Unlikely Style Icon: Barbie

Barbie, (full name Barbara Millicent Roberts), has always represented different things to different people. To some, she is a silly childhood toy. To others, a representation of Western culture’s warped body image. But to me, Barbie has always been synonymous with glamour. As a child I dreamed of being an adult, not so that I could live alone or stay up as late as I wanted, but so I could dress like Barbie.
And it seems that my dreams might soon become a reality, with the fashion world quickly catching on to Barbie’s style. Not only was everyone’s favourite 11 ½ ‘ superstar the subject of a recent M.A.C. line, but is the inspiration behind Jeremy Scott’s next collection, and will even have her own show at fashion week.

Barbie Inspiration Board:

Embracing Your Inner Barbie:
1. Wear Pink:
Though pink is perhaps the most popular colour among the 2-10 year old girl set, we tend to wear less of it as we get older. While I’m not advocating that you buy a fuchsia Juicy tracksuit (PLEASE, PLEASE don’t buy a fuchsia Juicy tracksuit!), take a cue from Barbie and integrate some pink into your wardrobe. As she shows us, there is a pink item out there for everyone, be it a beautiful pale pink gown or a pair of bold magenta leggings.

(Top: on the Chloe Spring 09 runway, Below: from LF Markey's Spring 09 collection (at Fashion Fringe), both photos from style.com)

2. Be Overdressed: The first Barbie doll wore a striped one-piece swimsuit, paired with white, cat-eye sunglasses, high heels, and hoop earrings. Her hair was perfectly coiffed, and her eyeliner bold. Red lipstick topped the look off. The first impression that she gave the world was one of a glamour girl. (Seriously, how often do you wear red lipstick and heels to the beach?). Busy Morning Barbie wore a peach and white striped day dress with a matching broad-brimmed hat, heels, and woven purse. This is quite different than most people’s real-life errand running outfit of jeans, T-shirt, and ballet flats!

Try wearing some big sunglasses the next time you go pick up groceries, or a faux-pearl necklace to class. Overdressing just a bit will make you feel like an old-Hollywood star.

3. Keep it Classy: While those Bratz skanks wear their nano-skirts and belly tops, Barbie remains ladylike. Yes, she has been known to rock the occasional cropped tee or mini skirt, but she is more likely to accessorize it with delicate earrings or a cute cardigan than platform knee-high boots. Remember to pair your more risqué ensembles with these lady-like touches in order to give off the right vibe.

4. Find Your Thing: The first thing that comes to mind for many people when they hear “Barbie” is blonde hair, high heels, and the colour pink. And no matter what the mini- style icon wears, at least two of these seem to feature in.

Now, you may find Barbie’s style disgusting. You may be a punky, Alice Dellal-esque girl who would rather die than wear a pink sparkly gown (at least un-ironically, anyway). But you’ll notice that most other style icons have their “thing”, too. For Anna Wintour it’s the bob and sunglasses, for Mary Kate Olsen the Starbucks cup and layers, and for Agyness Dean the androgynous haircut and leggings. So find your thing, be it chipped metallic nail polish or tailored cuts and try to combine it with this season’s trends.

Unlikely Style Icon: Claudia Kishi from the Baby-Sitters Club

There are some style icons: (Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel, Jackie Kennedy) whose stylishness is undeniable and almost universal. Then there are those who teach us style lessons in their own, often overlooked way. They are (cue super hero music) Unlikely Style Icons!

This month’s? Claudia Kishi of Baby-Sitters Club fame.

Why Claudia: For those who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, the Baby-Sitters Club was a way of life. The books focused on a group of friends, the coolest of which was undeniably Claudia.
Claudia was a crazy artsy girl who made paper-mache jewellery and painted clothing. She was known for putting together “theme outfits” (such as an “under-the –sea” one where she wore a blue skirt and jelly sandals with fish painted on them). Though she would never wear the same outfit twice, her staples were men’s shirts (snagged from her father’s closet), push-down socks, and brightly coloured leggings. Her inventiveness and self-confidence seem refreshing in today’s often conformist fashion world.

Embrace Your Inner Claudia:
1. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Crafty:
Claudia would never wear an outfit that wasn’t personalized at least a little. Creating something allows you to take pride in your outfit and it’s mad fun. Plus, you can create that look you dream of when it isn’t available in stores. Whether this means going full-on Claudia with puffy-painted T-shirts and hand-maid fruit-shaped earrings or simply sewing bigger buttons on to an old shirt is up to you.

