The Groupie Guide: Style Must-Haves

My love for groupies and rock star girlfriends is well documented on this blog. From my love affair with Pattie Boyd that started it all, to my fascination with Bebe Buell and gals like Sable, Lori, and Miss Pamela, my admiration and appreciation for the style and free-spirited attitudes of these women never ceases. Looking at the styles of these great muses, one can see that these women really created the trends that we all love from the sixties and seventies. Pattie, who rocked Mary Quant shift dresses as fiercely as those Ossie Clark maxidresses; Miss Pamela in her feather boas and lace skirts and glitter and stars adorning her face; Sable, who knew exactly how to work those long gams of hers by wearing tiny hot pants and sky-high platforms. These items have all become style mainstays.

I have received many requests - via email and in life - for my list of style must-haves for any self-respecting groupie or rock star girlfriend. Because of this continued interest in groupies and girlfriends, I have created The Groupie Guide, a how-to look at all things groupie that I will update with style tips, beauty tricks, and advice on how to be 'with the band' from actual groupies.

A lot of people think that in order to create a groovy groupie look, they have to invest in scouring through vintage stores for a special archived piece. While I would never dare knock vintage, I think that purchasing clothes from labels - especially fledging designers and local vendors - is just as rewarding as finding those mint condition suede Biba heels (a major score of mine from the last few weeks). The clothing and accessories that I suggest are pieces that I either own or am planning on owning very soon, once I get a little more moolah for the summer. I have nothing but the utmost adoration for these items, and they are pieces that I - and I'm sure my fellow groupie gals - would wear.

Groupie Style Must-Haves:

1. A perfectly Penny Lane coat

Remember that embroidered coat with Mongolian lamb fur trim that Kate Hudson wears all throughout Almost Famous? Of course you do. There are countless threads on the internet dedicated to girls who are looking wear to find a coat like that of their own, plus countless more articles by sewing/designing enthusiasts who offer there tips on how to make a Penny-approved coat of your own. Well, I can't sew to save my life, so I rely on more talented hands to make the coat for me. That's why I purchased the UNIF 'Bridget' Shearling Coat, a vegan suede coat with faux shearling trim (stylish and animal friendly!), from my fave online store Nasty Gal. It reminds me not only of Penny's 'famous' coat, but also of the luxe fur coat that Bebe Buell was seen rocking while traveling with Steven Tyler.

2. Sturdy but stylish heels

I am incredibly average in stature, but when I go out to clubs and concerts I like to add a little height. For one, it makes it easier to see above the crowd and actually catch a glimpse of the band. Two, heels are just sexy. Whenever you wear heels, don't you just walk a little taller and feel a little better? I always gravitate to shoes with thicker heels, wedges, and platforms because I am a bit of a wimp and physically cannot handle stilettos. It's not really attractive to be hobbling around the whole night in six-inch spike heels, imitating the sure after effects of what Kathy Bates could do in Misery. These Isis Mini Market Heels are the perfect mix between biker boot and 70's sandal, stylish enough to be worn pretty much anywhere - a punk dive bar, an indie club, or an outdoor hippie folk festival. They also have a more manageable heel than Jeffrey Campbell's infamous Litas, which I bought on impulse but cannot be worn much because I don't know how to function in those five-inch heels (plus two-inch soles!).

3. A lovely lace dress

Lace dresses, particularly lace mini dresses, are an essential part of the groupie girl's wardrobe. The lace dress is the LBD equivalent for the groupie - it is unheard of to not have a tried-and-true number hanging in their wardrobe. A true groupie is not content to have just one - she collects them with more fervor than young boys do baseball cards. I myself am quite a fan of Lily. J, whose beautiful designs in shades of ivory and soft pink I discovered at their Camden Market stall. Other white pieces that I quite admire are the Backstage 'Rose' Dress, with long bell sleeves and delicate crocheting, and the fringe-trimmed American Gold 'San Cristobal' Caftan. White lace is more appropriate for day outings, whereas black lace owns the night. Just think of Band Aide Sapphire - in her black lace she ruled that Stillwater show. I just ordered this Bell Sleeve Lace Shift Dress by Shumaq and I absolutely cannot wait until I can wear it out! 

