I've been listening to the RED HOT + BLUE album a lot lately, resurrected by my friend's iPod! I had forgotten all about it and shall buy it asap! This was one of the first ever for-charity compilation albums, put together by the Red Hot non-profit charity organization that was established in 1989 by a group of New York artists in response to the Aids crisis, particularly as the disease was running rampant within the creative community of artists and musicians. Red Hot founder John Carlin had "an improbable dream: to create an AIDS charity album with pop stars singing Cole Porter songs." Red Hot + Blue was released in 1990. John said "That CD was inspired by naivete and sheer will." The album features amazing tracks by musical powerhouses such as Sinead O'Connor, David Byrne, Bono, Annie Lennox, Lisa Stansfied, Neneh Cherry, The Thompson Twins, Kd Lang, Tom Waits, Erasure and The Jungle Brothers and spawned music videos by esteemed Directors such as Johnathan Demme, Jim Jarmusch and Wim Wenders. The album went on to sold 1 Million worldwide and becoming the template for future charity projects. And since then, Red Hot have created 20 more compilation albums, raising over $10 Million for HIV and Aids. The album is unfeasibly good! Buddies Debbie Harry & Iggy Pop's 'Well, did you evah!' is a particular favourite. I adore the video of Iggy and Debbie toomfooling around New York, particularly the opening scenes of them cruising purposefully through Soho like the King & Queen of New York - fabulous! Behold the coolness that is Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop.
Burlesque first came into my consciousness in the mid 90s when Carmen Electra started performing with the Pussycat Dolls, a troupe who performed a lot at Johnny Depp’s club, The Viper room in LA. I’d see pics in the local rags of Carmen all dolled up in amazing outfits dancing with these amazing looking women call the Pussycat Dolls. I knew that Burlesque had something to do with 18th century circus/vaudeville acts and involved risqué dance and comedy. Infact, the term dates back to the 15 Century when relating to Chaucer’s bawdy Canterbury Tales (that I had to study at Uni!) Pretty much what we’d call ‘toilet humour’, akin to Benny Hill! Double entendres, women with big boobs, dirty jokes & saucy tales, bordering on the vulgar. In the late 19th Century the Moulin Rouge in Paris became part of some Burlesque Troupes throughout Europe and became popular within music halls and the Vaudeville scene. Burlesque dancers performed alongside other types of acts including musicians, comedians, trained animals, magicians, female and male impersonators, acrobats and jugglers. Burlesque dancers dressed up in elaborate, over the top outfits and their risqué numbers which involved stripping down to tantalize the audience, but not appear fully nude. Music and lighting is typically saucy and dramatic and props such as fan, feather boas and hats are strategically used as props in the routines. The goal was to tease and titillate, in a showy, artistic manner.
The Great Depression in the US had seen a rise in Burlesque punters who wanted to be entertained, but not have to pay for expensive Broadway shows. Inspired by the Folies Bergère and Moulin Rouge in France, Billy Minsky and his brother Abe opened Minsky’s Burlesque in New York which ran from 1912 to 1937, including the celebrated Gypsy Rose lee. Other Burlesque stars continued to emerge – Fanni Brice, Mae West, Josephine Baker, Sally Rand, Blaze Starr and Lili St. Cyr.
Gypsy Rose Lee (19911-1970)
Natalie Wood as Gypsy Rose Lee Josephine Baker (1906 - 1975) Sally Rand (1904 - 1979) Lili St. Cyr (1918 - 1999)
In the late 90’s and the 2000s, Burlesque had a renaissance. This was largely spearheaded and launched into pop culture by the Pussycat Dolls and Miss Dita Von Teese. The Dolls were founded in 1995 in LA by dancer & choreographer, Robin Antin and her friend, actress Christina Applegate.
The Pussycat Dolls appeared in Charlie’s Angels – Full Throttle in 2003 and in the same year, the singing group The Pussycat Dolls was launched.