2. Try a “Theme” Outfit: While Claudia’s style was a bit out there, it was also almost ironically matchy-matchy. She’d wear, for instance, a poodle skirt with poodle earrings and a shirt with a poodle on it. She called outfits like this and her under-the-sea outfit “pulling a Miss Frizzle” (of Magic School Bus fame). Go ahead and dress where your mood leads you. Try your own under the sea outfit or an old school aviator outfit or a super-hero-explorer-princess-in-the-1920’s-who-loves-cats outfit. When you’re feeling uninspired by your wardrobe, pick a theme and rock it.

3. Be Confident in Your Style: Claudia lived in a small New England town, where jeans and T-shirts were the norm and her friends dressed nothing like her. Yet, at her school, she was regarded as a fashion icon. Why? Confidence. She knew that she was well-dressed and refused to wear anything that she didn’t love. No one dressed like her and she loved it. Take pride in being an individual, and don’t second-guess yourself when it comes to what you wear.

4. Try Menswear-Inspired Looks: Claudia was known for stealing her father’s button-downs. She’d wear them unbuttoned over a tighter ensemble, as a dress over leggings, knotted a la Britney (but with a tank underneath) and about a zillion other ways. She also rocked ties way before Avril, and would wear baggy carpenter pants with fedoras. Go ahead and raid the men’s section of your favourite store. Guy’s sunglasses are rad (and often cheaper), a long shirt unbuttoned over a dress of the same length looks good, and a huge blazer over leggings is 80’s cool. At least one magazine per month does a “Ohmigod, menswear inspired styles rock!” feature, so you’re bound to find something.

5. Layer Like Mad:
Claudia would wear things like a baggy shirt over a vest over a tee shirt with two skirts, leggings, and socks. Layers are awesome. They keep you warm in winter, allow you to get the most of out of your wardrobe, and look pretty damn cool. Try doing a sundress over a coordinating thermal, a Erin Wasson-esque tank over a bandeau, or over the knee socks over tights.

Claudia Essentials:

1. Men’s Shirt:All-Son pinstripe roll-up shirt, $44, urbanoutfitters.com

2. Unitard: Cotton spandex jersey unitard in eggplant, $40, americanapparelstore.com

3. High Tops: Converse high-tops in red delias.com

4. Printed Dress: Marc by Marc Jacobs Daydream Print Dress, $378, eluxury.com

5. Unique Earrings: Dinosaur earrings, Etsy Seller: veryvintage, $4, etsy.com

6. Snake Bracelet: Cleo gold snake bracelet, $49.99, emitations.com

7. “Painted” Tee: H18 All You Need is Love tee, $14.90, forever21.com

8. Puffy Paint:images.google.ca

Unlikely Style Icon: Will Smith from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air

There are those who are obvious style icon material. Audrey Hepburn. Grace Kelly. Kate Moss.

And then there are those who are less screamingly stylish, but have some definite fashion cred.

For instance, Will Smith.

No, not the actor, well-dressed as he is, but the character of the same name whom he played on one of the 90's best sitcoms - the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Whether you were a fan in its glory days or, like me, watched it in reruns, you have to admit that Will was stylin'. In crazy blazers, tilted caps, and patterned shirts, he was ballin'.

1. American Apparel Unisex Geometry T-shirt in Red/Navy/Yellow, $40, picture from store.americanapparel.ca
Will was all about the wacky patterns and bright primary colors.

2. Marc by Marc Jacobs Wavelength Print Jacket, $348, picture from shopbop.com
Wild, printed blazers were a key component of the Fresh Prince’s wardrobe.

3. Emilio Pucci Crystal Puffer Jacket, $869, picture from eluxury.com
Brightly coloured zany prints were Will’s patterns of choice.

4. 59fifty Superman Hat, $31.99, picture from lids.com
Will was rarely seen without a cap perched on his head.

5. Essie-Pi exclusive to American Apparel Gold-Plated Eddie Bracelet, $29, picture from store.americanapparel.ca
You know that Jazz would try to steal this bling. Who could blame him?

6. Adidas Men’s Blow-Up Tee, $34.99, picture from adidas.com
Will would be all about this tee. (As would I, perhaps tucked into a skirt or paired with leggings.)

7. Nike Geo Terminator High Premium Sneakers, $100, picture from urbanoutfitters.com
Any fresh princess worth her salt needs a decent pair of kicks.

8. Band of Outsiders Neon Skinny Tie in Blue, $138, picture from eluxury.com
Will rocked the loud ties for school. And face it, this is way cooler than the ones you stole from your dad during your Avril phase.

So, I encourage you, darlings. Go out and mix some prints, wear a preppy blazer with some gangsta sneakers, and follow in Will's fantastic footsteps.