4. A cool graphic tee

Bebe Buell was often seen wearing graphic tees in photo shoots - so much so that the company Worn Free has recreated a handful of her greatest shirts. Why not take a style note from one of the greats and sport a graphic tee? After all, a girl can't wear dresses all of the time! And when the groupie is just hanging out with the band on the tour bus, it would be quite nice if she could relax in a comfy top while still looking ridiculously cool. I am partial to the tees by Krank Empire, a design and printing company from Austin TX that uses remanufactured, repurposed, and recycled garments (how rock 'n' roll is that?) to make their tees. Their graphics are cool, edgy, and at times humorous too (there's quite a good double entendre to the 'End-o-weed' design). I love their Marilyn tee, which takes an image of the starlet and in some twisted, slightly Warholian way, makes her a floating, eyeless head. Trust me, it's much cooler than I am describing it - whenever I wear this tee, I am constantly stopped to ask where I got it from. 

5. Wide-legged jeans 

What better to match with a graphic tee than a great pair of wide-legged jeans? This cut of denim is very Birkin-esque, super seventies but always chic. Wide-legged jeans hold the magical property of being figure-flattering on all body types. No, I'm not talking about Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants kind of magic, but magic all the same. The flared bottoms balance out curvy girls, while the shape of the overall cut can make petite girls look supermodel tall. These deluxe flares by Artisan De Luxe are great because they are dark wash (one of the few denim washes that looks good on everyone). These jeans also do well to go along with the carefree bohemian vibe that so many groupies achieve - they feature distress marks, artfully destroyed holes and patching, making them look like that perfect pair of jeans that you've owned for years.  

6. Oversized sunglasses

Ah, where do I begin to describe my love for oversized sunnies? Worn by every major fashion force from Jackie O to the Olsen twins, oversized sunglasses epitomize chicness and bohemian-ness - it just depends on who you ask. I tend to associate these sunnies with hippie chicks and groupie gals, like Sable who rocks her stylish shades with ease. I can't even count the number of oversized sunglasses that I own - the brands range from Forever 21 to Chanel and pretty much every label in between. It seems like every self-respecting sunglass designer has done oversized eyewear of some sort, so it's definitely easy to find a pair at any price range. I love these 'Bridget' square-shaped sunnies by Biba because of the shape, side-detailing, and - let's be honest - the Biba factor. 

7. An across-the-body bag

A long-strap purse is a style staple, not just for groupies but for girls everywhere. What makes this accessory groupie-appropriate is the particular style that the groupie chooses - usually leather and with tons of fringe, embroidering, and detailing. A purse like this is more traditionally stylish than the tackle box that Penny Lane uses or the wicker basket that was a favorite of Jane Birkin, and the details like elaborate stitching and fringe give it an air of kookiness and inventiveness that both Penny and Jane's carry-alls had. Many designers like Ember Skye, JJ Winters, and Jagger all have lines devoted to such fringed bags, but a groupie doesn't have to drop a pretty penny to get a bag like this - she wouldn't want to, there are concert tickets to buy after all! New Look's 'Freda' Saddle Bag, with its fringe and aztec-style outerstitch detailing, more that fits the bill for that perfect concert-friendly bag that can contain the life of the groupie-on-the-go.

How to be like Bebe Buell

Bebe Buell is one of my favorite girls. I guess it's because I feel like she and I are kind of kindred spirits - we are both vegetarians, both believe in reincarnation, both love Oscar Wilde and Mick Jagger, and both admire the great women who inspire rock music, like Pattie Boyd and Marianne Faithfull. The only difference is that Bebe actually became one of these women as well. To the public, she is known as the mother of Liv Tyler, and, to those more in-the-know, a great muse to some of the biggest names in rock history. But don't sell Bebe short - she's not just a muse to rock'n'rollers, but also a rock star in her own right. Her style is amazing, her demeanor alluring - after all, there's a reason why men from Mick Jagger to Jack Nicholson all flocked to her! I've written about the style similarities between Bebe and young fashionistas like Mischa Barton on the site before, but now is everyone's chance to get a little Bebe in their lives.