Dita Von Teese, aka Heather Renée Sweet began life as a blonde from Michigan. She studied ballet, and found a job at a lingerie store, obsessed with the pretty lacy underwear. She became besotted with 50’s pin-up and fetish model Bettie Page, with her glamorous raven black hair and amazing lingerie. In 1990 at age 18, she started stripping but frustrated at the lack of originality and glamour she found, she who dyed her hair raven black and reincarnated herself as Burlesque superstar Dita Von Teese. Her corsets, stockings, suspenders and beehive proved a huge hit with the punters! Stripping segue-wayed into glamour and fetish modelling and in 1992, she became a Burlesque performer. Dita began dating goth rocker Marilyn Manson in 2001 and they married in 2004, Dita is a stunning ultra violet Vivienne Westwood gown. Her beautiful nuptials and appeared in this stunning editorial shot by Steven Klein in American Vogue in 2004. She became a fashion icon, known for being able to merge looking sexy, classy and stylish without looking cheap and trashy. She is known for her 50’s style aesthetics and is invited to front row at Fashion Weeks throughout the world, Designers adore her, and women are fascinate by her.
Dita Von Teese by Steven Klein, Vogue Italia 2005
Her Martini Glass routine is world famous, and Cameron Diaz performed a tribute to the routine in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Dita Von Teese in Agent Provocateur’s Lost Control video,
There is also UK’s answer to Dita, Immodesty Blaize doing her thing. Burlesque seems to be everywhere these days. Many fashion labels are inspired by Burlesque, most obviously Wheels & Dollbaby, and Agent Provocateur.
Wheels & Dollbaby founder Melanie Greensmith in Australian Harpers Bazaar
My pic Agent Provocateur in Mercer St, Soho, New York
I must say, the Pussycat Dolls lingerie line by La Senza (called Shhh) is very cute!! The release of the new movie Burlesque will bring a renewed fervor into the fashion world. Can't wait to see this! Christina. Stanley Tucci. CHER! Glamorama!
I already have some of OPI's fabulous movie inspired range – 'Ali’s Big Break', an amazing deep iridescent red. Personally, I’ve always liked a bit of Burlesque in my fashion from time to time - I've long been a Wheels & Dollbaby fan, whose brand combine 50's, Burlesque and a bit of Rockabilly to create beautiful, sexy clothes that stand out from the pack. Dita is a fan, and has modeled for them - natch! But there is a fine line between styley cool Burlesque, and falling into tacky & cheap looking. Or worse - mutton dressed as lamb! Eek. There needs to be, as they say on Project Runway, a level of "taste"! I think the right coverage, and tailoring is key – outfits that fit you like a glove and play up your curves. And I still adhere to the old mantra of showing either boobs or a lot of leg – but not both at the same time! Here are a few simple ways to bring Burlesque into your look:
Red lippie is the best and easiest way to add a bit of Burlesque glam to your look. Fair toned skins suits blue-based lippies like cherry or plum. Warmer, olivey complexions suit more brown or orange based reds like coral, or tomato. Dita champions Ruby Woo lippie by MAC.
A strong eye with black liquid liner and 'flicks' a la Dita is a sexy look. Check out my previous Blog here for tips on liquid liners. A tight pencil skirt with a flash of a black lace bra under a tailored white shirt brings some of that naughty 50's style Varga girl sensibility into your look. Burlesque is all about naughty. Think Joan from Mad Men or the 'Sexy Secretary' look.
A leopard print accent looks cool - a scarf, bra or a cardy if you are not bold enough to go into a dress or coat!
Frills. And I don't mean shapeless meringue frou frous - more a bit of a frill on a deep neckline tee, shirt, or trim of a pencil skirts. Love the name of this 'Pink Trim Cake Ruffle Scoop Dress). For more tips, check out Rachel Zoe’s practical advice about bringing a bit of Burlesque to your look!
