It seems that the ‘10 will be the decade of the Quirky Girl (you heard it here first). The Rhoda to the sweet Mary Tyler Moore. The Lucy to the well meaning Ethel. Fran Drescher to the stick up the butt C.C. Babcock. The eccentric, goofy friend that reads Proust, wears abstract designers and knows of every underground artist a year before they hit the mainstream. You love her but secretly wonder how the hell she got so damn cool (and crazy).
Quirky Girls Past & Present
While eccentricity has been in style for a few seasons now (ushered back in by American Apparel and Pabst’s Blue Ribbon) true quirky girls have stood the test of time and waved their kooky flags long before it was deemed “cool” to shave off your hair and rock shredded leggings. From the 50’s and 60s counterculture to the club kids, women living and dressing outside of the box is not a new theme. Peggy Guggenheim and Josephine Baker flaunted their eccentricities; Peggy known for her love of surrealist art and outrageous eye-wear and Ms. Baker with her legendary stage acts; nudity and live animals. It doesn’t get any more quirky than that. Anna Piaggi with her borderline clown attire and the late Isabella Blow and her signature headpieces are in the idiosyncratic style hall of fame.
Looking to the outrageous women of yesteryear, it seems that what is deemed “quirky” today is child’s play. Fashion has bastardized what it really means to be stylistically unique (and having a closet of day-glo leggings and giant bows is not it). When I think of quintessential quirk and women whose style is not tied up in pretty dresses and sex appeal, these modern women come to mind.
My fairy Weird Mothers
Long before her polygamous fame, Chloe Sevigny was the picture of indie cool. Even with her current stardom, her style remains her own. She stays true to her modern vintage sensibility and dedication to independent designers. She has a million devotees in leather skirts and ray bans yet the fashion impresario remains true to the easy cool that has been hers from the very beginning.
Dita Von Teese is what I like to call retro quirk. You never see her out of character and her commitment to a look alone solidifies her as the quirkiest of the modern burlesque girls. Beginning her career as a stripper and fetish model, Dita’s outward appearance is a clear manifestation of who she is; feminine and nostalgic.
Hip hop eccentricity may seem like an oxymoron but Kelis carved a place as the wild child of R&B. Hair full of tie-dyed curls, nose piercing and Neptunes infused sound, Kelis stuck out among the willowy songstresses of the late 90’s. Her style a mashup of Dynasty, Prince and Harlem girl; she doesn’t shy away from haircuts or headpieces and holds her reign as the offbeat black girl in a sea of rap video vixens.
Quirky Girls Society Honorary Members: Isabel Toledo, Janelle Monae, Solange Knowles, Genevieve Jones, RuPaul, Beth Ditto
Channeling your Inner Captain Quirk
The thread that holds these women together is an uniqueness that is fundamentally them. What makes a girl “quirky” is less in her dress and more in her state of mind. It permeates everything from the shoes she wears, the books she reads, the music she bumps and the men (or women) she loves. The only real way to be quirky is to be yourself, wholeheartedly. Not a carbon copy of the latest trends, because that’s the furthest thing from it.
Here’s to the quirky girls. Love this post.
Consider getting your blog on Bloglovin’ by the way, so it’d be easy to follow you. ; )
Thanks! And I’m on BlogLovin’ now so follow away gal!
Never been a quirky girl myself … but I’ve always admired the bold bravery and courage of them. Quite often, I find myself thinking, ” I could never pull that off.” So here’s to the Quirky Girl !!
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
My style is classified as Quriky by many but I am not sure if I agree. My quirky style idol is my Mama. I adore the personal style of Dita Von Teese. Have a glamorous and fun weekend, dear!;-)
Dita has amazing style. You have a great weekend as well!
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
Great post.
I recently posted about my style icons and Chloe Sevigny was also one of them – even in head to toe designer she never looks the same as anyone else which I love.
Feel free to follow me
I ADORE Dita Von Teese! Excellent choice.
♥ V
http://www.gritandglamour.com
Thanks! Love your post on posing for pictures!
2011 has shone light on the “quirky HOT girl” BIGTIME! Dita’s been doing her thang w/ amazing style, grace, and brilliance for over a decade. (I 1st. came accross her only circa ’95 when she was doin more of the dominatrix thing and wrote her off as another garden variety wanna-be Bettie Page goth girl-then again I was in 9th grade& thats a time we tend 2 be cattiest, no?) Dita’s impeccable taste does owe a thing or 2 to the GODDESS Bettie, tho… Also check out Scarlett Diamond from Paris,smokin’!
Other “quirky girls” that are getting their props & deserving it are bellydancers, FINALLY! I’m an ameteur dark tribal fusion cabaret dancer that adds the humor& irreverent cheekiness of burlesque to my dance and the O.G burlesque & belly dancers of the past were most definitely “quirky girls”
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
[...] Stylish Thought Everyone Loves a Quirky Girl: Examining quirky style and women who dress the part [...]
Hi! Just started reading your blog, love your blog, love you! You have a wonderful “QUIRKY” writing style which is so much fun to read and as a quirky girl I salute you! Thanks!Sincerely, Lissa
Thank you very much Lissa! Us quirky girls have to stick together!
I love this blog entrry. As soon as I get a digital camera, I will join in. I definitely consider myself a quirky gal
It seems that the ‘10 will be the decade of the Quirky Girl (you heard it here first). The Rhoda to the sweet Mary Tyler Moore.