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Do you have a style icon you can't copy?

catgirl

Veteran

Amyreh's wedding post reminded me of Grace Kelly, because Amy looks so retro-lovely in her dress.

I absolutely adore Grace Kelly - especially in Rear Window and To Catch a A Thief. That scene when she opens her overnight case just slays me. I'd give anything to look like her in a head scarf driving a convertible! Her style is everything I am not - sleek, refined, timeless, classy, elegant and feminine - and though I would look absolutely ridiculous imitating her, I still admire everything about her.

How about you?

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52 replies

Latest reply was from Sally

taylor

Veteran

She isn't an icon, but I love evrything about this young girls look and style....including her pixie haircut:)
http://karlascloset.blogspot.com/

Oh, if only I was that fashion savy at 19!!!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh wow. Seeing that photo of Grace Kelly reminded me that when I was a girl, my mom had a book on style and how to dress by Edith Head (who was Grace Kelly's favourite costume designer). And I remember poring over that book for HOURS.

Gee, you'd think I'd be doing a bit better by now in the style department, wouldn't you?

Seriously, though, I do think I learned tons from that book; I've just forgotten a lot or am not always able to execute it for a variety of reasons.

Thank you for that reminder!

As for icons I can't imitate, I've recently figured out that Audrey Hepburn and her ankle pants is one!

catgirl

Veteran

Taylor, I looooove Karla. She is so fearless and pretty and has fab style. I couldn't wear anything else of hers, so I bought the Coach bag she designed.

taylor

Veteran

You Did!!
I think she is an amazing beautiful young woman...I am in awww..I have been inspired by many of her outfits...but in a toned down sort of age appropriate way!such a gorgeous sweet young woman.

MNsara

Veteran

Oh, boy! Just today I was thinking that I should stop shopping on my own and just wait for Angie's picks and outfit posts so I can copy her!! It would be so much easier

I hadn't seen Karla's blog before, but I agree that she is amazing!! Such style and elegance in a young woman is rare. Her recent colors really strike home with me

Sadly I know that I can't imitate either incredible woman, but can only hope for inspirational bits to rub off on me. . .

Fruitful

Veteran

I love rear window! Alaskagirl, I think I do this (admire people's style whose proportions etc are nothing like mine).

I think it's sort of natural in a way, to see something so different to us and go "wow".

BUT I also think at times there's a culturally constructed element. As a teenager of mixed race with curly dark hair, glasses and a pear shape, it took me a long time to stop emulating people who looked nothing like me - because that's all I saw! When I think of looks I tried that did so much less for me than most others; 90s shirt tucked into jeans; slightly gothy all black outfits; one piece bathing suits that flattened my chest and showed my bum (WHY didn't I look like the model in Dolly magazine?). I actually think this has gotten better in the last decade; there is more diversity in celebrity looks (if you ignore the rage for cosmetic surgery of course) ergo more diverse icons to choose from.

And yet... and yet, and yet, I STILL admire people whose look would be wrong for me. I've developed a huge crush on elfin/gaunt Kristen Stewart. On the other side, I admire the style of a blogger who is pretty much opposite me in every way.

http://frocksandfroufrou.com/

Pretty much everything that looks good on her would look off on me. It is really educational looking at her outfits to learn what NOT to do.

Lilli = busty/apply/fullfigured hourglass; me = small-busted/defined waist/slimmer pear
Lilli = long shapely legs; me = short chunky legs
Lilli = blunt straight statement hair; me = curly, textured, messy/romantic hair
Lilli = clear white complexion; me = acne-prone, ash/yellow/tan complexion

She looks incredible in skinny jeans, gathered waists and colourful statement skirts. I look better in wide/flared pants, and skirts that sit smoothly; I prefer to keep visual interest on my top half. She actually says she dislikes wide pants. She's thrilled when she finds a shirt that doesn't pull across her bustline; I'm thrilled when I find one that does (LOL!!!!)

Anyway I'm getting too introspective here but my point is I think it's natural to be fascinated by people who aren't like us. Instead of frustrating ourselves by wanting to be like them, maybe we could look at how what DOESN'T suit them might be exactly what suits us!

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Maya

Veteran

Twiggy. You can just tell by her name why it just doesn't work.

Fruitful

Veteran

Also Alaskagirl, I veered off into talking about physical characteristics when you were really talking about style. Two different things. I do think they're interrelated though.

catgirl

Veteran

Fruitful, I think they are too! Where I grew up, I was one of very few minority kids in my ultra-preppy high school, and all my best friends were jocks. Not that an Indian girl CAN'T wear a kilt and Fairisle sweater, but... yeah. So it took me a long time to embrace the colors and styles that flattered me, and all the girls I admired were tall, thin, leggy and blonde.

Funny, though - when I traveled through India with a friend after college, she fit that all-American ideal of beauty, but after three months in India she felt gawky, pasty and flat-chested!

I guess the key is learning to see beauty everywhere, in every style and color and type - whether you can attain it personally or not.

