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Girl Power
Michael J. Fox
The country knew Michael J. Fox as a teenage heartthrob and comedic actor, but in 1998, he revealed he had a disease that typically afflicted the elderly. Not only did Michael J. Fox's revelation shed light on what Parkinson's sufferers go through, but it showed that no one was immune. Since then, Fox has become a true advocate for research.
"What celebrity has given me is the opportunity to raise the visibility of Parkinson's disease and focus more attention on the desperate need for more research dollars...I was shocked and frustrated to learn that the amount of federal funding is so meager. Compared with the amount of federal funding going to other diseases, research funding for Parkinson's lags far behind." - As quoted by CNN, at a United States Senate subcommittee hearing in 1999.
Photo: Courtesy of Ron Sachs/Rex USA.
The country knew Michael J. Fox as a teenage heartthrob and comedic actor, but in 1998, he revealed he had a disease that typically afflicted the elderly. Not only did Michael J. Fox's revelation shed light on what Parkinson's sufferers go through, but it showed that no one was immune. Since then, Fox has become a true advocate for research.
"What celebrity has given me is the opportunity to raise the visibility of Parkinson's disease and focus more attention on the desperate need for more research dollars...I was shocked and frustrated to learn that the amount of federal funding is so meager. Compared with the amount of federal funding going to other diseases, research funding for Parkinson's lags far behind." - As quoted by CNN, at a United States Senate subcommittee hearing in 1999.
Photo: Courtesy of Ron Sachs/Rex USA.
Tracey Gold
In 1989, the Growing Pains actress began a doctor-supervised weight-loss program that ultimately led to Gold checking into a hospital for anorexia three years later at the age of 22. She had been dodging both cast and family interventions and compulsively dieting her way to 83 lbs. Gold had previously battled anorexia at the age of 12, and admitted to falling victim again to People Magazine in 1992. Gold was one of the first celebrities to admit to being anorexic. Her confession inspired others to come forward, and made her a role model for those living with an eating disorder, and even had a show, Starving Secrets With Tracey Gold, that kept the conversation going.
"I know the eating disorder community goes back and forth between whether you can be recovered or are you recovering. I consider myself recovered, because I think that if you live your life saying you are continually recovering, then it kind of gives you that outlet that when stuff comes your way that is tough, then that’s where you are going to go. I don’t want to give myself that option, so I’m recovered.
I look at food and I face food everyday with no fear or anxiety, and it's fine. I enjoy it and it's good; I’m a woman in today’s society, so obviously I want to eat healthy and all that body image stuff. But it’s not a part of my life." - Interview with XO Jane.
Photo: Courtesy of Erik Pendzich/Rex USA.
In 1989, the Growing Pains actress began a doctor-supervised weight-loss program that ultimately led to Gold checking into a hospital for anorexia three years later at the age of 22. She had been dodging both cast and family interventions and compulsively dieting her way to 83 lbs. Gold had previously battled anorexia at the age of 12, and admitted to falling victim again to People Magazine in 1992. Gold was one of the first celebrities to admit to being anorexic. Her confession inspired others to come forward, and made her a role model for those living with an eating disorder, and even had a show, Starving Secrets With Tracey Gold, that kept the conversation going.
"I know the eating disorder community goes back and forth between whether you can be recovered or are you recovering. I consider myself recovered, because I think that if you live your life saying you are continually recovering, then it kind of gives you that outlet that when stuff comes your way that is tough, then that’s where you are going to go. I don’t want to give myself that option, so I’m recovered.
I look at food and I face food everyday with no fear or anxiety, and it's fine. I enjoy it and it's good; I’m a woman in today’s society, so obviously I want to eat healthy and all that body image stuff. But it’s not a part of my life." - Interview with XO Jane.
Photo: Courtesy of Erik Pendzich/Rex USA.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato was known as a bright and bubbly Disney star (which, as we all know, suffer from fame exposure at an early age), until a high-profile meltdown in 2010 took her out of the spotlight. Like many young women, Lovato turned to cutting, bulimia, and self-harm for treatment, until she decided to speak up. Since then, Lovato has actively advocated for anti-bullying programs.