Bebe's Wardrobe: 

• Message tees of famous bands, authors, and magazines (a reproduction of the famed Oscar Wilde tee is available on Worn Free, as is a tee for BeBop Cafe) 
• A floral, ruffly kimono wrap top, as worn in Playboy Magazine
• Cream-colored fur coat with a suede tie at the waist and huge fluffy collar - so luxe that it puts Penny Lane's Mongolian lamb fur trim to shame!
• Strapless dresses, often with empire waists, in a variety of colors (black, red, burnt orange - to name a few) and patterns 
• Overalls with short legs in denim and khaki, at least one with a paisley trim 
• High-waisted flared jeans (worn with a fitted tank top)
• White satin military jacket with gold embroidery and blue jewels - such a statement in itself that Bebe didn't need to wear anything underneath! 
• Lace bustier/corset tops (red with black lace overlay) - worn backstage at concerts and to clubs
• Leopard leotards
• Knee-length full circle skirts with loud patterns 
• Dresses with fluttery butterfly sleeves
• A good leather motorcycle jacket - an essential for hanging out with all of those badass rock'n'rollers
• A crazy-cool minidress with newspaper-style print all over it
• Tons of white eyelet, ruffles, and crocheted items for that beautiful innocent look that Bebe rocked so well 

Her Accessories:

• Silk top hats
• Stylish berets (black, a red crocheted one with yellow and black patterns) 
• Fishnets with thick seams at the back
• Gloves - black lace ones and a white pair with black polka dots 
• Flowers in her hair, pushed behind her ears - sometimes behind both ears!
• A bottle of Chanel No. 5, never any other perfume. Once, according to Rebel Heart, Mick Jagger gave her "a large bottle of Shalimar perfume (I still have the bottle, although, being a Chanel girl, I could never actually wear that floozy juice)"

Pastimes:

• Hanging out with rock'n'roll elite
• Inspiring music and movies - she was the basis for the character Penny Lane in Almost Famous, and has inspired songs by Elvis Costello, Prince, and Chester French (who wrote a song called "Bebe Buell") 
• Writing books and songs
• Being any number of these things: a Playboy Playmate, a fashion model, a rock star, a mother, a grandmother
• Being a "Creem Dream" - for which she still is, according to the lyrics to "Money Machine"

Friends and Lovers:

Bebe is an extremely popular girl, so here is just a sampling of who she has been associated with over the years... 

• David Bowie, and his former wifey Angela
• Andy Warhol
• Salvador Dali, about whom she has said, "his moustache was greasy" 
• Iggy Pop
• Nico
• Rod Stewart
• Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin 
• Eric Clapton
• Patti Smith
• Elvis Costello
• Todd Rundgren
• Debbie Harry
• Steven Tyler and Aerosmith 
• The Rolling Stones, particularly Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood
• Stiv Bators - the duo was named Creem Magazine's Couple of the Year in 1980
• Coyote Shivers
• Jim Wallerstein
• Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty
• Kate Moss
• Pamela Des Barres (a conversation between the two women is featured in Des Barres' book Let's Spend the Night Together)
• Cyrinda Foxe
• Lori Maddox and Sable Starr - "They were really sweet girls, they'd meet you at the airport and run up to you to tell you how fabulous you were" 
• Joey Ramone
• Liz Derringer
• Ritchie Blackmore
• Cameron Crowe, who based his most legendary 'band-aide' on Bebe

Hangouts:

• Max's Kansas City in New York City 
• CBGBs in New York City
• The "Riot House" on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles
• Tramps on Jermyn Street in London

Cool facts: 

• She fell in love with Oscar Wilde after seeing a photo of him at age eight
• She became a vegetarian being in the meatpacking district as a teen while on acid. "Back in those days, there were cows going by on hooks. And if you're tripping on good acid and you see that, you'll never touch meat again." 
• She always knew she wanted to be a singer. In Rebel Heart she admits, "In my deepest heart, what I wanted most was to be a rock and roll singer. In my thoughts and journals, that's what I expressed. And I was conscious of that, but I never had the courage to tell people." 
• Her favorite designers are Anna Sui, Calvin Klein, and Marc Jacobs
• She believes in reincarnation, calling it "the life of the soul." 
• She calls leopard her favorite color 

Pearls of Wisdom:

• "I knew that I had some destiny as a servant of the arts, but I also knew that I was an artist myself." 
• "Life is a precious gift, and, as Oscar Wilde said, 'Life is what you make it.' It's been a bumpy ride, with highs and lows, love and loss, pain and growth. The one thing I've learned is that it is never too late to change, evolve, or take charge. You're never too old to rock - or to do anything, for that matter."
• "Groupies are girls who hang around and just want to have sex with rock stars. It's really kind of a gross tag. Band aides and people like that are there because they love the music. I think women have a right to an affinity and a love for music just as much as men do." 
• "Muse is such a beautiful word. It just sounds nicer. It's a lot more romantic." - on her preference for the term 'muse' over 'groupie'
• "My secret desires were locked up inside of me. I didn't dare tell anybody what I really wanted to be. All I knew was that I wanted to be somebody. That somebody resembled Anita Pallenberg, Pattie Boyd, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot, and Janis Joplin! Or at least resembled their essence. I don't know if the word star was embedded in my mind ... I always had fantasies of being some kind of artist. A performer, a "somebody." But I was afraid that people would laugh at me because I wanted to be famous." 
• "Fashion has always been a huge part of pop culture and music. The British Invasion really affected the way I look at clothes. I like the 'anything goes' attitude of some of the musical greats, the way they can take a street look and make it unique." 
• "Black will always be the universal color of rock'n'roll." 
• "Music represented freedom, inspiration, rebellion. The British bands brought a whole new generation of British girls into the limelight - Marianne Faithfull, Chrissie Shrimpton, Julie Christie, Pattie Boyd, Linda Keith, Anita Pallenberg, and Hayley Mills, among others. The majority of my friends hated these competitors for their heroes' attention, but I was as infatuated with them as I was with the boys in the bands." 

everyday i watch you paint the town so pretty

Not just one of my favorite Marianne looks, but one of my favorite looks of all time. I love the combination of the patterned frock with simple knee-high boots. If I could dress like this everyday, I most definitely would. 

Title: from "Streetwalker" (Michael Jackson)

when she goes to work you can hear the strings, grace finds beauty in everything

I love photos of the ever-so-stunning and talented Grace Coddington. Known as the Creative Director of Vogue, as well as Anna Wintour's right-hand flame-haired woman, many of us didn't know that Grace was a highly successful model during the sixties. I was struck by her beauty when she shared photos of her modeling days with the documentary The September Issue, which I saw a few months back and have continued to watch and re-watch. She had an angular yet petite face that could off anything - from a mid sixties pixie cut to those Biba-inspired finger waves. And those signature fiery locks! Oh, how I love her hair - it's so beautiful and it's so distinctly Grace.

Title: from "Grace" (U2)

get a dose of her in jackboots and kilt, she's killer-diller when she's dressed to the hilt

I consider Yoko Ono to be an unwitting fashion icon. Known professionally as an avant-garde artist - nay artiste - and personally as a key figure in the Lennon legend, the idea of becoming a fashion vixen probably never crossed Miss Ono's mind. But with her penchant for short shorts to show off those long lean gams of hers, as well as her rotation of sharp blazers, mini dresses, printed blouses, and sunnies so big she could give Jackie O a run for her money, it's hard to deny that Yoko is a fashionable presence. Being a fan of the monochrome myself, I love that Yoko turns so faithfully to black and white in her wardrobe - whether in her all-white wedding outfit (including white miniskirt, go-go boots, and full floppy hat) or black tailored tux with white satin top hat at the Grammy's (love her standing next to Beyonce!). Forty years and more in the public, and she's rarely missed on a look.

Title: from "Polythene Pam" (The Beatles)

wrapped in songs and gypsy shawls, color up the sunshine hours

The gal that I will be channelling this summer is one of the most fabulous, incredible women that I've ever seen: Marisa Berenson. She is equal parts Talitha Getty's jetset gypsyness and Jean Shrimpton's mod model beauty. Granddaughter of the legendary designer Elsa Schiaparelli, fashion runs through Marisa's veins, as evident through her penchant for large ethnic baubles, long patterned maxidresses, crazy headgear, and those wild flowing brunette locks. One of the few successful models-turned-actors, the one constant in Marissa's life was her incredible style appeal. I can't wait to get my Berenson on!

Title: from "Ladies of the Canyon" (Joni Mitchell)

like a true nature’s child, we were born, born to be wild

Nicole Richie is a modern day fashion icon of mine for her effortless(-looking) earth mama-meets-glittering socialite style. She's one of those gals who I would term a 'rich hippie'. She runs around Hollywood in her long worn-out maxidresses, oversized tunics, ripped jeans, spike-high Louboutins, scuffed-up Balenciaga bag, and stacks of bracelets and beads. It is no coincidence that her style heavily draws influence from the 60s and 70s bohemian threads that I am obsessed with - whether wearing retro originals or hippie-inspired fashions from her own lines, Winter Kate and House of Harlow 1960, Nicole always looks like she has just stepped out of the pages of Us Weekly from another decade. Honestly, I want every single thing from her clothing and accessories collections - a wonderful assortment of paisleys and prints in deep earthy colors make up much of the Winter Kate line, and fantastic statement-making jewelry (like giant cocktail rings, stackable gold bangles, ethnic-inspired shapes) and oversized sunglasses - similar to those that first launched Nicole to style stardom years ago when she worked with Rachel Zoe - can be found a-plenty in the House of Harlow.

