Top 5.

One of the best compliments I've ever gotten was from a friend of mine at one of her shows. I was wearing my "Superhero" outfit. She said "I wish I had the balls to pull off the crazy things you do." After thanking her (that's one hell of a compliment!), I started to think. Was what I was wearing crazy or was it out of the ordinary? There is a difference.

To be “stylish” one has to have people to copy. There are the typical ones, the Audrey Hepburns, the Sarah Jessica Parkers, even the Lady GaGas. I’m not denying someone like Marliyn Monroe, the woman that the world associates with timeless beauty, isn’t on my list. These aren’t people who have style-- it’s people who I personally love.

So, after thinking about it for days and days, I have narrowed it down to my TOP 5 STYLE ICONS. This is in no particular order in any way.


1. Zooey Deschanel: Besides being featured at the very top of this page (looking like a fantastic pinup), Zooey Deschanel is one of the people I try to copy the most (maybe this is in order after all?). Her hair hasn't changed in years and that's not a bad thing-- she's found a style who works for her. (Problem? Also see Brooke Shields: also been rocking the same 'do since the 80s.) She has made big bangs, simple eye makeup and cardigans cool again. This picture is from an awesome short film she did with Joseph Gordon-Levitt who co-stars in the movie (500)Days of Summer with her. Marc Webb, who also directed that movie, directed the little video where the two of them dance around in amazing outfits, making all of us jealous that we aren't as talented or as well dressed as those two (um... there's really more to it than that). Check out her entire wardrobe for (500) Days of Summer. You’ll be blown away!


2. Kate Nash: In my entire life I have never seen anyone use color like she does. Patterned dresses? Check. Big, 60’s hair? Check. Adorable flats with bright tights? Check and check. Super daring, super cute, and always has a smile on her face. (If we’ve learned anything from Annie and Daddy Warbucks, you’re never fully dressed without it!) It took me some convincing, but my love of flats stems from Kate Nash. Ask anyone I work with, that's all I wear to work. (I will be touching on this in the future, but even as a girl who loves her some cute heels, how the hell can women wear them for an eight hour shift? High five, Victoria Beckham!) In her video for “Caroline’s a Victim”, she’s rocking about five colors in one outfit. I highly suggest not only watching it, but checking out some of her music as well. Kate Nash is British and adorable. It is still a mystery to me why this girl isn’t bigger in the US. We need to be best friends so we could share clothes.


3. Jared Leto: You may be asking yourself “Jared Leto now… or 1990s?” Now. I currently sport the black fingerless gloves and -yes- even the swoopy side bangs. The front man for the band 30 Seconds to Mars has an album coming out on Tuesday, and I’ll be seeing the entire band in a couple of weeks. You can bet your ass that on Thursday (at Avatar-- your welcome Michael) whatever I’ll be wearing will be some sort of outfit inspired by what he’ll be wearing on stage. The video for “Kings and Queens” is on YouTube, and that, my friends, is flat out eye candy. He wears black like he thinks he's Johnny Cash but will always add a little touch of color (accident? The “splash” Stacey and London are always talking about? You decide.) to help break everything up. Plus, he’s hot.


4. Hayley Williams: Oh, Hayley Williams. This girl is like a queen to every teenage girl (and even some of us out of high school). I’ve been told on some occasions that I look like her, and always taking it as a compliment, I think it’s less about looks and more about style. We have the same hair (a shorter version of the Jared Leto indie man bang), the same gap tooth, we’re both short (I’m 3 inches taller! 5’6 FTW!), but I must say, I copy the girl’s clothes. Was it my love of stripes that drew me to the singer of Paramore, or has my love of Paramore brought out my love of stripes? Am I a victim of the “scene”? Or is it a coincidence? Whatever the case may be, love her, love Paramore, lets be friends.


5. Sheri Moon Zombie: This woman is living the life that I want. Actress. Designer. Los Angeles resident. Married to Rob Zombie. Having her own clothing line, she gets to pretty much wear whatever the hell she wants, whenever the hell she wants. I started wearing aviators because of Sheri Moon. (Yes, Sarah Connor rocks the hell out of the pair she’s wearing in “Terminator 2”, I’m not denying that) Bordering between seventies badass and modern day rock goddess, she has made fashion her bitch. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It is no secret how much I love her clothes: Exihbit A. Exhibit B. How nerdy am I by the way, currently wearing one of those hoodies while I’m typing this? By the way bitch needs to play Harley Quinn in a Batman movie. (Tell me I’m wrong!) Dear Sheri Moon: may I work for you? You can pay me in clothes. I promise.

Now that I have the ability to receive comments, I'd like to know who inspires you the most!

First.

I’m writing a blog.

More specifically, a blog about fashion. I love clothes. I look at clothing websites like sixteen year old boys look at porn. Ball gowns, metallic leggings, ripped up t-shirts, vintage jewelry, even bizarre hair extensions; all of this is art to me. Words can’t express the excitement and overall giddiness that shoots its way through my body when I witness someone’s amazing ability to pair bright tights with insane heels, a bedazzled (oh yeah- I totally said “bedazzled”) jacket, then top it off with an amazing head of hair. Hell, Bravo thought fashion was so interesting they made a show out of it. (Big ups to Lifetime for bagging Project Runway, even though this last season was a snooze fest. Please, Mean-a Irena being crowned the winner after all of her shit looking the same? Stop kidding yourselves, we all know the real winner was Ms. Althea. And yes, I was in fact shooting for Althea. Tim Gunn smiled and sashayed his way through this season with impeccable grace and more sass than ever- that isn‘t an issue.)

I don’t know what first drew me to the fashion industry in general. Maybe it’s that year I spent in cosmetology school. Maybe it’s the fact that I come from a small town where everyone dressed the same. (You did if you knew what was good for you. Wear something that was slightly arty or nerdy and you’ll not only get your ass kicked, they may ask you to change. I’m not kidding, I’ve seen it happen.) I just love looking at people and wondering why the hell they have on what they actually have on.

My boyfriend of almost four years plays bass in the band Ghosts of the Great Lakes. One of my favorite past times is going to those shows, sitting at the merch table and just watching. Watching everyone. When Mike has band duties, my other favorite person to stare with would be my gorgeous friend Nik. Also being a band lady friend, she gets the honor of arriving to said shows early with yours truly. Nik will sit (dressed to the nines, might I add) in these random smoky, sometimes sleezy, always hipster and trash-filled bars and just watch with me. Everyone does it. Mike has gotten to the point where he will be able to spot a cool pair of shoes from across the room. (Jealous? I know you are.) It’s fun. Try it.

That’s when it hit me: everyone, no matter who they are, plans what they’re wearing. My mom, your sister, those cool old people who you want to be your grandparents, your weird co-worker, that mail man that mumbles to himself, the rock star you bump in to at a show. They wore those shirts, that ponytail, that pair of boots for a reason. In fact, there is a reason you’re wearing what you’re wearing right now. It’s cold outside, so I assume you’re wearing socks. Why are you wearing those particular socks? I enjoy the rainbow striped knee socks I currently have on, they’re thick and comfy as all get out. My jeans (Converse for Target, might I add) are dark and well fitted; add to that my Chucks and Suicide Girl hoodie, and you’ll have a clear indication that I wasn’t feeling too daring today. I kept it safe. No patterned skirts, bright tights or knee high sneakers today.

So enjoy. Check back often. I like to talk, post pretty things to look at, and I promise to be well dressed as I do it.

-jess