"I was matching the inside to the outside. And there were some times where my emotions were just so built up, I didn't know what to do. The only way that I could get instant gratification was through an immediate release on myself." - During a 2011 interview with 20/20.
Photo: Courtesy of Ken McKay/Rex/Rex USA.
Demi Lovato was known as a bright and bubbly Disney star (which, as we all know, suffer from fame exposure at an early age), until a high-profile meltdown in 2010 took her out of the spotlight. Like many young women, Lovato turned to cutting, bulimia, and self-harm for treatment, until she decided to speak up. Since then, Lovato has actively advocated for anti-bullying programs.
"I was matching the inside to the outside. And there were some times where my emotions were just so built up, I didn't know what to do. The only way that I could get instant gratification was through an immediate release on myself." - During a 2011 interview with 20/20.
Photo: Courtesy of Ken McKay/Rex/Rex USA.
Magic Johnson
In the late '80s and early '90s, AIDS was treated by health industries as a 'gay' problem...until basketball player Magic Johnson admitted he had it. Helping to prove that HIV infection could happen to anyone, Johnson's revelation helped change the national conversation on the matter.
"Safe sex is the way to go. We sometimes think only gay people can get it, that it's not going to happen to me. And here I am saying that it can happen to anybody, even me, Magic Johnson." - As quoted by ESPN at a press conference in 1991.
Photo: Courtesy of Berliner Studio/BEImages.
In the late '80s and early '90s, AIDS was treated by health industries as a 'gay' problem...until basketball player Magic Johnson admitted he had it. Helping to prove that HIV infection could happen to anyone, Johnson's revelation helped change the national conversation on the matter.
"Safe sex is the way to go. We sometimes think only gay people can get it, that it's not going to happen to me. And here I am saying that it can happen to anybody, even me, Magic Johnson." - As quoted by ESPN at a press conference in 1991.
Photo: Courtesy of Berliner Studio/BEImages.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones has it all: talent, beauty, and a great career. But she decided to share with the world her bipolar disorder. Difficult to treat and hard to live with, Zeta-Jones regularly and openly seeks treatment.
"This is a disorder that affects millions of people, and I am one of them. If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it." - As reported by ABC in 2011.
Photo: Courtesy of Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages.
Catherine Zeta-Jones has it all: talent, beauty, and a great career. But she decided to share with the world her bipolar disorder. Difficult to treat and hard to live with, Zeta-Jones regularly and openly seeks treatment.
"This is a disorder that affects millions of people, and I am one of them. If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it." - As reported by ABC in 2011.
Photo: Courtesy of Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages.
Sally Field
Though many famous individuals have admitted to having gay children, Sally Field didn't just make an announcement: She lauded the bravery of her son, Sam. Her outspoken support of her child proved that merely accepting your child for who they are wasn't enough — they needed love and support.
"Nature made Sam. It wasn’t a choice. He was always, always Sam — glorious, smart, funny, sweet Sam." - Her Ally for Equality award acceptance speech at 2012's HRC gala.
Photo: Courtesy of Matt Baron/BEImages.
Though many famous individuals have admitted to having gay children, Sally Field didn't just make an announcement: She lauded the bravery of her son, Sam. Her outspoken support of her child proved that merely accepting your child for who they are wasn't enough — they needed love and support.
"Nature made Sam. It wasn’t a choice. He was always, always Sam — glorious, smart, funny, sweet Sam." - Her Ally for Equality award acceptance speech at 2012's HRC gala.
Photo: Courtesy of Matt Baron/BEImages.
Anderson Cooper
Most anyone working in media had heard the rumors about Anderson Cooper, who staunchly (and rightfully so) had always kept his private life private, for professional reasons. But the beloved CNN anchor admitted the unintended consequences of being closeted, and made his announcement, and proved one crucial point: Coming out doesn't necessarily make someone an activist, but a human being with a sexual identity.
"The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.
I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don't think it's anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don't give that up by being a journalist." - As told to Andrew Sullivan in 2012.
Photo: Courtesy of Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages.