Title: from "Born to be Wild" (Steppenwolf)

just a wild rambling rose, seeking mysteries untold, no regret for the path that i chose

Being back in the warm Texan weather reminds me that in a world outside of the snow-buried New York landscape, spring is fast approaching. And with spring comes my insatiable desire for beautiful, light, white dresses. A few weeks ago, my bloggy-friend JessM did a post on the dreamy, angelic style of the Lisbon sisters, whose 1970s style is so lustworthy. Thinking about beautiful seventies style, my mind travels to the 1975 Australian film, Picnic at Hanging Rock. The film tells the story of a group of schoolgirls who disappear on Valentine's Day in 1900 after being drawn to the mysterious rock formation Hanging Rock.

The ambiguous, unresolved story is matched by the dreamlike aura of the cinematography, which makes the film - in a phrase - hauntingly beautiful (or beautifully haunting, depending on how you view it). Peter Weir's direction reminds me a lot of the photography of David Hamilton, whose photographs always have a distinctive hazy ethereal beauty to them. The girls are outfitted in gorgeous turn-of-the-century fashions: long white dresses in lace and linen, wild flowers and cameo brooches, patterned parasols, leather lace-up boots, delicate corsetted waistlines, matched with fresh makeup-free faces and long flowing hair.

While Picnic is certainly a mystery film, it does not follow the norm in terms of horror/suspense films. There is no blood, no gore, no villain or hero - and the eeriness of the unexplained fate of the girls, matched with the dreams had by several characters as to their fates, makes this story much more affecting than the typical mystery films of today.

Title: from "Wildflowers" (Linda Ronstadt)

Then and Now: Veronica Lake and Cate Blanchett

Just recently I've realized how similar two of my favorite actresses, Veronica Lake and Cate Blanchett, look to one another. Cate has the magical ability to transform herself in every new photo shoot or film that she is in, morphing into Grace Kelly and Marlene Dietrich on the red carpet, Ingrid Bergman (superbly done in The Good German), Katharine Hepburn (to Oscar-winning perfection in The Aviator), and Bob Dylan (in I'm Not There). 

Cate's talent is matched with rare grace and poise that is reminiscent of a time in Hollywood's Golden Age when femme fatales like Veronica ruled the screen. 

With pale blonde locks styled in Veronica's eponymous peek-a-boo hairstyle, both women look like the cat's meow in their subtly sexy 1930s makeup and shimmery, sparkly gowns

Cate is the best in the business when it comes to portraying famous figures of years past - whether Queen Elizabeth I or the queen of the silver screen, Veronica Lake, she's always perfectly cast. Here, Cate mimics Veronica's distinctive kittenish slouch 

doll, i need to see you pull your knee socks up

I love France Gall's yé-yé style - her penchant for smart miniskirts, bold minidresses, tailored sweaters, and sweet hair accessories is rivaled by only one thing: her love of knee socks. 
For years, the thought of knee socks immediately brought me back to the uniformed days of high school, when I wore knee socks every day with my skirt, buttondown, blazer, and saddle shoes. Whenever I looked at a pair of knee socks, I was immediately fifteen years old again. It was all like a terrible acid flashback, but instead of seeing trippy psychedelic colors, I was seeing green-and-white plaid.

But the way that France has worn knee socks here – in many different ways, and with many different styles – it makes me want to break out a pair of my oft-worn knee-highs and dance around to swinging tunes in my bedroom (perhaps "Laisse tomber les filles" - my France Gall song of choice). And with a style as sweet as her voice, who wouldn't want to look like the girl who Serge Gainsbourg dubbed the French Lolita? 

