Ozzy Started With Style, and Built From There
Growing up in Birmingham, England, Ozzy Osbourne didn't see much of a future for himself, so he decided to give it a go as a cat burglar. His main target, according to his 2009 memoir, 'I Am Ozzy,' was a clothing shop not far from home. On his third attempt, he recalled, 'I managed to nick some shirts.' But he was arrested soon afterward and sent to Winson Green Prison, a century-old facility that looked like a medieval fortress.
His six-week jail stint caused him to reconsider his plan to become a career criminal. He took jobs in an auto parts factory and a slaughterhouse. Inspired by the Beatles, he wanted more than anything to join a rock 'n' roll band. The first step he took toward this unrealistic-seeming goal was to change his appearance: 'I didn't even know anyone who could play a musical instrument,' he recalled. 'So, instead, I decided to grow my hair long and get some tattoos. At least I'd look the part.'
He was the same age as many of the young people who wore bright, flowing garments during the so-called Summer of Love, but he detested flower power. When he finally joined up with some old schoolmates to form Black Sabbath, he made his way toward a style that represented a dramatic departure from the cheerful hues favored by the tie-dye crowd. The hippies liked soft fabrics that reflected an innocent view of a world, where peace and love would win out in the end. Ozzy favored capes and heavy boots. He had gone to jail, not college.
It took him a while to find a style that worked, especially before the money rolled in. 'I'd walk around in an old pyjama top for a shirt with a hot-water tap on a piece of string for a necklace,' he wrote in his memoir, adding: 'You had to use your imagination. And I never wore shoes — not even in winter. People would ask me where I got my 'fashion inspiration' from and I'd tell them: 'By being a dirty broke bastard and never taking a bath.''
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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. The legendary Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025. The Black Sabbath singer was open about his health throughout his life, and hinted at his future just weeks before his death. Today's Top Deals This Brightening Eye Stick Has Even Converted Non-Believers—Grab It on Sale From Amazon for $10 'Skeptical' Shoppers Say This Snail Mucin Face Mask Vanishes Wrinkles After 2 Weeks—& It's Now Under $2 I Found a Discounted Baggu Crescent Bag Lookalike on Amazon & It's $24 Cheaper Than the Original 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,' Ozzy's family said in a statement. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.' Related: Sharon Osbourne Revealed What She Plans to Do With Ozzy's Fortune After He Passed— See How Much His Net Worth Was He performed during Black Sabbath's final show earlier in the month. The show had 42,000 fans attend, with more than five million more streaming the epic event via VOD. Billboard reported the Back to the Beginning show was the highest-grossing charity concert of all time, donating roughly $190 million to a variety of charities, including Birmingham Children's Hospital, Acorn Children's Hospice and Cure Parkinson's. On stage, Osbourne was noticably sitting down during the whole performance. How did Ozzy Osbourne die? There has been no cause of death listed for Ozzy Osbourne at the time of writing this article. Ozzy Osbourne was open about his Parkinson's disease diagnosis. He announced his diagnosis in an appearance on Good Morning America in 2020, having been diagnosed in 2003. According to Mayo Clinic, Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time. The nervous system is a network of nerve cells that controls many parts of the body, including movement. 'It does affect certain nerves in your body, and it's like you have a good day, a good day and then a really bad day,' Sharon said of the disease. I Am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne On Sale 13% off $23.28 Buy Now On Amazon The singer also suffered injuries from a 2019 fall that exacerbated an earlier spinal injury that was caused by a 2003 ATV accident. He had multiple surgeries including one to realign his back. 'I'm going for an epidural soon because what they've discovered is the neck has been fixed,' he said on The Osbourne Podcast. '[but] below the neck there's two vertebrae where the bike hit me and disintegrated, there's nothing left of 'em.' He also explained that the injury had affected his posture. 'In my back, the two discs and the muscles on my shoulders have separated from my skeleton, and that's why I lean forward as it's like gravity is bringing my head forward. I was thinking when [the doctor] was saying it, 'I've walked like that all my life.'' Just weeks before his death, his daughter Kelly Osbourne dispelled rumors that her father was dying due to Parkinson's disease. 'There's this video going around on social media, and it's supposed to be my dad, but it's AI,' Kelly said on her Instagram Stories July 11. 'It has a voice like my dad's David Attenborough or something. And it starts out saying, 'I don't need a doctor to tell me that I'm going to die. I know I'm going to die.'' 'What the f—k is wrong with you people?' she continued. 'Why would you spend your time making a video like this? Yes, he has Parkinson's, and yes, his mobility is completely different than it used to be, but he's not dying. What is wrong with you?' Sharon explained to The Mirror in a 2007 interview about the plan. 'Ozzy and I have absolutely come to the same decision. We believe 100 percent in euthanasia so have drawn up plans to go to the assisted suicide flat in Switzerland if we ever have an illness that affects our brains. If Ozzy or I ever got Alzheimer's, that's it – we'd be off,' 'We gathered the kids around the kitchen table, told them our wishes and they've all agreed to go with it.' She continued, 'Some say the disease is hereditary so at the first sign, I want to be put out of my misery. Ozzy and I have asked our lawyers to make the appropriate arrangements. It's taken away some of the fear of our ending and is a final gift of love to our kids.' In a May 2025 intervew with The Guardian, the famed singer talked about his retirement plans with Sharon. 'Get some ponies and chickens, and a million dogs. I want to open a dog rescue centre and a horse rescue centre. Scream at the neighbours a couple of times. There you go.' He also contemplated what to do for the remaining part of his life and the future of Black Sabbath. 'I'd love to say 'never say never', but after the last six years or so … it is time. I lived on the road for 50-odd years, and I've kind of got used to not picking up my bags and getting on the bus again,' he told the publication I don't smoke dope or do any of the rock star lifestyle any more. I'm kind of like a homebody. I never go out. I never hang out in bars – I don't drink. So what the fuck is out there for me? I hate going shopping with my wife. I feel like stabbing myself in the neck after half an hour. But it's time for me to spend some time with my grandkids, I don't want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.' 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