Most anyone working in media had heard the rumors about Anderson Cooper, who staunchly (and rightfully so) had always kept his private life private, for professional reasons. But the beloved CNN anchor admitted the unintended consequences of being closeted, and made his announcement, and proved one crucial point: Coming out doesn't necessarily make someone an activist, but a human being with a sexual identity.
"The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.
I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don't think it's anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don't give that up by being a journalist." - As told to Andrew Sullivan in 2012.
Photo: Courtesy of Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages.
Kate McKinnon, 29
Known talents: Sketch actress, writer, SNL cast member, killer Ellen impersonator
Known collaborators: The cast of SNL
If anyone has been catching the most recent season of SNL, they'd see the bright, slapstick-ready McKinnon, who has a Wiig-esque ability to fit into any role, at any age, and make it hilarious. Like many (literally, many) of her SNL compatriots, McKinnon came from the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre and spent four years writing and performing on Logo's The Big Gay Sketch Show. Oh, yeah, there's this, too: McKinnon is the first openly lesbian cast member of SNL.
Photo: PatrickMcMullan.com
Known talents: Sketch actress, writer, SNL cast member, killer Ellen impersonator
Known collaborators: The cast of SNL
If anyone has been catching the most recent season of SNL, they'd see the bright, slapstick-ready McKinnon, who has a Wiig-esque ability to fit into any role, at any age, and make it hilarious. Like many (literally, many) of her SNL compatriots, McKinnon came from the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre and spent four years writing and performing on Logo's The Big Gay Sketch Show. Oh, yeah, there's this, too: McKinnon is the first openly lesbian cast member of SNL.
Photo: PatrickMcMullan.com
Jenny Slate, 31
Known talents: Actress, improv pro, writer, published author
Known collaborators: Lena Dunham, Marcel The Shell
Okay, let's get this out of the way: Slate is Marcel The Shell. Yep, that's her amazing voice that made you fall in love with one of the best viral videos ever. In fact, it helped land her a single season role on Saturday Night Live, but her contract wasn't renewed (some may think it's because she dropped the F-bomb on live TV). But that didn't slow Slate, who has appeared on Bored To Death, Bob's Burgers, and Parks and Recreation, while lending her voice talents to The Lorax. Oh, and fittingly, Slate has played opposite Dunham in Girls — as Hannah Horvath's obnoxious, successful rival.
Photo: Peter Brooker/RexUSA
Known talents: Actress, improv pro, writer, published author
Known collaborators: Lena Dunham, Marcel The Shell
Okay, let's get this out of the way: Slate is Marcel The Shell. Yep, that's her amazing voice that made you fall in love with one of the best viral videos ever. In fact, it helped land her a single season role on Saturday Night Live, but her contract wasn't renewed (some may think it's because she dropped the F-bomb on live TV). But that didn't slow Slate, who has appeared on Bored To Death, Bob's Burgers, and Parks and Recreation, while lending her voice talents to The Lorax. Oh, and fittingly, Slate has played opposite Dunham in Girls — as Hannah Horvath's obnoxious, successful rival.
Photo: Peter Brooker/RexUSA
Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson, 27 and unknown
Known talents: Sketch comedy, writers, directors, and actors in their own show, artist and author (Abbi)
Known collaborators: Amy Poehler
So, yes, we are putting these two together, but both Glazer and Jacobson are the brains behind Broad City, a web series that has not only been picked up by FX to make into a larger show in the style of Louie, but it's being produced by fellow awesome-lady Amy Poehler. The show is — surprise, surprise — about girls in New York, but the Glazer/Jacobson product is less frantic and a little more light-hearted than Dunham's take. Oh, and you've already seen their work: The super-duper viral "S*** New Yorkers Say" was all Glazer.
Photo: Broad City/Eric Michael Pearson
Known talents: Sketch comedy, writers, directors, and actors in their own show, artist and author (Abbi)
Known collaborators: Amy Poehler
So, yes, we are putting these two together, but both Glazer and Jacobson are the brains behind Broad City, a web series that has not only been picked up by FX to make into a larger show in the style of Louie, but it's being produced by fellow awesome-lady Amy Poehler. The show is — surprise, surprise — about girls in New York, but the Glazer/Jacobson product is less frantic and a little more light-hearted than Dunham's take. Oh, and you've already seen their work: The super-duper viral "S*** New Yorkers Say" was all Glazer.