Title: from "Butterfly" (Jason Mraz) 

come and be a child of the blue, we make the azure dream come true

Rusalochka is a 1976 retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale, "The Little Mermaid." The film, directed by Vladimir Bychkov, is a far cry from its Disney relative as this film seeks to recreate the haunting and tragic love of the sea nymph and her prince. A collaborative effort between the USSR and Bulgaria, Bychkov's film recounts the tale of a young mermaid who gives up her life in the sea to live on land with a dashing prince she rescued during a storm.
Instead of giving up her voice, the little mermaid in Rusalochka trades her fantastic blue hair for for a pair of legs. Though don't feel too bad for the little mermaid - instead of the blue hair, she gets flaxen locks that would make even the Lisbon sisters jealous. Viktoriya Novikova, who plays the little mermaid (or 'malkata rusalka', in Bulgarian) is perfect in the role - her angelic, ethereal beauty is matched only by her innocent, girlishly charming voice. Though the film is in a different language (Russian, but in most copies there is an English dub available), the warmth and love of Novikova's mermaid needs no translation - she makes the longing, the desires, and the unfailing hope of the little mermaid universal.
As the film was made in the seventies, there is a certain dreamy, soft quality to the way that the film was photographed - which makes it all the more lovely to watch. I absolutely adore the costumes that Novikova wears throughout the film - though set in the Middle Ages, the mermaid's dresses are pieces that I would love to wear today.

Title: from "Mermaids" (Xandria)

you're reading all them high fashion magazines, the clothes you're wearing girl they're causing public scenes

As has been said dozens of times since its closing in the seventies, Biba is back! The House of Fraser, which purchased the brand in 2009, has reinvigorated the legendary label to garner a success similar to when Barbara Hulanicki was at the helm. 

The latest campaign for the new Biba has Daisy Lowe as the face, and is set in the same decadent luxury of the early campaigns - which matched 60s/70s bohemianism with 20s/30s Art Deco decadence. Heavy velvet curtains, Oriental carpets, gilded mirrors and frayed, overstuffed chairs with frames chipped with gold paint - all signal the decayed decadence that so fascinated the Biba brand. But while the setting is right, I'm a bit unsure of the clothes themselves. The creations that Lowe is wearing do not scream 'BIBA!' to me. Yes, I know that times (and, by default, fashions) have changed since Biba's heyday, but the new line doesn't appear so much a maturation of style as a complete separation from what the label originally represented. 

Though, to be fair, this may be intentional - Stephanie Chen (of House of Fraser) said that their Biba is "not a retro collection." But what about all of us Biba babes out there? Those of us who long ago fell in love with the billowy maxidresses, the wide-legged trousers, the delicate silk tunics, the femininely-tailored menswear in heavy tweeds and plaids, that were worn by the likes of Twiggy, Pattie Boyd, Marianne Faithfull, Julie Christie, Cher, and Princess Anne! 

Well, unless you can get a hold of some of Barbara Hulanicki's designs she made for Asda (and if you can, please let me know!) - content yourself with glorious photos of Biba babes

I'm not sure how old these photos are (or if they're from a relaunch) but with outfits inspired by Chinese silk pajamas, as well as floor-length leopard coats - I'd be hard-pressed to ignore them

Pattie Boyd, who describes Biba "Barbara Hulanicki's brain child" in her book Wonderful Tonight as one of her favorite stores of the sixties, also modeled for the brand

If any brand could bring bonnets back into style, it was Biba

Some fantastic catalogue looks - ranging from Victorian-inspired high-neck dresses to girlish menswear pieces (complete with ties and hats!) 

Stephanie Farrow, little sister of Mia, was another famous face of Biba

Twiggy modeled for the label various times over the years, most notably with the launch of Big Biba, where she posed in different rooms of the fashion house

The simplicity of Biba's designs sometimes goes overlooked in favor of remembering the label as a hippie brand - but the focus on miniskirts, shift dresses, wide-legged trousers, deep v-neck blouses, low-slung belts or long scarves was particularly gorgeous, especially matched with the neutral tones of Biba's favored "Auntie Colours"

Title: from "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (The Monkees)

she looks quite delightfully stoned, she's the darling of the discotheque crowd, of her lineage she's rightfully proud

I've had this collage for about over a year just sitting in my folders, but for some reason this seemed like the right time to write about it. Sometimes you just have a feeling about when to do certain things...