Fruitful

Veteran

Fascinating that your swan-like friend felt like an ugly duckling! Context is important, isn't it (although unfortunately I find many cultures of colour - is that a valid expression? - still aspire to straight hair, fair skin and fine features :S)

I really enjoy the whole process of seeing beauty in diversity - as you say, whether you can attain it personally or not. It makes me feel rich even though it's not mine. It's part of the multifaceted-ness of being human and we all have ownership of that.

Vix

Veteran

Fun topic!

Mine is Lauren Hutton.

Her style seems like a perfect fit for who she is and how she looks -- but something's most definitely lost in translation if I try to emulate! So I stick to trying to channel a bit of her attitude and the world stays on its axis.

Ps to Suz: One of Edith Head's books -- "How to Dress for Success" -- was reissued last year. Mr Vix bought if for me as a surprise and I have enjoyed it immensely (but then I've enjoyed many an Edith Head interview snippet!).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, my gosh, Vix - that is the one my mom had! I didn't know it had been reissued! I need to get my hands on a copy. Maybe we could do a review here!

Sorry to highjack, Alaskagirl!

This is a really interesting and rich discussion. Loved the link to Karla; she's adorable and so stylish! I also love what Fruitful said, and the link to the other blogger she follows. Really good point, I think, that we can learn even from people whose style we know we can't successfully emulate. It occurs to me, also, that even if we can't wear the clothing they might wear, we can try to catch the mood or tone of their style, perhaps through accessories, or colours, or the way we wear our hair, or something else.

April

Veteran

Taylor.

So elegant, but I a.) can't do the sky-high heels and b.) have hair that can't be made to behave.

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

Yes! Anytime i see a fashion blogger with platinum blonde hair or a big fringe bang (or both!) I just love the look. But i will never been platinum blonde and my face is waaaaay too round and small to pull off a fringe bang.

I'm sure there's more but that's all that comes to mind at the moment.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Simon le Bon. Clearly, I cannot fully emulate his style.

(Sara, that was a very gracious compliment, and thanks for the giggle too).

Di

(website)

Veteran

I shoot for a quirky version of Grace Kelly-- I can't emulate the elegance, but I can do the silhouettes. And for a contemporary icon-- I don't have Reese Witherspoon's budget or stylist!

rute

Veteran

No. I think everything can be addapted!
Love Olivia Palermo style!

mrseccentric

(website)

Veteran

Great thread! i'm all in favor of major diversity, i love it that there's all type of people rocking all type of styles! it is a conundrum as well - lots of times i find that what i love is how perfectly a person's look suits them, how much they inhabit it.......which of course means that pretty much anyone else can copy it and it won't have that same vibe on the 'copycat'.

with me it tends to be style icons from another age - Amelia Earhardt, Karen Blixen. i don't want to look like a complete museum piece! steph

Jonesy

Veteran

I don't really have a style icon, but in general I would love to sport avant garde designer clothes with regularity. I love the feel of really expensive fabric, love the perfect, pristine tailoring.....But sadly I do not have big piles of money lying around, nor amazing thrift shops to scour.

Scarlet

Veteran

I can't think of a style icon I CAN copy. I guess I can be very literal? But having said that, I have read the advice that you should find a style icon similar to yourself and see what you can learn. In this case I use Rachel Bilson as a measuring stick, although I don't actually admire her style much. However, if she can wear a trend I like, then I figure I can too.
I love Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's (sp?) style, but it is so impractical for my lifestyle--all those bare legs and high heels. But I love how she embraces her body and her femininity.

StacyJo

(website)

Beyonce would be a style icon that I can't copy, at least in this universe. I like her style, but it clearly isn't me (nor within my financial story at this time). She has killer legs that are also clearly not like mine.

Angie, love the style of Simon Le Bon. Saw DD in concert during their heyday and while I and my friends tried so hard to pull off the look, the memory of it now cracks me up

MsMary

Veteran

Mine is our own dear Angie! I love her style so much, but our body types are so different, we live in such different climates, and our lifestyles are so different that alas! I don't think I could ever pull off an Angie copycat! So I just try to take comfort from her exhortations to develop my own fabness.

CK

I have to say that other Hepburn, Katharine. If I wore the menswear looks she is famous for, I think I would just look like...a man. And those wide legged pants! Love them, but I would drown in them.

catgirl

Veteran

Cindy, I'm a HUGE fan of Katharine Hepburn. She was an alum of my college, and she spoke at commencement on our 100th anniversary - so amazing and such a remarkable woman. We watched "The Philadelphia Story" every spring - it was a mandatory ritual for all students!

Lisa

Veteran

I really enjoy Angelina Jolie's style. But I am not that tall, I do not have the same body frame or shape, or the mysterious dark eyes or hair. I would look flat out ridiculous in a pair of leather pants.

April

Veteran

Una, did you go to Bryn Mawr???

catgirl

Veteran

April, I did! Did you?

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Ooo, Debbie Harry and Bowie, not very practical for the school run!

April

Veteran

I went to graduate school there in my 30s and before that, I taught for a few years at the nursery school that's linked with the psych department. I was around in one capacity or another from 1993 - 2006.

Did we overlap?

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