Photo: Broad City/Eric Michael Pearson
Issa Rae, 28
Known talents: Writer, producer, director, activist
Known collaborators: Pharrell Williams via his i am OTHER channel, Grey's Anatomy's Shonda Rhimes
Issa Rae isn't an awkward black girl at all, even though that is the name of her Shorty-nominated web series, which takes a real, three-dimensional look at young African-American life in the United States. Rae, who actually helms four (!!) different web shows, tackles the entire female gamut: sex, dating, work, pop culture, Los Angeles. In fact, the last part is the setting for her new series on ABC, which is being championed by producer Shonda Rhimes.
Photo: Molly Cranna
Known talents: Writer, producer, director, activist
Known collaborators: Pharrell Williams via his i am OTHER channel, Grey's Anatomy's Shonda Rhimes
Issa Rae isn't an awkward black girl at all, even though that is the name of her Shorty-nominated web series, which takes a real, three-dimensional look at young African-American life in the United States. Rae, who actually helms four (!!) different web shows, tackles the entire female gamut: sex, dating, work, pop culture, Los Angeles. In fact, the last part is the setting for her new series on ABC, which is being championed by producer Shonda Rhimes.
Photo: Molly Cranna
Lake Bell, 34
Known talents: Director, actress, fashion darling, car buff
Known collaborators: Michaela Watkins, boyfriend and tattooer Scott Campbell
Lake Bell isn't exactly a new face on the scene, but in recent years, the actress can't stay content with just, well, acting. Her directorial full-legnth debut titled In A World...tells the story of female voiceover artists, and has already elicited acclaim from the festival circuit and will be released later this year. On top of her already busy acting career, Bell is a real red-carpet pro — who also has her own automotive column in The Hollywood Reporter. Because who needs stereotypes?
Photo: Rob Latour/Rex USA
Known talents: Director, actress, fashion darling, car buff
Known collaborators: Michaela Watkins, boyfriend and tattooer Scott Campbell
Lake Bell isn't exactly a new face on the scene, but in recent years, the actress can't stay content with just, well, acting. Her directorial full-legnth debut titled In A World...tells the story of female voiceover artists, and has already elicited acclaim from the festival circuit and will be released later this year. On top of her already busy acting career, Bell is a real red-carpet pro — who also has her own automotive column in The Hollywood Reporter. Because who needs stereotypes?
Photo: Rob Latour/Rex USA
Greta Gerwig, 30
Known talents: Actress, playwright, director
Known collaborators: Boyfriend Noah Baumbach
Some have called the versatile Gerwig the "Meryl Streep of mumblecore," pointing at her penchant for hyper-real, awkward, and bumbling movies like Greenburg or Lola Versus. Gerwig, along with her boyfriend (and director) Noah Baumbach, just released Frances Ha this week, and while it tackles some of the post-college pangs of a particular HBO series, the movie is more of 2013's Ghost World than Girls. Gerwig has been touted as a rising star for quite some time, but as Baumbach's official muse, it's clear she's finally arisen.
Photo: Matt Baron/BEImages
Known talents: Actress, playwright, director
Known collaborators: Boyfriend Noah Baumbach
Some have called the versatile Gerwig the "Meryl Streep of mumblecore," pointing at her penchant for hyper-real, awkward, and bumbling movies like Greenburg or Lola Versus. Gerwig, along with her boyfriend (and director) Noah Baumbach, just released Frances Ha this week, and while it tackles some of the post-college pangs of a particular HBO series, the movie is more of 2013's Ghost World than Girls. Gerwig has been touted as a rising star for quite some time, but as Baumbach's official muse, it's clear she's finally arisen.
Photo: Matt Baron/BEImages
The French Revolution Gets Rid Of Frills
"The French Revolution," says Beth Dincuff, associate professor of fashion history at Parsons, "is a great place to start. Clothing, especially for women, gets so much simpler." The ostentatious show of wealth that characterized Marie Antoinette — and much of late 18th century France — was no longer in vogue. Less expensive fabrics like muslin became more accessible, and the ornate bodices of "salon-style" gowns were generally anti-revolutionary.
