100 Most Influential People in Fashion

Fashion Influential #18: Bob Dylan

Photo by Mark Seliger

BOB DYLAN
Born:
May 24, 1941 in Duluth, MN
Nicknames: Elston Gunn, Blind Boy Grunt, Lucky Wilbury/Boo Wilbury, Elmer Johnson, Sergei Petrov, Jack Frost, Jack Fate, Willow Scarlet, Robert Milkwood Thomas
Net Worth: Priceless
Beginnings.
Sometimes the most fashion-forward are those who care the least about fashion – no – those who convince us they care the least about fashion. From day one, Dylan knew that if you’re in the spotlight, you should look good. In the mid-60s, the most Dylan-esque era, the singer discovered the polka dot shirt in London. (There’s a site called new-pony.com that has an entire gallery of Dylan in his beloved polka dot shirts). This look would stay with him, on and off, for decades to come.

Career Highs.
From the years 1964 to 1966, Dylan was on fire. In that time, he produced 3 albums that remain cultural mainstays beyond the world of music, but that of art. Mike Marquesse eloquently writes, "Between late 1964 and the summer of 1966, Dylan created a body of work that remains unique. Drawing on folk, blues, country, R&B, rock'n'roll, gospel, British beat, symbolist, modernist and Beat poetry, surrealism and Dada, advertising jargon and social commentary, Fellini and Mad magazine, he forged a coherent and original artistic voice and vision. The beauty of these albums retains the power to shock and console."
This land is your land and this land is my land, sure, but the world is run by those that never listen to music anyway.
- Bob Dylan

Dylan in his classic Wayfarer shades.
Career Lows.

After nearly 20 years of ceaselessly wringing the creative sponge in his head, in the early 80s, it seemed to run dry. During this time, his concert appearances were with distracting bands like the Grateful Dead or Tom Petty, and Dylan appeared disengaged, or rather, more so disengaged than usual. And the 2 albums he recorded during that period, Down in the Groove and Knocked Out Loaded, were largely ignored. But even his most prosaic songs, whether you understood what the hell they were about or not, do something to the soul that’s hard to replicate with drugs (despite our best efforts). By 1988, a new Bob Dylan emerged and began touring with a vengeance.

Legacy.
Though he made his mark on every era (the '70s saw leisure suits, he donned Miami Vice-like blazers in the '80s, big earrings in the '90s) the impact the 1960s era Dylan made is still felt today, albeit mostly on women. Not so much with the American West-inspired outfits or the wandering snake-oil salesman look, but more with the motorcycle boots and Wayfarers (both were his trademarks). And he more or less made the world safe for future generations to embrace skinny blazers, stovepipe jeans, striped shirts, fitted pea coats, flat-heeled, mod boots, and striped scarves.

"My pockets are loaded, and I'm spending every dime." Get the look.
2006 saw a huge resurgence of Dylan-inspired off-the-rack women’s wear. JCrew was big into it, as were many edgy boutique shops. Fortunately, the style is somewhat androgynous and can be pulled off by almost anyone. Billowy shirts and fitted striped pants with a well-tailored coat is classic Dylan.

- John