Despite the list of resolutions (and decisions and revisions, as T.S. would say) I have already compiled and will surely post here for the new year, all I really want in 2011 is to become Talitha Getty. While I'm not particularly eager to adopt the 'live fast, die young, and leave a beautiful corpse' ideology that has come to define Talitha's short life, I do admire her sense of savoir-vivre and free-spiritedness. 

Talitha was an original in so many senses: the original Poor Little Rich Girl (she was born three years before Edie, after all), bohemian goddess, socialite-turned-actress (then turned socialite again). 

Nowadays terms like 'bohemian queen' and 'rich hippie' are tossed around like the latest Matthew Williamson bag on the shoulder of whatever It-Girl with a paycheck to burn, but Talitha was true bohemian royalty. The daughter of Willem Jilts Pol, a painter, and the grand-daughter of painter Augustus John (himself a leading art figure in the world of Bohemianism), her DNA assured that she would have a creative life, at the very least. 

She married oil heir John Paul Getty Jr. in the mid-sixties and, with him, became the toast of Swingin' London. The duo hung out with Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull, Celia Birtwell and Ossie Clark. Yves Saint Laurent described the young couple as a living, breathing Fitzgerald novel. And indeed, no other couple besides F. Scott and Zelda themselves embodied "the Beautiful and the Damned" romantic relationship like the young Gettys.

An amazing thing about Talitha is that a singular photo has come to define not just her life, but an entire life style. And I'm sure you know the photo I'm talking about - Talitha, crouched down almost clutching the wall, in a brightly colored caftan and otherwise white outfit on a Moroccan rooftop with her husband John, a hooded figure in the distant background. The photo has remained timeless, encapsulating the glamour and privilege of a certain class: the gypsy jetsetters, decadent artists and their glamorous muses, the children of the aristocracy who chose to hang out with drug dealers and gangsters rather than the House of Lords. Though Talitha and John are both dressed in styles common among the streets, their clothing is immaculately designed and more detailed than the average tunic off the street. Talitha is able to wear an essentially all-white outfit, which for me means classy (probably because of a scene in Maid in Manhattan, a movie I saw once in sixth grade and never care to see or discuss ever again, that linked white pants to the upper class). 

I read an article that likened Rachel Zoe to the 21st century Talitha, which I very much disagree with. But hold your horses if you think that this is just an anti-Zoe rant - I love RZ (I own her book and I cheered her on in her reality show whenever she found a dress that Anne Hathaway loved and I swooned when ever she and Brad made fashion googly eyes at each other ... I really adore Brad, too). That being said, I really don't see Rachel and Talitha being at all alike. Beyond the penchant for thick gold bangles and rings, and maxidresses, caftans and various other ethnic-inspired garb, there is little connection between these two women that I can see. For me, it isn't just what is hanging in someone's closet that can relate them to a previous style icon, but they also have to share the same style ideology. Rachel is first and foremost a stylist - over years and years, she crafted her signature look of Studio 54-meets-Eastern adventurer. She talks a lot about making herself into a brand, and her look is a conscious part of that. Not to say that it isn't a natural part of her, but it's her job to look that way as well. 

Talitha, on the other hand, was part of the age of wealthy Londoners who were privileged enough to adventure and discover things on their own. She was able to party in London with Mick and Marianne, and live in Marrakech with her husband. Fashion was part of that discovery. We forget how fast the fads, fashions, and beliefs of the sixties changed for the youth dictating the movements. Though its her luxe hippie look that she is best known for, Talitha wasn't running around in harem pants all her life. When she married John Getty Jr. in December 1966 she was decked out in Mod finest: a white mini skirt trimmed with mink fur and go-go style boots. Within two years she was total boho mama. Her death in 1971 at the age of 30 solidified her image as decadent and exotic. Forgive me if I sound insensitive discussing her death in purely how it affected her status as a fashion symbol, but her death in mid-'71 trapped her in that image. Whereas Zoe has had the time to adopt and eliminate different influences in order to understand what works with her aesthetic, we don't really know if Talitha would have moved on in the seventies from the look she is so synonymous with. She was never allowed the chance to change with the times; she will forever be the young woman in the Morrocan threads posing on a rooftop. We can only imagine the woman she would have become - style-wise (fabulous club gal like Bianca or total 'Little House on the Prairie' chic like Stevie?), professionally and personally. But 'what ifs' are dirty words - there's no use pondering what can never be. All we can really do is think about what we know, and celebrate the life of a great woman like Talitha Getty, who was gone far too soon.