Nowhere was this shift away from the monarchy more visible in the sans-culottes movement, which literally meant "those without culottes," which were a fancy silk pant. The leftist sans-culottes stood for pro-labor, pro-equality ideals. Writes French historian Albert Soboul, "The sans-culottes often estimated a person's worth by external appearance, deducing character from costume and political convictions from character; everything that jarred their sense of equality was suspect of being 'aristocratic.'" Eek. And you thought wearing Crocs got you some serious looks...
Photo: Stapleton Collection/Corbis
"The French Revolution," says Beth Dincuff, associate professor of fashion history at Parsons, "is a great place to start. Clothing, especially for women, gets so much simpler." The ostentatious show of wealth that characterized Marie Antoinette — and much of late 18th century France — was no longer in vogue. Less expensive fabrics like muslin became more accessible, and the ornate bodices of "salon-style" gowns were generally anti-revolutionary.
Nowhere was this shift away from the monarchy more visible in the sans-culottes movement, which literally meant "those without culottes," which were a fancy silk pant. The leftist sans-culottes stood for pro-labor, pro-equality ideals. Writes French historian Albert Soboul, "The sans-culottes often estimated a person's worth by external appearance, deducing character from costume and political convictions from character; everything that jarred their sense of equality was suspect of being 'aristocratic.'" Eek. And you thought wearing Crocs got you some serious looks...
Photo: Stapleton Collection/Corbis
The Bloomer Takes Pants Public
There may be no part of the woman's body that has been so fiercely debated in Western society quite like the leg and what houses it. The bloomer was the first bifurcated garment for ladies, but it did more than just suggest that women craved less restrictive clothing; it also spoke to a desire women now had to "wear the pants," so to speak, in their own lives.
Named after 19th century women's rights advocate Amelia Bloomer, the long, tapered leg was often worn with a tunic or knee-length overcoat to allow for better movement. Writes Bloomer, "The costume of women should be suited to her wants and necessities. It should conduce at once to her health, comfort, and usefulness; and, while it should not fail also to conduce to her personal adornment, it should make that end of secondary importance."
The advent of the bloomer meant one thing for American and European women: They longed to be comfortable...and mobile.
Photo: CSU Archives / Everett Collection/ Rex USA
There may be no part of the woman's body that has been so fiercely debated in Western society quite like the leg and what houses it. The bloomer was the first bifurcated garment for ladies, but it did more than just suggest that women craved less restrictive clothing; it also spoke to a desire women now had to "wear the pants," so to speak, in their own lives.
Named after 19th century women's rights advocate Amelia Bloomer, the long, tapered leg was often worn with a tunic or knee-length overcoat to allow for better movement. Writes Bloomer, "The costume of women should be suited to her wants and necessities. It should conduce at once to her health, comfort, and usefulness; and, while it should not fail also to conduce to her personal adornment, it should make that end of secondary importance."
The advent of the bloomer meant one thing for American and European women: They longed to be comfortable...and mobile.
Photo: CSU Archives / Everett Collection/ Rex USA
The Rational Dress Society Makes Sense
The bloomer was just the start. Says Dincuff, "Women are looking at men and thinking about how much more comfortable they appear." Dincuff suggests that the bra-burning moment in the '60s has its historical precedent during the late 19th century's clothing reform. Nothing was more inhibited than the corset, and undergarment reform was one of the major parts of the "Rational Dress Society." Tight-lacing, hoop-skirts, and heavy skirts became unfashionable, as the Society aimed for "...all to be dressed healthily, comfortably, and beautifully, to seek what conduces to birth, comfort, and beauty in our dress as a duty to ourselves and each other."
Photo: Via Wikipedia
The bloomer was just the start. Says Dincuff, "Women are looking at men and thinking about how much more comfortable they appear." Dincuff suggests that the bra-burning moment in the '60s has its historical precedent during the late 19th century's clothing reform. Nothing was more inhibited than the corset, and undergarment reform was one of the major parts of the "Rational Dress Society." Tight-lacing, hoop-skirts, and heavy skirts became unfashionable, as the Society aimed for "...all to be dressed healthily, comfortably, and beautifully, to seek what conduces to birth, comfort, and beauty in our dress as a duty to ourselves and each other."
