Fashion Influential #76: Janis Joplin
Janis poses at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Image via Inkfrog.JANIS JOPLIN
Born:
January 19, 1943 in Port Arthur, TX
Died:
October 4, 1970 in Los Angeles, CA
Hit Songs:
"Piece of My Heart," "Ball and Chain," "Mercedes Benz"
Fans:
Stevie Nicks, The Mamas and the Papas
Fan of:
Homemade clothing, Goodwill
Beginnings.
Janis Joplin was always in a league of her own. The self-proclaimed outcast from Port Arthur, Texas was once profiled in the University of Texas at Austin newspaper under the headline, "She Dares to be Different." When she began her musical career in San Francisco in the sixties, Joplin cultivated a unique DIY style that reflected the political current of the era.
Janis Joplin was always in a league of her own. The self-proclaimed outcast from Port Arthur, Texas was once profiled in the University of Texas at Austin newspaper under the headline, "She Dares to be Different." When she began her musical career in San Francisco in the sixties, Joplin cultivated a unique DIY style that reflected the political current of the era.
Career Highs.
In 1967, Columbia Records released Janis Joplin's debut album with Big Brother and the Holding Company. Fans appreciated Joplin's homemade look, from her handmade blouses and corduroy bellbottoms to her iconic round sunglasses. After the smash hit success of "Piece of my Heart" (number 1 on Billboard for 8 weeks), she began sporting elaborately crafted costumes and extravagant furs. Even so, Janis defined the fashion of the counterculture.
In 1967, Columbia Records released Janis Joplin's debut album with Big Brother and the Holding Company. Fans appreciated Joplin's homemade look, from her handmade blouses and corduroy bellbottoms to her iconic round sunglasses. After the smash hit success of "Piece of my Heart" (number 1 on Billboard for 8 weeks), she began sporting elaborately crafted costumes and extravagant furs. Even so, Janis defined the fashion of the counterculture.
"FASHION NEWS: I went out & bought myself a $35 pair of boots. Oh they are so groovey!! They're old-fashioned in their style-tight w/buttons up the front. Black. FANTASTIC! When I get back, I'm going to rent a sewing machine & make myself some sort of beautiful/outlandish dress to go w/them.
- Janis Joplin, September 1966
- Janis Joplin, September 1966
Janis poses in beads, feathers, and glasses.Career Lows.
Legacy.
Joplin not only brought soul to white rock 'n roll - she changed the look of it, too. Her signature beads, banges, and feathers were imitated by fans and fellow rockers alike. With a wristlet and a small heart on her breast, she also helped to popularize the tattoo, which hadn't yet found cultural acceptance.
Janis was inducted into the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.Get the Look.
Janis wore so many long, beaded necklaces she joked she didn't need to wear a shirt. She also loved piling bangles on her wrists before Madonna ever did, and tied feathers and other accessories into her wild mane for extra glitz. Her look, as with the rest of her life, was about excess: in color, size, and shape.
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