Style Icon: David Bowie

I always enjoy doing 'style icon' posts and thought it was about time i featured a man. Of course my obvious first choice was music legend David Bowie. The man who made men in make up cool. He created all sorts of stage characters, and constantly pushed the boundaries with fashion and make up.

Everyone knows the iconic Ziggy Stardust persona with the striking lightening bolt across the face, and spiky red hair. It was the iconic look that featured on the 1978 album Aladdin Sane.

I have been a fan of Bowie from an early age, thanks to my Dad who is a huge fan. I remember looking at his vinyl albums in fascination of this intriguing character, who looked like no one i'd ever seen. It was as if he was from another planet.

Taking inpiration from sci-fi, glam, and androgyny he created alter ego's and flamboyant stage looks that seemed to enhance his music even more.

"Offstage I'm a robot. Onstage I achieve emotion. It's probably why I prefer dressing up as Ziggy to being David."

Out of all his looks and alter egos my personal favourite has to be his Ashes to Ashes clown, I love the eerieness of both the song and video.

David Bowie has visible influences (style wise) in todays popular culture-not least in pop superstar Lady Gaga, who takes obvious inspiration from Bowies avante garde looks.

" I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring. "

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A Not So Guilty Pleasure...

I love the 93' film True Romance, none more so than for the infectious character Alabama Worley (played by Patricia Arquette). Her style is fun and strange. Think trashy 90's L.A. Love it!

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Style Queen: Gwen Stefani

Although i'm not really a fan of Gwen Stefani's music, i love her style. Apart from the annoying fact that she is naturally very beautiful, she has a very striking, and bold style.

I think her fashion started becoming more interesting when she stepped away from her band No Doubt, to venture into a solo career-and producing the amazing piece of music video that is 'What You Waiting For' a modern twist on an Alice in Wonderland theme.

Gwens signiture look is bold red lips, and platinum blonde hair, with striking bold brows. What i love about her style is that she mixes modern japanese harajuku fashion, retro hollywood (she definitely channels Monroe), and some added quirkyness to get a unique look.

She oozes confidence, and no matter how strange,weird or bold her look is, i still think she has a certain classyness to her. It just works so well.

I would love real life to look like the world created in the What You Waiting For video :)

Even her pink hair phase worked well, i almost want to hate her!

She did a very interesting shoot for V Magazine not so long ago, which took her out of her usual red lipped comfort zone. She's almost unrecognisable without brows:

I love Qwen's Harajuku Lovers perfumes (yes, mainly for the packaging) but in L.A.M.B, and Harajuku Lovers she has two very interesting fashion lines. I love the HL bags. They are definitely worth checking out.

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Hollywood Glamour and modern icons

Film and music have always shaped popular culture and inspired fashion and the way we look. Personally i love the glamour of classic hollywood, and find the imagery beautiful. Here are some inspiration pics

Marilyn Monroe...of course


Julie London, One of the most amazing singers

Ava Gardner

Audrey Hepburn

Ann Savage
And of course Bettie Page

And some of modern film icons.....

90s femme fatale Mia in Pulp Fiction

Futuristic cool in Blade Runner

Hollywood trash in True Romance


Parisian beauty in Amelie

Another of my style icons...Shirley Manson

Since i was a kid my hero has always been Shirley Manson. I originally loved her for her singing and music with Garbage. But i remember looking through the cd booklets and thinking she looked so striking and different. Which soon led to me at 14 begging my mum to let me dye my hair red. I thought her style was so cool i wanted to look like her too.

I was soon transfixed and would trawl through music magazines trying to copy her make up with my black eyeliner and red lipstick. She stood out totally from everyone else, and thats what i loved about her. Her style was and is always different. A bit edgy, a bit fun. Always cool.

Shirley has modelled for loads of brands and was a face for MACs Viva Glam campaign as well as showing the boys how it's done when rocking the stage. She has a wicked personality- always sharp, full of wit and clever. She is the perfect front woman!

Her signiture look is her flame red hair, red lips, pale face, and huge black eyes. But sometimes she transforms totally!

Pixiwoo has an amazing video for a Shirley Manson inspired look, and when i was on the fashion face course i chose to create the below look on Tanya Burr.

I like the fact that Shirley isn't afraid to experiment with fashion,and will try anything,just like her own hero Siouxsie Sioux she likes to stand out.

And i'm fiercely jealous of the below coat...I want one!

So even though i'm a 'grown up' now, and like to think i have my own style i still like to grab the black eye liner and red lippy. Oh, and my hair will always be red ;)

" I am not a sexy woman, I'm not beautiful, I'm not a sex kitten, I don't flirt with people, yet I've been tagged more of sex symbol than women who truly are and I that's solely because I don't reveal too much: people are curious." Shirley Manson

"Mozart was a punk, which people seem to forget. He was a naughty, naughty boy." Shirley Manson


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Go Flo!

Lately I have been very much admiring the style of Florence Welch a.k.a Florence & the Machine. As well as making amazing music she has great style. I love her beautiful flame red hair for starters!

She mixes vintage, with a bit of retro, goth and rock 'n' roll to great effect. She has created a style that is full of personality and very much her own... and i am jealous of those legs of hers!