Photo: Via Wikipedia
Suffragettes: Original Fashion Activists
Here's a factoid that is still a bit shocking: 100 years ago, American women still didn't have the right to vote. It wasn't until 1919 that females were granted suffrage. The suffragette movement started in the early 20th century, and the way that women (often from the upper and middle classes) showed their unity was to wear coordinating colors. White, violet, and green became the classic hues of the early feminist movement — so much so that enterprising jewelers allowed women to show their pride by creating wildly popular "Suffragette jewelry" to send a message.
Photo: CSU Archives / Everett Collection/ Rex USA
Here's a factoid that is still a bit shocking: 100 years ago, American women still didn't have the right to vote. It wasn't until 1919 that females were granted suffrage. The suffragette movement started in the early 20th century, and the way that women (often from the upper and middle classes) showed their unity was to wear coordinating colors. White, violet, and green became the classic hues of the early feminist movement — so much so that enterprising jewelers allowed women to show their pride by creating wildly popular "Suffragette jewelry" to send a message.
Photo: CSU Archives / Everett Collection/ Rex USA
Zoot Suit Riots Make An Oversized Statement
Though it's the only men's trend on this list, the racial and class implications of the Zoot Suit Riots shouldn't be overlooked. In the midst of World War II, young Mexican Americans in the Los Angeles area were targeted by military servicemen who determined that the Zoot suit was unpatriotic. As Dincuff explains, "The Zoot suit used a lot of fabric, which was expensive during wartime, and is a super exaggerated fit. Sometimes the jacket goes down to the knee, which was a sign of wealth — and a lack of patriotism — when rationing was such a serious issue."
By wearing the suit, poor Mexican men were able to flout authority and send a message to a government they didn't feel invested in them. As Eleanor Roosevelt wrote, "The question goes deeper than just suits. It is a racial protest. I have been worried for a long time about the Mexican racial situation. It is a problem with roots going a long way back, and we do not always face these problems as we should."
Photo: Rex USA
Though it's the only men's trend on this list, the racial and class implications of the Zoot Suit Riots shouldn't be overlooked. In the midst of World War II, young Mexican Americans in the Los Angeles area were targeted by military servicemen who determined that the Zoot suit was unpatriotic. As Dincuff explains, "The Zoot suit used a lot of fabric, which was expensive during wartime, and is a super exaggerated fit. Sometimes the jacket goes down to the knee, which was a sign of wealth — and a lack of patriotism — when rationing was such a serious issue."
By wearing the suit, poor Mexican men were able to flout authority and send a message to a government they didn't feel invested in them. As Eleanor Roosevelt wrote, "The question goes deeper than just suits. It is a racial protest. I have been worried for a long time about the Mexican racial situation. It is a problem with roots going a long way back, and we do not always face these problems as we should."
Photo: Rex USA
Miniskirts Make A Major Statement
We had a toss-up between the "bra-burning" and the rise of the hemline, both in the late '60s, but Dincuff made an interesting point: "There was the idea of getting rid of confining undergarments for women for some time now. The rise of the hemline was really revolutionary." Created by London's Mary Quant and named after her favorite car, the miniskirt didn't just symbolize a rejection of the "socially appropriate" but, along with birth control and rise of divorce rates, a sexual shift (as shown in the above still from the Antonioni film Blow-Up).
Perhaps the most famous wearer of the miniskirt was Gloria Steinem, who helped popularize the item as a feminist tool. Wrote fellow feminist Germaine Greer: "The women kept on dancing while their long skirts crept up, and their girdles dissolved, and their nipples burst through like hyacinth tips and their clothes withered away to the mere wisps and ghosts of draperies to adorn and glorify..."
