Icons of the Ages

OK, this is it, the real deal. I'm kicking it off with a bang. A literal cosmic, carrying you through the decades explosion of my personal iconic favourites. 

Before I could even contemplate my future relationship with fashion I first had to understand where my love for fashion began. Albeit odd sounding, and I know you're sat there wondering whether my fashion future is healthy or not; I can assure you I'm not crazy. 
I merely mean that I started loving fashion because of something, someone, some iconic style. I'm about to share those influences with you...



1. The fierce and utterly entrancing Scarlett O'Hara cannot be defined, the character cannot be brought into focus under one photo. Vivien Leigh's portrayal of a character such as the impossible and stubborn Scarlett gave life to an independent, strong and highly selfish brand of woman; accompanied with the brash choice of dress sense the protagonist of the 1939 film cannot be blamed for her own ferocity in her fabric and her attitude; one without the other in my opinion would destroy the icon.  

2. The next woman pointedly appears twice in this list, for two iconic appearances that will probably be remembered years after the apocalypse; no, I'm not exaggerating, she really is that important. I think it might be the love for Audrey Hepburn that drives these choices but it cannot be argued in my mind that the 1953 classic Roman Holiday is a beginning of perhaps the most ever changing but simultaneously constant style of the schoolgirl gone rogue. It is pure perfection, the tight waisted free-flowing skirt, purity of the white shirt...but wait, where's the rogue in 1953 you ask? Simple but sublime: I give you the striped neck scarf and unbuttoned, turned up collar. (Starting the make sense yet?) 

Of course it only helps with that close cropped hair.

3. I guess that leads me to Audrey 2.0. The unforgettable one, the most famous black dress in existence even. Breakfast at Tiffany's is, and always will be, a film that stops my sadness, that breaks up my monotony and even restores my faith in oddity. But Audrey herself, black dress, black gloves, statement pearls and hybrid beehive is in a league of her own. Holly Golightly in that opening sequence is not like herself in the remainder of the film, she truly captures the audience's fascination with escapism. Holly is just one among millions of girls who dons a black dress and becomes someone she's not for a few hours. 

4. Veering slightly off track I would just like to admit that my 1970's icon is a guilty pleasure, the creature at the back of the wardrobe that very rarely sees the light of day. It is not a secret but a very public adoration, however convention bids that fishnets and maid's bonnets no longer feature anywhere but a crowded theatre at midnight. For those of you not quite catching on my skeleton in the closet, hanging loosely to the hanger is all things Rocky, Rocky Horror Picture Show that is. Something about smeared make up and scanty clothing is just perfect when the time warp comes on. 

5.Back into daylight, back into style, back on the icons of influence, mine re-emerge with a surprise, at least to me. I should explain; when my dad told me to watch The Breakfast Club I was not expecting my teenage years to take a turn, I didn't plan on being so moved that I finally connected with pop culture and all things 'coming of age'. Claire 'the princess' Standish certainly wasn't my first choice for a teen idol at age 15. But that she became..and her wardrobe has been a close guide to me for the past two years. Knee high boots are a reminder of why I love shoes and nothing can restore my faith in all things pink like Molly Ringwald; in times of doubt her appearances in The Breakfast Club and later Pretty in Pink realign the style path I'm on. 

6. I'm reaching the end. for the moment that is...

All of my style choices and fashion inspirations can be traced back to the previous five influences. There's just one left; this last choice being very close to one of the aforementioned icons. Stemming from my teenage pursuit of natural beauty and innocent yet provocative assumptions Liv Tyler is the only possible candidate. Though commonly remembered for her elfish stint as Arwen in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy it is her staring role as Corey Mason in the 1990's masterpiece that is Empire Records. Shining a spotlight on plaid Liv Tyler created something unique, something so raw it is unbreakable though easily personalised. The school girl charm of a fresh faced teen accompanied by the too short skirt, the cropped jumper and the dark personality simplifies everything teenage girls had been asking for for decades. 

That wraps it. My influences in order, all organised in a pretty little list. 
That also concludes my first feature, and I hope it held well.