My Style Icons - Part 3 - Poly Styrene

I mentioned punk in my last post so I thought it linked nicely onto my next Style Icon, her name is Poly Styrene and she was the lead vocalist for punk band X-Ray Spex. I love punk but not in the obvious contrived Punk way, I do not have safety pins in my face, wear bondage trousers or sport a mohican. I love the music and play alot of punk at my club night Bang, especially X-Ray Spex. I would describe my punk style as Punk Pop, I am influenced by the 50s styling that also heavily influenced Punk but I wouldn't say I am into the bondage styling too much, I love mixing punk with colourful pieces, militaria and costume accessories, I think it was named the Supermarket of style during the 90s, but it allows you to follow the seasonal trends whilst adding your Pop Punk/toy like edge to it, the Japanese are great at it but the first woman of Punk Pop for me, is the late, great, day-glo punk toy Poly Styrene. Braces on the teeth and pure punk pop attitude with her pop culture political mixed lyrics........'oh bondage....up Yours!'

Poly Syrene wearing what looks like a Fried Breakfast print dress, white leggings and polo neck and some white pointy kitten heels, wish I had this picture in colour. I have added a few of Poly Styrene's lyrics that are pop/ fashion based just for fun, I like the childlike / teenage view of life mixed with tounge in cheek politics, it's all in the delivery, you need to listen to the music.

When I put on my make-up
The pretty little mask not me
That's the way a girl should be
In a consumer society
ART-I-FICIAL - Xray Spex

Perfect example of Poly Styrene wearing a pop punk version of militaria, check out the braces.

He's the rebel on the underground
She's the rebel of the modern town
WARRIOR IN WOOLWORTH'S - Xray spex

There is nothing particularly glamourous about this one, I just like it for the girl next door look.

WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR
DO YOU SMASH IT QUICK
DO YOU TAKE THE GLASS
AND SLASH YOUR WRISTS
IDENTITY -Xray Spex

Pop punk vocalist for Xray Spex during the 1970s, looking like a mix between Johnny Rotten and Bootsy Collins.

I am a poseur and I don't care
I like to make people stare
I AM A POSEUR - Xray Spex

You don't get much more pop than Smash Hits do you? Loving the childlike earrings and militaria, oh and the braces!

Look at Poly Styrene's outfit, it's like a short leather granny dress, actually it reminds me of the outfit Alex's Mum weras in A Clockwork Orange, infact it's nearly identical!The rest of the band seem to be in futuristic bondage outfirs too, sex was never really an issue with Xray Spex, it was more of a playful punk look. I have clearly nicked this image from google images, it still has a proofing mark on it, nice! All images on this post are from Google images.

One more step over the line, a more extreme outfit here, a futuristic, pop, air-raid shelter safety officer look, the braces are off, I miss them!

I clambered over mounds and mounds
Of polystyrene foam
And fell into a swimming pool
Filled with fairy snow
And watched the world turn day-glo
THE DAY THE WORLD TURNED DAY-GLO - Xray Spex

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The cover of one of my favourite albums ever by my beloved X-ray Spex - Germfree Adolescents, you have to listen to it, it's a punk pop classic. I remember some journalist on TV saying ' who on earth sits at home listening to Xray Spex these days?' Well I shall tell you, old punk journalist.....ME! Look at this day glo cover, the boys are wearing those towelling neon socks that seemed to be everywhere in the late 70s and early 80s, you usually wore two different colours if you had any style sense about you.....

You may get to touch her
If your gloves are sterilised
Rinse your mouth with listerine
Blow disinfectant in her eyes
GERM FREE ADOLESCENTS - Xray Spex

Where shall we have the next publicity shot taken? By the bin? Good idea.......i'll get in it....

Poly Styrene is not your typical Style Icon but then again, I am not a typical girl, always looking outside the box. It's not all about beauty and glamour in fashion. I like to mix and mix (not match) styles, dressed down one minute and dressed UP the next. I think about what I am going to wear each day, oh and combine this with whatever is clean or, in my current state, whatever still fits.....Punk pop all the way!