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Rex USA
We had a toss-up between the "bra-burning" and the rise of the hemline, both in the late '60s, but Dincuff made an interesting point: "There was the idea of getting rid of confining undergarments for women for some time now. The rise of the hemline was really revolutionary." Created by London's Mary Quant and named after her favorite car, the miniskirt didn't just symbolize a rejection of the "socially appropriate" but, along with birth control and rise of divorce rates, a sexual shift (as shown in the above still from the Antonioni film Blow-Up).
Perhaps the most famous wearer of the miniskirt was Gloria Steinem, who helped popularize the item as a feminist tool. Wrote fellow feminist Germaine Greer: "The women kept on dancing while their long skirts crept up, and their girdles dissolved, and their nipples burst through like hyacinth tips and their clothes withered away to the mere wisps and ghosts of draperies to adorn and glorify..."
Photo: Moviestore Collection/Rex/Rex USA
Anarchy In The U.K.
The everlasting effect of punk in fashion is the theme of this year's MET Gala, and for good reason: The advent of punk was the first time fashion, societal anxiety, and music all coalesced on such an international scale. The March 25 issue of the New Yorker quotes Andrew Bolton, the MET curator who is behind the upcoming exhibit, saying, "Punk in London was music-based, but it quickly became a political, class-conscious thing."
In his seminal book on subculture, theorist Dick Hebdidge points out a similar reason youths embraced the denim in the '50s. By taking middle-class clothes, like ties, denim, work shirts, and vests, and aggressively destroying with holes, pins, and chains, punks were defying '70s Thatcherite blue-collar norms. Says Bolton, "It was a very depressed time in London, and working-class kids were acting out the realities of being on the dole. The battle cry of the Sex Pistols was 'No future — no future for you and no future for me.'" While no formal revolution took place, music and style helped send a disruptive worldwide message.
Photo: Feri Lukas/Rex USA
The everlasting effect of punk in fashion is the theme of this year's MET Gala, and for good reason: The advent of punk was the first time fashion, societal anxiety, and music all coalesced on such an international scale. The March 25 issue of the New Yorker quotes Andrew Bolton, the MET curator who is behind the upcoming exhibit, saying, "Punk in London was music-based, but it quickly became a political, class-conscious thing."
In his seminal book on subculture, theorist Dick Hebdidge points out a similar reason youths embraced the denim in the '50s. By taking middle-class clothes, like ties, denim, work shirts, and vests, and aggressively destroying with holes, pins, and chains, punks were defying '70s Thatcherite blue-collar norms. Says Bolton, "It was a very depressed time in London, and working-class kids were acting out the realities of being on the dole. The battle cry of the Sex Pistols was 'No future — no future for you and no future for me.'" While no formal revolution took place, music and style helped send a disruptive worldwide message.
Photo: Feri Lukas/Rex USA
Jennifer Lawrence, written by Jodie Foster
"You’ll remember where you were when you first felt it, how you were stuck to one spot like a small animal considering its end. The Jennifer Lawrence Stare. It cuts a searing swath in your gut. A reckoning. I remember going to the cutting rooms of Winter’s Bone. I thought, Sure, this girl can act. But, man, this girl can also just be."
Photo: Mark Seliger for Time
"You’ll remember where you were when you first felt it, how you were stuck to one spot like a small animal considering its end. The Jennifer Lawrence Stare. It cuts a searing swath in your gut. A reckoning. I remember going to the cutting rooms of Winter’s Bone. I thought, Sure, this girl can act. But, man, this girl can also just be."
Photo: Mark Seliger for Time
Michael Kors, written by Zac Posen
"He’s larger than life, a ball of energy and so warm and personable. It’s his love of people, life, and culture that exudes in his fashion globally. Michael takes the wonderful heritage of American sportswear into the future, translating it internationally for every woman and man who wants to be a part of the American Dream."
Photo: Ryan Pfluger for Time
"He’s larger than life, a ball of energy and so warm and personable. It’s his love of people, life, and culture that exudes in his fashion globally. Michael takes the wonderful heritage of American sportswear into the future, translating it internationally for every woman and man who wants to be a part of the American Dream."
Photo: Ryan Pfluger for Time
Lena Dunham, written by Claire Danes
"Like all great comics, she has a joke ready to deflect any jeer. Hannah’s pathetic declaration that she could at least be 'a voice of a generation' invites and thwarts many a poisoned arrow. Lena’s true power, though, lies in her transparency. She is unflinchingly, unnervingly honest."