Things that I am loving in October, my birthday month! Tom Ford Private Blend Lipsticks. What's not to like about this picture? Tres Helmut Newton. A Single Man. Yes I know I'm slow off the mark, but didn't manage to see it at the movies so finally rented it on DVD. Beautiful story that manages to capture the heart and the pathos and of the book, shot through the gorgeously luxe lens of Mr Tom Ford. Beautiful sets, clothes, and people - mise en scene to die for! Robert Mapplethorpe. I just finished reading Just Kids and I cried. Robert was a beautiful talented angel with raggedy wings whose photographs draw you in to their endless inky pools of liquid black, which captures me in a way that Caravaggio's paintings with their striking use of chiaroscuro. You can get lost in that darkness. Alison Mosshart & Jamie Hince for Zadig & Volatire. Fabulous shots by Olivier Zahm. Victoria Beckham eye wear. Need I elaborate?! Julianne Moore for Bulgari. Luxe-a-licious. Stevie Nicks, and Fleetwood Mac. Having just watched the doco on the making of Rumours again, am totally entranced by the music, the harmonies and the raw emotion of the band during this time. And of course, Stevie is the quintessential rock chick. (Gee, she looks like Rachel Zoe here!)
Ever since Kristen Stewart rocked the plaid shirt in Twilight I have noticed a huge shift back to grunge - Pixies & Pearl Jam are touring, everyone is being seen in Doc Marten's, plaid shirt, opaque black stocking with floral button up dresses, velvet ribbon chokers and rocking the beanie. The High St stores are following suit & I even just scored a little black & ochre floral zip-up front number from the House of G!
Kim Gordon appeared on Gossip Girl as Rufus fondly waxes lyrical about touring in the early 90s. One show was even a flashback to the 90's - let's hope that spin-off eventuates! Speaking of Gossip Girl – little Taylor Momsen is channeling Courtney Love in a big way. And many celebs are doing the plaid-shirt-grunge- jeans style thing - Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen are the current Queens of grunge.
Courtney was a star in her day, I loved her style – baby doll dresses, shock of platinum blonde hair and a slash of bloody red lippie. Queen of cool. Even now she still features heavily in the top fash mags and has her own fashion Blog.
And yes, as usual it all comes back to my fave Kate Moss – the latest ‘Queen of Grunge’! Love her style and she has always kept the grunge look, adapting it with her rock chick looks and to the latest trends for the last 20 years. This article a year ago in The Sunday Times UK.
In the meantime, I’m rocking my Kate Sylvester Menswear plaid shirt, buttery soft and in beautiful blue, taupe & grey shades. While I’m a bit old for baby doll dresses, I’m also seeking out some neutral coloured floral dresses with button down fronts & cinched waists that I can throw on over black opaque tights with boots. My beanies will also be getting an outing. I just don’t know that I can go back to Docs - they take so long to break-in! Gotta be soft and slightly munted.
So, Kurt & Courtney’s rock progeny Frances Bean has just turned 18 and inherited an estimated 40% of her father's fortune. 18! My gosh, time flies!!! Seems like yesterday that a friend came to me saying “Oh my God I have heard this amaaaazing band, you’ll love them – Nirvana!” The rest, as they say, is history...
Grunge was born in the early 90’s in Seattle, with bands like Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden,Mudhoney and of course, Nirvana championing a look of plaid shirts, boots, baggy combat pants, woolly cardies & long lank hair. Of course it was all about the cold climate and being skint. I started University in Dunedin in 1991 and had no idea the clothes we were wearing were part of a worldwide phenomenon – I just thought it was what students wore in freezing cold Dunedin. We were all broke, living in freezing cold dilapidated flats with Jane’s Addiction, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the Pixies to keep us warm.
My standard outfit in 1991-1993 was Doc Martens, boyfriend’s work/Norsewear socks, beanie, fishnets, short velour culottes or Karen Walker Mini-Kilt (she was a fledging designer with a small boutique on High Street then), black tight polypropylene jerseys and about half an inch of smudged black eye-liner. I was in love with movies such as Singles, Gas Food Lodging, Natural Born Killers and Reality Bites.
