We love Madonna

My sister's blog on Madonna inspired me to do this Blog. Madonna was probably my first fashion icon...I'd go to the haberdashery department of our local department store and buy yards of ribbon to tie in my hair and cheap crucifix earrings from local jewellery store 'LimeLitze' - resulting in me being bailed up by the deputy school principal and told to remove my jewellery & big red lace bow as, it made me look like 'a rooster'. I used to dress up little sis in lace, net tees from Esprit and do a nice 'bruised eye' using Mum's purple eyeshadow and look replete with Madonna mole, drawn on with eyeliner. fun times! This Blog is dedicated to my dear friend Krissy, the biggest Madonna fan you will ever meet who has some of the most amaaaaazing memorabilia!
I was obsessed with Desperately Seeking Susan and used to dream about the boots featured. Madonna was the epitome of cool - her vintage/punk/rock-chick style, the way she dried her underarms under the hand dryer, her crazy job as a magician's assistant, living that kind of New York boho fairytale I have always loved. I watched it again last year and it's amazing how the fashion is quite current at the moment with the whole 80's revival - very rock/SoHo/New York. Not all 80's fashion was ugly - I loved the 'pixie' stiletto boots, studded belts & leather, lace bras & bustiers, Ray Ban Wayfarers, dark eyes, men's suit jackets, leggings, hand-fulls of bangles, crucafix jewellery, pearls. And lace always comes around again. Check out some stills below.
I haven't always loved Madonna's various looks (Geisha, 80's leotard monstrosity) - but here are a few of my firm faves.

Fresh-faced ingenue in 1982

I had this pic on my wall - crop top, midriff and rosary/crucafix. Classic 80's!

The Boy Toy, 1983

'Papa Don't Preach' Vid - I wanted this T.Shirt, 1986

Blonde Bombshell for The Girlie Show tour, 1993

Madonna in lolly-pink Versace with Carlos shortly after her pregnancy announcement 1995

One of my all time fave looks - in Tom Ford for Gucci, 1995

The Evita phase, immaculate in 40's style, 1996

Dolce corset dress, 1997

The Cowgirl Phase, 1998. Love a plaid shirt & boots!

In Karen Walker trousers & Helmut Lang tank, 1999

Newlywed in Mrs Ritchie Jacket, 2001

First tour in 8 years, Drowned World 's cyber-punk look designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, 2001

Suited with JT for 'Four Minutes', 2008

More fabulous suits (& above with Stella McCartney) - Madonna does man-style with aplomb

Dolce & Gabbana ads, 2010

Kate Moss for LV & other Fashion Spectacles

My favourite, Kate Moss caused a mini furor when she surprised guests at Marc Jacob's Louis Vuitton show in Paris this week, appearing on the catwalk in leather gloves and hot pants, smoking a cigarette. Kate rarely graces the catwalks these days so her appearance, strutting out in her custom LV outfit was a treat for the glitterati - just maybe not for those who adhere to the French law of no smoking inside public buildings.

Kate Moss for Louis Vuitton

This is why I love Marc Jacobs - he loves a stunt (Victoria Beckham in an over sized shopping bag, anyone?) With two of fashion's greatest showmen out of the picture (the late, great Alexander McQueen and John Galliano), we need all the surprises and stunts we can get! One of my favourite McQueen fashion show moments was his stunning Kate Moss hologram, screened at a show in 2006.

Alexander McQueen Fall 2006 Ready to Wear

Lady Gaga was Alexander's muse and it was fabulous to see her making her catwalk debut, growling and gurning (and also smoking!) for Thierry Mugler, also at Paris Fashion Week. The spectacle was a bit of a pick-me-up for the fashion crowd following the news of Galliano-gate. (NEWSFLASH - Ricardo Tisci from Givenchy is being touted on the social media circuit as the replacement for John Galliano as Head Designer at Dior! Official confirmation pending...)

Lady Gaga and her stylist Nicola Formichetti during and after the show

Although, we also still have the wonderfully irreverent Jean Paul Gaultier, who used to be dubbed the Enfant Terrible of fashion. He was the one who had Madonna walk his catwalk topless and invented her conical bras.

Madonna and John Paul Gaultier, 1992

JPG was also in the media recently for his inspired move of having beautiful Aussie/Croatian model Andrej Pejic walk in both his Men's and Women's Spring 2011 collections. Andrej is also flaunting a cigarette! Must've been the big trend in Paris this Fashion week!

Andrej Pejic for John Paul Gaultier, Spring 2011

And last but not least, we can't forget another Enfant Terrible of fashion, the British designer Vivienne Westwoood - Queen Viv. Having Pamela Anderson strut her runway at Paris Fashion Week in 2009 was inspired! In a way, you can see how the two have struck up a friendship - strong, kooky, crazy chicks!

Pammy for Vivienne Westwood, 2009

Big Hair!

Aaah, big hair. I’ve always been a fan, be it unintentionally with my 80’s poodle-perm, or by getting my ex 60’s model Mother backcombing my locks. I recall one day smooshing up my bedraggled locks and remarking to boyfriend “I love the just got out of bed look”. He replied with “I love the just got in to bed look.” Ha! I was lucky enough to see Alison Mosshart live at the Dead Weather last week, and she was rocking the coolest long ink-black shag which flew about as she convulsed to the music. And my head full of ‘Dust it’, it survived the heady, humid sweaty environs of the gig, plus no small amount of head thrashing. Brilliant. (Love this photo of Alison Mosshart by Shawn Brackbill)

However, as long and wavy as my hair gets – it does not like to be big. It likes to lie flat to my scalp, and the oilies don’t help. So when I discovered dry hair powder, I was elated! Not so elated when I saw the Bumble and Bumble version for around $80 at Mecca. But very excited to find Batiste dry shampoo for $16 at the local chemist. Rub into the roots and soak up the oil, puff up your hair the bottles say. Mop up oil they do like a charm. Make big hair, they do not. Thus, I was super excited when my friend and stylist supremo introduced me to’ Back combing in a bottle’ – Osis ‘Dust it’, the most amaaaazing product! Finally, without pfaffing about with rollers that don’t work, back combing, teasing & hair-spraying that drops out at the hint of a breathe of wind or turns into a lop sided crunchy helmet– I can achieve ROCK STAR HAIR!

Granted, it feels GROSS. I bit like a mélange of wax and a and, a rather unpleasant gritty feeling on your scalp. But by golly, the stuff works. I sprinkle a dusting into my scalp, rub it in a bit, poof up the roots and, et voila – big, tousled, just-been-moshing-at-a-rock-gig hair.

Some of my hair idols include Cindy C, who rocked the most impressive barnet throughout the 90's.

Another fave big hair goddess – Pammy. I love Pammy. If anyone perfects that sexy, tousled just-rolled-out-of-be-with-a-rock-star look, it’s Pammy. I don’t know if it is merely back-combing or a clip on, but I love that ‘pouf’ she gets at the top -back of her head, like ‘hair bustle’, if you will. I guess her hair is so fried, a bit of hair spray would convince it to behave anyway you like. (I'm sorry, you may balk at the pic below, but it is a great representation of Pammy's hair at it's disheveled rock chick best - and I love Tommy Lee.)

My latest big hair fave – Madonna in the latest Dolce ads, trussed up as a glam, buxom Italian housewife. Loving that uber sexy just-got-out-of-bed 60’s hair Madge! (Pics from Vanity Fair)