pay tribute to Franklin in a marathon service scheduled to last at least five hours. Crowds chanted Franklin's nickname 'Ree Ree!' and 'Let the Queen through!' as Franklin's body arrived this morning at her home church in a 1940s Cadillac LaSalle hearse that was used to transport her father when he died in July 1984. It was also used to transport civil rights icon Rosa Parks' body when she died in 2005. Fans decorated the walls of the church with silver and gold balloons spelling 'Aretha,' 'Queen' and 'Love U'; silver, gold and hot-pink balloons shaped like stars; handmade posters; stuffed animals and colorful floral arrangements.<doc-sep>
Aretha Franklin. Photo: Jag Gundu/Getty Images Ahead of her funeral on Friday, legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin, who died on August 16 at the age of 76, was honored in a three-day viewing at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. On the first day of the viewing, where fans were allowed to pay their respects to the Queen of Soul, Franklin was dressed in all red — stilettos and nails included. The dress recalled the outfits she wore onstage and was “something she would have selected for herself,” Franklin’s niece Sabrina Owens told the Associated Press. Sometime in the middle of Tuesday night, Franklin underwent an outfit change, and was switched into a pastel-blue dress and open-toed silver heels; on Wednesday night, she was changed yet again. Speaking of the different ensembles in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Linda Swanson of the Swanson Funeral Home said they were simply “natural changes in wardrobe that a queen would make.” On Wednesday, Delana Kidd, a self-proclaimed “forever fan” of Franklin’s who was one of the hundreds who lined up to pay their final respects, told the AP that she was struck by how beautiful the singer looked in repose. “I don’t know about red yesterday,” she said. “I didn’t see it, but … she just looked gorgeous, peaceful.” For the Queen of Soul’s third and final outfit change, she was put in a rose-gold gown by St. John’s and gold Christian Louboutin heels, according to Entertainment Tonight. The third viewing, which was at New Bethel Baptist Church, was initially meant to be open to church members only, but the private event opened up due to public demand. And today, the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit will host the funeral, where everyone from Stevie Wonder to Ariana Grande will perform, and multiple prominent figures — Reverend Jesse Jackson, Smokey Robinson, and Clive Davis, among others — will give speeches. Starting at 10 a.m. ET, the ceremony will be televised live. This post has been updated.