Debbie inspired my outfit....

I am often asked where I get my inspiration from for my styling ideas. How do I plan what I'm going to wear each day, do I just throw an outfit together unplanned or do I carefully pick out my outfit the night before?
Looking at my mash up styling people may think it's a happy accident, since I have never actually bought an item of clothing or an accessory to match with any other item in my wardrobe, they could be right! 
Like most people I plan a little & often change my mind last minute. I guess my outfit suits my mood, the weather, how fat I'm feeling, sometimes the outfit has been planned & I have actually gone with the original idea.......I love it when this happens!

I usually start off with an idea, often inspired by an image I have seen that day (nearly always on pinterest). It can be an image from the catwalk, a favourite shops LookBook or a style Icon, even someone I saw in the street. 
David Bowie called himself a Magpie, he took ideas from fashion and music and created his own thing from it, I was glad when I read this quote as my brain seems to work in the same way. Plus David Bowie is another of my long loved style icons, who has inspired me so much with his style and music, just like Debbie Harry.
The idea is not to take a look so literally, don't copy the whole look, take your favourite parts & then mix it up with your style or (for the more brave) another look that has currently caught your eye, it then becomes yours & you can either run with it or not. Have fun with experimenting, don't be afraid to break the mould. 

For today's outfit I was inspired by a couple of  Debbie Harry images, Debbie is one of my biggest style icons who I love so much that the No Debutante name (for those who didn't know) came from one of Blondie's songs. So, did I copy the whole look? Nope. I looked at her hairband, thought it looked great, decided I would look ridiculous, then found myself putting the headband on Debbie style, instantly liked it, forgot it was on my head, then wore an oversized black tshirt similar to the outfit Debbie was wearing in the second image, paired it with some tights for Autumn & some black Gazelles & that's it. 

The conclusion.....the outfit became my most liked outfit on social media for a while, which I would call a success. It wasn't a full on three style mash up, just a very chic rock'n'roll look thanks to the beautiful Debbie Harry & her headband and black outfit.

Image 1 Photo by Dave Hogan on Getty Images

Images 2 & 4 styling & photography by No Debutante

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest
all under the No Debutante name #nodebutante

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas xx

ND xx

My Style Icons - Chloe Sevigny

It has been ages since I posted about one of my Style Icons and since I have been on Pinterest I have collected a whole lot more, so we must crack on! The next on the list is the quirky, indie model, actress and fashion designer Chloe Sevigny.

I first spotted Chloe modelling for the Miu Miu campaign back in the 1990s, I loved it that she was not a conventional beauty (apart from Kate Moss who was pretty rock n roll) the Super model still reigned at this time and I did not aspire to be one of them at all. I loved it that Chloe Sevigny still looked like a kid, she dressed for her age. I despair when I see young models and girls dressed up like a 30 year old woman, now there is nothing wrong with a 30 something woman, I just don't get it when kids wanna dress to look mature, you can still wear heels and make-up but keep it, well, young, please!! I guess I can't talk, there is probably some (many) teenagers somewhere thinking that they hate 30 something women dressed in Topshop and DJing (really great music) in clubs.....but you get my point!!

So, yeah, I noticed Chloe Sevigny, she looked young, cool and indie, she had short hair and was a little gawky. I then watched the film Kids which I loved and hated at the same time, loved for the nostalgia of partying when you are real young but hated because there is some disturbing shit in it and I hate the slurping sound of teenagers eating each others faces! Gummo however, (another  Harmony Korinefilm starring Chloe Sevigny) white trash as you like, probably even more disturbing, I loved! I think I loved it because it was so low budget and indie and of course the stylist for the film was Chloe Sevigny, the costumes were basic, trashy and inspiring!

There shall now be a very long line of images of Chloe Sevigny, I couldn't edit it down, they were all too good to be missed out.

 

 

The Miu Miu Campaign 1996

Kids 1995

Gummo 1997

Grunge geek to rock n roll sex goddess in the change of an outfit...

I definitely had this haircut! I pretty much have the cardigan below too.

