Fashion Influential #82: Gwen Stefani
Singer Gwen Stefani performs at Nickelodeon's 20th Annual Kids' Choice Awards at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion on March 31, 2007 in Westwood, California. (Getty Images)more pics » FACT BOX TITLE Born:
October 3, 1969 in Fullerton, CA
Designs:
L.A.M.B., Harajuku Lovers
Fans:
Madonna, P. Diddy, Britney Spears, John Galliano
Fan of:
Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Marilyn Monroe
Beginnings.
The band that shot Gwen to fame, No Doubt, rocked. But their popularity was definitely helped by Gwen's cartoonish look: platinum blonde Gidget ponytails, matte red lips, and bright yellow cargo pants. Gwen, who had worked in retail before No Doubt made it big, liked to create her own stage costumes and hairstyles, taking inspiration from post-war 1950s housewife hairdos.
Career Highs.
The success of No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom (1995) catapulted Gwen into the fashion limelight, but it wasn't until the 2004 launch of her fashion line, L.A.M.B., that she became the worldwide sartorial influence she remains today. In 2005, she launched Harajuku Lovers, a less expensive, wider-reaching line. With each album, she redefines her look: her most recent album, 2006's The Sweet Escape, saw Gwen borrowing from Michelle Pfeiffer's Scarface look.
I think Gwen is the ultimate 21st-century pin up....She's modern-retro - she plays on the pin-up thing with her vintage aesthetic, but she's also ultra-modern. Like her music, her style is sexy but also out there - eclectic, almost aggressive. She's no victim, and certainly no fashion victim. With someone like Victoria Beckham, you can see that a stylist has decided what she's going to wear and put it together piece by piece, but Gwen's style always seems organic.
- Stefan Lindemann of Grazia magazine
Gwen has always borrowed vintage beauty looks.Career Lows.
Gwen has been perhaps a bit too honest about her struggle to keep a thin frame. She admitted to starving herself for a few days prior to a Vogue shoot, later telling Elle magazine, "I've always struggled with [my weight]. I was a little chubby when I was younger and I didn't want to be that person forever...I'm extremely vain - I like wearing cute clothes." Perhaps Gwen lets her love of clothing trump her peace of mind.
Legacy.
Gwen's "very done" look helped change the direction of rock fashion. Grunge began to fall out of fashion, thanks to Gwen and her high-octane stage antics. Sure, rockers still wore Doc Martens, but they could look pretty and girly while doing it. The ever-imitated singer is now looked to as a harbinger of the trends to come.
Gwen's Sweet Escape lookGet the Look.
Getting a Gwen-inspired look can be as easy as wearing a ponytail. Try some of Gwen's signature hairstyles, from her victory rolls to her multi-bun style. Choose eclectic accessories like bindis, Jamaican flag wristbands, or towering patent-leather heels; wear bright red lips with retro, pinup girl clothing. Gwen's looks are so many and so varied, you really can't go wrong. - Alicia
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Gwen Stefani Pictures and Style
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