Photo: Via Time/Getty Images
"Like all great comics, she has a joke ready to deflect any jeer. Hannah’s pathetic declaration that she could at least be 'a voice of a generation' invites and thwarts many a poisoned arrow. Lena’s true power, though, lies in her transparency. She is unflinchingly, unnervingly honest."
Photo: Via Time/Getty Images
Tadashi Yanai, written by Celia Birtwell
"Yanai is clearly an inspirational leader, and Uniqlo is a tribute to him and his management style, which is so rarely seen in a large corporation. He allows his team to be confident enough to let the designers feel free to show their personality, and he is intent on producing good products, at the right price, that people want."
Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images For Time
"Yanai is clearly an inspirational leader, and Uniqlo is a tribute to him and his management style, which is so rarely seen in a large corporation. He allows his team to be confident enough to let the designers feel free to show their personality, and he is intent on producing good products, at the right price, that people want."
Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images For Time
Jenna Lyons, written by Prabal Gurung
"She’s allowed mothers and daughters to dress with the same kind of attitude. I buy J.Crew, my mom does, my sister does, my niece and nephew do. She understands our zeitgeist. Being fashionable doesn’t mean being trendy; it means having a sense of style. Jenna has made J.Crew more than a brand or a company — it’s a philosophy that believes in style."
Photo: Peter Hapak for Time
"She’s allowed mothers and daughters to dress with the same kind of attitude. I buy J.Crew, my mom does, my sister does, my niece and nephew do. She understands our zeitgeist. Being fashionable doesn’t mean being trendy; it means having a sense of style. Jenna has made J.Crew more than a brand or a company — it’s a philosophy that believes in style."
Photo: Peter Hapak for Time
Michelle Obama, written by Maya Angelou
"The philosophers tell us that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Mrs. Obama is as if it doesn’t touch her. She hasn’t tried to become anybody else’s idea of the First Lady. She has remained herself, with her grace, her gentleness and her sense of humor. That she would dare to wear clothes off the rack. Or go out and garden. Or have a grandmother in the White House. She knows how to be a public creature without being separate from her family."
Photo: Illustration by David Despau for Time
"The philosophers tell us that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Mrs. Obama is as if it doesn’t touch her. She hasn’t tried to become anybody else’s idea of the First Lady. She has remained herself, with her grace, her gentleness and her sense of humor. That she would dare to wear clothes off the rack. Or go out and garden. Or have a grandmother in the White House. She knows how to be a public creature without being separate from her family."
Photo: Illustration by David Despau for Time
Nina Johnson-Milewski, Owner/Director, Gallery Diet
In three words, your personal style is…
“Fun, sarcastic, and eclectic.”
Finish this sentence: In all things art and fashion, style is…
“Necessary.”
In three words, your personal style is…
“Fun, sarcastic, and eclectic.”
Finish this sentence: In all things art and fashion, style is…
“Necessary.”
Laura Sheridan, Director, Canvassed
Finish this sentence: If you could wear one item every day it would be…
“A scarf and a smile. Either item always enhances an outfit!”
In what ways has art helped shape your own aesthetic and style?
“Because Miami is a go-with-the-flow kind of city and the art world is equally lax, I get to play around with my wardrobe. In an effort to keep things equally professional and artsy, I often match blazers with feminine blouses and wedges with fun, printed dresses. Anytime I can add a scarf, I do! Scarves have a magically whimsical way of spicing up any outfit. I also like to play with nail polish and my curly hair.”
Finish this sentence: If you could wear one item every day it would be…
“A scarf and a smile. Either item always enhances an outfit!”
In what ways has art helped shape your own aesthetic and style?
“Because Miami is a go-with-the-flow kind of city and the art world is equally lax, I get to play around with my wardrobe. In an effort to keep things equally professional and artsy, I often match blazers with feminine blouses and wedges with fun, printed dresses. Anytime I can add a scarf, I do! Scarves have a magically whimsical way of spicing up any outfit. I also like to play with nail polish and my curly hair.”
in NYC