 

Vision Streetwear X by Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony

I had to add this image from the range, I love Vision Streetwear, we have some original pieces that were Phil's from the 1990s. I love the logo and I am loving those long coats, they remind me of every American cult teenage film from the late 1980s!! I think I want one.

 

Chloe Sevigny modelling for the Miu Miu Campaign for 2012, 16 years after she last modelled for them back in 1996. More David Bowie than little indie kid but hey, he's one of my Style Icons too!!

 

I love you Chloe Sevigny, please can I have some of your Vision Streetwear outfits, be in an indie film with you and generally be you? Chloe.......Chloe...??

 

ND xx

 

 

 

My Style Icons - Amanda Warner of MNDR

It has been nearly a year since I compiled a list of my Style Icons and it seems to have taken me a lot longer than I thought to post about each one (I've clearly had a lot to say).
The next Icon on my list is Amanda Warner of MNDR. I first noticed Amanda on the UK TV show Jonathan Ross performing with Mark Ronson for his latest record Bang Bang Bang. I loved her style it was super geek mixed up glamour, the 1980s Deirdre Barlow (google her) glasses and a cute lipstick pout. Amanda seemed a bit odd and had a look that was pretty unique, so of course, I was bound to love her! Ronson was sporting a high quiff at the time which was pleasing to the eye and then you had Q-Tip rapping over it, that mans voice is the coolest. Amanda inspired me to actually buy my large framed Deirdre Barlow glasses that I had been pondering over for a while.

Q-Tip, Mark Ronson and Amanda Warner from the Bang Bang Bang music video. 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bwli1LOnn4

I love this photo, permed hair, big glasses and stonewash jeans?

 Cute!

Amanda has obviously changed her look over the past two years but it's the Bang Bang Bang era that I love! She has an undercut now, I don't think I shall be copying that one....three years with an undercut is quite enough.....that took a lot for me to say out loud...My name is Emma and I have been undercut free for nearly a month! Thank you....ND xx

My Style Icons - Part 4 - Annabella Lwin

At a time when I should probably be sorting out the pile of baby clothes and parafernalia that has accummulated in my house, to be ready for the new little baby  - who shall be arriving in approximately 5 weeks -  I have decided to blog about another of My Style Icons instead. I've not blogged for over a week and I'm missing it and this is my first Tuesday off work in ages AND my last week at work before I head off on maternity leave.....very excited!! More Babies and more blogging!!

So, Annabella Lwin........not only is she the front woman to one of my most favourite new wave 80s bands Bow Wow Wow, she looks amazing, she was a complete individual and she was also total Jailbait. I love her for all of this. I WANT CANDY!!!!

Add caption

Firstly, let's talk about the hair, even with the sides shaved down to a number one, a backcombed mohican and a harsh glare, Annabella manages to look beautiful. She inspired me to shave off my hair but to leave some long layers in to curl or backcomb for a soft and harsh look. I really do have quite a harsh look, without trying, so the soft girliness is needed.

I love the mix of the harsh styling with the girlie 1950s dress & gloves. I have copied this look many a time (I will blog the Emma's fashion back catalogue of images at some point!) The 1950's styling was big in the 80s and with Punk before that.

Annabella was spotted by Malcolm Maclaren (Godfather of Punk) in 1980 working in a laundrette, you know usual story, happens to us all, doesn't it.... he instantly auditioned her to become the lead singer of a new band he was putting together who became Bow Wow Wow. Apparently Mclaren had her transferred from her comprehensive school to Sylvia Young's Theatre School. This is all sounding a bit Brit School isn't it? Oh well we'll ignore that detail for now, there's more controversial stuff to come.

 The controversy linked to the band Bow Wow Wow reveals that the musicians were originally Adam Ant's  - Ants, stolen from Adam Ant by Malcolm Mclaren on a promise to make them famous, with Adam out of the picture Mclaren recruited Annabella alongside a London club kid (soon to be known as Boy George) to join the band. A few gigs and photoshoots later the rest of the band decided to get rid of Boy George and Bow Wow Wow was born. We could feel sorry for Adam Ant and Boy George here (I really must blog them on here at some point too, I feel a New Romantics blog coming on) but they both went on to individually become two of the biggest Pop and style icons of the 80s. So we won't worry about them at all.

