Drama-prone star Whitney Houston continues her comeback following the 2009 release of her platinum album, "I Look To You," by appearing healthy and happy on the January cover of InStyle.

"Being back is like being home again," Houston tells the magazine in an exclusive interview.

The accompanying fashion shoot, photographed by Michelangelo Di Battista, shows the 1980's superstar rocking platform booties, chunky bracelets and sexy, curve-hugging LBDs with, perhaps intentionally, '80s-style sculpted shoulders.

"Sexy can be sexual without having to expose a lot of yourself," the 46-year-old singer tells InStyle. "Your body can express a lot without your having to take off a lot."

"I try to splash it in there a little bit, just by body movement. A smile, a little glance, the way you lean back says sexy without being too open or offending anyone. Because once they've seen it all, they go, 'Man, I'm bored with that,' instead of 'Hmm, what's she going to do now?'"

Young, pantless stars Rihanna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga -- take note.

Fortunately, Houston avoided any of her notorious hair disasters for her InStyle cover and inside shoot, opting for a curly and classy 'do.

To read more of Houston's InStyle cover story and to see more pictures, pick up the January issue of the magazine, which hits newsstands Dec. 18.

In the meantime, head over to InStyle.com and reminisce about Houston's very, ahem, memorable hairstyles through the years.