What was the Influencing Factor in Your Style?

Hey, all you Bohemians out there!

Think back to the time in your life when fashion started to resonate with you.

I’m supposing that nearly all of us, as little girls—if not all, went through a period of childhood when we loved to play dress up in our mothers’ things. Surely, a lot of us, as I did, made clothes for our dolls and loved to dress them up, too!

But, do you remember a defining time or incident

or, maybe a famous personality, that really made an impact on you in the way she dressed?

Those of us with a lean toward the offbeat, must’ve had something trigger that bohemian spirit that began to rise within us, with a yearning to be expressed.

Let’s reminisce a little, shall we?

What was it that Attracted You to “Different?”

Girls often want to emulate “bigger than life” personalities—actresses, music icons, fashion models.

We are created with a built-in desire to worship, and that carries over into our pop culture.

Who besides me, had pictures of your favorite music bands and “teen idols”

papering your bedroom walls?

We bought teen mags full of photos of, and articles about, all those whom we so admired, so we could get a glimpse into their—what we considered, fabulous—lives.

We stared at their photos, looked into their eyes, took note of their dress.

Who or What, When, and Where?”

The Countdown…

Iris Apfel

The position of #3 is held by my most recent find: Iris Apfel.

Born in 1921 Queens, New York, Apfel is an American business woman worth $25 million, an interior designer, and fashion icon.

She studied art and art history, ran a textile firm with her husband of 67 years, and was involved in design restorations at the White House for nine presidents.

Her unique approach to fashion

is being celebrated at an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This little fiesty lady has been listed as one of 50 “Best Dressed Over 50.”

What I love about her is, that she appears to have spunk and individuality. She seems to have a mind of her own, and finds pleasure in bucking conventionality.

The #2 Spot Belongs to Fictional Characters

Honey West

Back when I was school aged, a favorite TV personality for me was Honey West.

This series lasted only one season, but the character made an impression on me: She was a self-reliant woman investigator, with a pet ocelot named Bruce.

Honey was one any

young girl would want to emulate, with her self assurance, her glamor, her ability to handle anything, her outsmarting smarts. Besides all that, she was beautiful, as she was played by Anne Francis.

She was a role model in an unconventional sense.

Muriel Pritchett

Another fictional character that, in this case, simply reinforces my love for unconventional style, is Muriel Pritchett.

Muriel is definitely a whimsical dresser—with a quirky personality to match!

Every time I watch this movie, I giggle at Geena Davis’ 

interpretation of her character.

The costume designer put Muriel in some really offbeat garb—which I loved!

In one scene, she is excited about the armload of cool rags she bought for cheap at a Parisienne flea market.

Just down my alley!

Number 1, the Most Prominent on the List…

Cher

My most unforgettable style icon is the incomparable Cher!

The mid-’60s music scene saw the rise of an eccentric-looking couple whose style, I believe, helped bring in the hippie movement of the late-’60s/ early ’70s.

I think most people associate them with their early hit,” I Got You, Babe.”

When Cherilyn Sarkisian was just 16 years old, she first met Salvatore Bono, 27, at an LA coffee shop in 1962 . They  became best friends, then lovers.

Sonny was working at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood for record producer Phil Spector. The rest is history.

They appeared on many TV shows including my favorite music programs: American Bandstand, Where the Action Is, Shindig!, and Hullabaloo.

Sonny and Cher’s Bizzare Style

I thought it charming that they were a married couple, though they were believed to have been married long before they actually were.

I liked their music, even though, I remember, at first, wondering which voice belonged to which singer, but then, I realized Sonny had a country nasal twang to his voice. Lol.

Equally, if not more so, I really dug their persona. They wore outlandish outfits—Sonny in his bobcat vest and Cher in her

hip-hugger bell bottoms.

I learned later that Cher and her girlfriends were the ones who created the bell-bottomed pants.

I particularly recall Cher wearing “bell bottoms” that were actually little full skirts on each leg, from just below the knees, on tight-fitting pants.

Early Bohemianism

In an interview, Cher said she and Sonny were once banned from TV because of “the way we looked…Sonny and I were wearing Eskimo boots and elephant bells.”

When asked whose idea it was to dress so outrageously, Cher responded, “It was mine.” She said she and her two girlfriends would get together and just sew

all the time. “And, no matter what I put Sonny in, he’d just do it. He just loved it. Just thought it was the most fun thing in the world. He would wear anything.”

As we would see, as time passed, so would Cher wear anything…or, maybe, it was closer to wearing nothing!

Cher’s Influence on Me

Her Style

Certainly, Cher was much more daring—and baring—than I would ever be, in her freedom to wear anything she wanted to wear.

Yet, her rebellion against the norm was still very appealing to me.

Even today, her defiance against the traditional, accepted way of dress, throughout her life, still speaks to me.

I prize individuality in a person. To me, fearless expression of creativity is a character strength. Too many people are afraid to show their specialness and go through life suppressing their God-given ingenuity.

Her Hair

I’m sure that Cher undoubtedly influenced me with her long hair, although, when I was in high school, with the hippie movement in full swing, it was the “in” thing to have long hair, and that was something I was good at: growing hair.

Now, I’ve had my lengthy locks for so long that I wouldn’t know what to do with short hair!

So, my hair and my found-at-last artsy persona remain.

By Cindy Davis

Information was gained from Wikipedia and other online sources.

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I’d really enjoy your thoughts on who or what brought you this far in your style.