Look how beautiful (and young) Annabella looks in the above image, if I spotted her in the laundrette I'd fall in love with her too! I'm sure she wasn't wearing this though, I would, any opportunity to dress up.

 Annabella did like to pose nude and half naked it has to be said. Whether this was her choice or Malcolm's is another matter, I guess the harsh image took the Lolita edge off of it. At this point fashion had gone a bit tribal which fitted perfectly with Bow Wow Wow's drumbeats which can also be heard in many Adam and the Ant records and post punk around the time.  I Love Annabella's hair in the below image, I can never get to the point where my hair is long enough to be able to plait it, the scissors are always calling me! Like they did the other day, more on that another time.

 Another little story for you here which I picked up from a great post punk book ' Rip it up and start again' by Simon Reynolds- which I leant to a work colleague and haven't seen it since, I think he may of lost it.  So, the story goes that Malcolm Maclaren had tried to get the other (slightly older) members of Bow Wow Wow to de-virginate Annabella, who was probably still jailbait at this point. Mclaren thought it might Sex her up a bit and make her less innocent!!! I'm not sure Annabella needed to be sexed up anymore, it seemed to ooze from her as it was. The good news is the very strong willed teenager refused them all, now that's a lesson for all girls who are thinking they might need de-virginating before they are ready! You have the rest of your life to be slutty!

 Oh look a bit of tribal aztec style, you know I like a bit of aztec at the moment, I actually want this jumper, it's baggier than the one's that are in the shops at the moment. Looks really comfy, why have Chavs ruined jersey wear for everyone? There was a time when you could wear jersey and be glamourous! Is it a Vivienne Westwood? Probably, I also forgot to mention Vivienne styled the band, the lucky buggers! Vivienne's Tribal collection, I think it was named The Pirate Collection without cheating and looking online, was massive during the early 80s, even Lady Di owned some of the pieces. There's another blog idea........Vivienne's Pirate collection not Lady Di....well, who knows, maybe both.

Aaaah! The Face, one of my favourite magazines.....I miss you!

Another Annabella Lwin fact is that her real name is Myint Myint Aye , Annabella is half Bermese and this name was given to her by Bermese Priests and means, get this, 'High High Cool'!!! Love it. Maybe a name for this baby then eh?

My mother has been completely over guessing this babies name. She thinks its going to be wierd and wonderful and has totally gone down the wrong track with Pop Stars names (My two sons middle names are Hendrix and Floyd so I can see how she got to this conclusion) she came up with...... Blondie or ........Madonna...........I don't need to say anymore, these names speak for themselves....she also had a dream I had another son and named him Jesus.

This look is very New Romantic Pirate, totally ripped off from Adam Ant, or was it the other way round? Vivienne Westwood V's Adam and the Ants. Annabella looks about 13 years old here.

Annabella with the de-virginating, ex Adam Ants -Ants, Bow Wow Wow boys. Going Wild in the Country! Where snakes in the grass are absolutely free!

Again, I seem to have ripped off this face paint, unknowingly this time, for once, at one of the Hoochie Coochie kaberet's that I have Dj'd at. The inspiration was Wild Animals, I'll blog the image one day. I remember on the night people thought I had leopard print tattoos, one bloke, who was very tattoeed up himself, suggested I should definately get it tattoed, I thought he was referring to the ones on my arms, he actaully, seriously, meant, the ones on my face!! He said I could carry it off. Thanks for the compliment mate, I think? The arms maybe, but on my face??? I have to pick my kids up from school and that!

It used to break my heart when I went into your shop

And you said my records were out of stock

So I don't buy records in your shop

Now I tape them all 'cause I'm 'Top of the Pops'

C30, C60,C90 Go! - Bow Wow Wow

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

Add caption

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!