We watched TV shows Twin picks (lumberjack chic) and My So Called Life, which had Clare Danes & Jared Leto running around in flannel shirts and leather chokers. There was no Paris Hiltons or Rihannas, styled to the hilt and desperately trying to get photographed kissing girls or gets tattoos for press. Grungy young actresses like Julia Roberts, Ione Skye, Milla Jovovich, Winona Ryder & Juliette Lewis (both ex’s of Johnny Depp – who continues to rock the grunge look today!) ruled. Quirky rock chick brunettes, who kicked around in jeans, floral print dresses & clompy boots who hung off rock stars. We were Gen-Xers man, slacker cool!
Winona Ryder & Janeane Garofalo in 'Reality Bites'
In 1992, New Yorker Marc Jacobs - now an über-fashion star but then a young designer - started working as Creative Director at fashion house Perry Ellis.
Jacobs had garnered a buzz in the industry via his friendship with the Supers who walked for him (Linda, Christy, Kate et al) and his super casual clothes which were made from plush, expensive fabrics (cashmere shrunken tees, etc).
In 1992, Jacobs showed the seminal collection that was based on the style he loved, grunge. Flannel shirts, cashmere disguised as thermal underwear, Doc Martens, beanies straight from the street culture came down the runway on the likes of Kate Moss & Kristen McMenamy. The fashion world was aghast and Jacobs and his friend Duffy - who was hired as the President of Perry Ellis - were fired. But whilst the collection was slammed by critics, it was lauded by the cool kids and has gone down in fashion history.
Interestingly, Jacobs sent the collection to grunge darlings Courtney & Kurt - they weren't impressed - “Marc [Jacobs] sent me and Kurt [Cobain] his Perry Ellis grunge collection . . . We burned it. We were punkers-we didn’t like that kind of thing.”
A few years into the trend in 1994, Time Magazine wrote ('If Everyone is hip...IS Anyone Hip' by Richard Lacayo):
"But at a time when the pavements are worn thin by Doc Martens, when every open door admits a file of backward baseball caps and soul patches, when jocks sell attitude and all of rock is supposed to be alternative -- hipness is bigger than General Motors...Such bands as Pearl Jam and Fugazi may be able to maintain their position without submitting to every industry demand for videos or major-label distribution...("Unless people start wearing lumber," says the performer and fashion watcher Sandra Bernhard, "there's not much more designers can do.")
Kim Gordon had her own label. “So this year's most up-to-the-minute design-wear house, X-Girl, owned by Kim Gordon of the rock band Sonic Youth, is hawking brightly colored tennis sweaters, polo shirts and floral-print shifts that hark back to the Lilly Pulitzers of the horsey set, circa 1973”.
Kim Gordon
Carolyn Murphy & family imitate Courtney & Kurt,Vogue, Rock The House (November, 2001)
To end - one of the most amusing movie scenes ever - My Sharona from Reality Bites. Take it away kids!away!
I've been listening to the RED HOT + BLUE album a lot lately, resurrected by my friend's iPod! I had forgotten all about it and shall buy it asap! This was one of the first ever for-charity compilation albums, put together by the Red Hot non-profit charity organization that was established in 1989 by a group of New York artists in response to the Aids crisis, particularly as the disease was running rampant within the creative community of artists and musicians. Red Hot founder John Carlin had "an improbable dream: to create an AIDS charity album with pop stars singing Cole Porter songs." Red Hot + Blue was released in 1990. John said "That CD was inspired by naivete and sheer will."
The album features amazing tracks by musical powerhouses such as Sinead O'Connor, David Byrne, Bono, Annie Lennox, Lisa Stansfied, Neneh Cherry, The Thompson Twins, Kd Lang, Tom Waits, Erasure and The Jungle Brothers and spawned music videos by esteemed Directors such as Johnathan Demme, Jim Jarmusch and Wim Wenders. The album went on to sold 1 Million worldwide and becoming the template for future charity projects. And since then, Red Hot have created 20 more compilation albums, raising over $10 Million for HIV and Aids.
The album is unfeasibly good! Buddies Debbie Harry & Iggy Pop's 'Well, did you evah!' is a particular favourite. I adore the video of Iggy and Debbie toomfooling around New York, particularly the opening scenes of them cruising purposefully through Soho like the King & Queen of New York - fabulous!
Behold the coolness that is Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop.