*Update - Oh yeah, AND she was in "Barbarella" ... which means she's pretty much golden.*

pretty pink hair, big brown dress hair eyes, gotta get to your pink house

I was inspired by my lovely friend Melissa over at Glamoretta to do a post about my strangely deep love of pink hair. I've known Melissa since we were eleven years old - she's one of the few girls in the blogosphere that I know in the 'real' world. She has really great style and is so gorge - I definitely recommend that you check out her blog. We've already decided we are going to take over the fashion world, so there's that. Plus she's really awesome.
Okay, enough fawning - onto the post. At the end of last school year, one of my best friends Meg and I decided on a whim to dye our hair streaks of color. I chose pink and Meg chose blue. We were stone cold sober, I might add. I don't know why, but people tend to assume that this was a drunken decision. But no. Actually, dyeing my hair was pretty much the extent of my teenage rebellion. Pretty pathetic in the scope of other kids my age "livin' on the edge," but adding a little Kool-Aid color (or kolor, if you will) was enough for me. (But to be fair, it's pretty much a fact that pink hair isn't for the faint of heart. As Rizzo said of Sandy in Grease, "she's too pure to be pink").
Of course, once I came home after semester's end, my mother made an appointment at our salon to have the pink situation 'corrected.' So here is an ode to pink hair. Because obviously nothing says Christmas quite like dyeing one's hair to resemble cotton candy.

Here's the image from Glamoretta that started it all 

Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation. And of course, who can forget the lovely pink tinted hair that ScarJo sported in the Louis Vuitton SS'07 ad campaign? 

One of my favorite modern-day models, Abbey Lee Kershaw

Anja Rubic, with hair resembling the color and texture of sugar-spun cotton candy

I don't really know what Audrey Kitching does ... except have hot hot pink hair and every Tarina Tarantino necklace that I've ever wanted

Avril Lavigne - I really love her eye make up here too

Dree Hemingway does a subtle pink tint, a less dramatic version of the look she sported in the Valentino S'10 advertisements 

Pink hair doesn't always have to be a drastic statement of rebellion. This light pink shade looks the picture of ladylike perfection, with a hue that even matches tulip petals

Another sophisticated take on pink hair. This light shade hovers between pink and lavender, which is another beautiful color to do. I like that this model sports a bit of an Ombre look here - with the pink at its deepest color at the roots, moving to pure platinum blonde at the ends

Lustworthy pink hair and chubby (faux) fur coat - a union of my two great loves

Gwen Stefani sported bright pink hair during her early days in No Doubt and again when she first branched out in her solo career, in tandem with her launch of L.A.M.B.

John Galliano's runway models rock painted-on pink hair

Julia Roberts with a very subtle, mama-approved take on the look

Kate Moss, who has accomplished the amazing feat of matching her lipstick to her locks

With wigs that have touched on every color in the spectrum, it's no surprise that Lady Gaga has tried out pink hair

Lily Allen turned heads when she dyed her entire head Barbie pink

Mary-Kate Olsen does a dirty bohemian take on pink hair

Natalia Vodianova in W Magazine (September 2006), shot by Craig McDean 

I'm not well-acquainted with the stripper world, but I'm guessing that most of those ladies aren't nearly as lovely as Natalie Portman's alluring Alice in Closer

I remember being unhealthily in love with Rachel McAdams and her pink streaks when I was in high school. I distinctly remember pouring over her editorial in Elle Magazine where she wore the newest haute couture gowns instead of studying for my course exams during our March finals week. I studied her look so intensely, I can remember of the top of my head one of the dresses - a light seafoam color Chanel HC gown with feathers and sequins - that was worn by Kirsten Dunst to the Oscars (though I preferred Rachel, plus the pink)

Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed in Thirteen

Post-shaved head and umbrella-gate, at least Britney could still make a few good decisions on her own: pink bobbed wig and a leopard print dress

I know it's a massive cultural generalization to say, but I don't think it's offensive if it's true. That being said, Asian countries like China and Japan are the source of trendy, cutting-edge hairstyles. These girls are never afraid to experiment - they were the first to rock the Ombre hair (a look that I am now sporting) and so many other looks. This young Tokyo fashion maven takes inspiration from the split-dye look from Vivienne Westwood's runway events

Blog-stars Carolina Engman and Krystal Simpson

The lovely Sharon Tate with pink locks