The key to style is the unexpected. This was a tip conveyed to me offhandedly by a college friend, whom i shall call, B. "Someone has to wear things that make you think, 'Well I never!' and that," B. said matter-of-factly, "is good style!" B. for example, was an expert in this field, and I, a child of the suburban midwest, spirit broken by years of shopping malls, had much to learn.
I can still see her leaning her red head back against the railing of our porch and when she lifted her arm, I noticed how nicely her red underarm hair complemented her peacock feather earrings. Underarm hair as a fashion accessory.
In spring of 2003, as we were graduating and preparing to launch ourselves into the real world, there was a red and white velour romper from H n'M, worn for days in a row, proof indeed that H n'M is often ahead of its time. B. was rocking the romper in 2003. Now, after two summers of rompers, they are just beginning to wane. (And oh the number of people who can pull of a ROMPER, is, to be generous, 2 in 10? Maybe?)
I remember waiting around in thrift stores while she tried on and purchased items which were downright ugly. And she knew they were and because she was so beautiful, with the kind of alabaster skin and red ringlets and effortlessly slim (and I do mean "effortlessly"), she played, as beautiful people can do, a kind of double dare with the beholder. It looks great doesn't it? said her tapered pants and large glasses, long before the Sartorialist was photographing big glasses and tapered pants. And you to admit it did.
The key of course is that you have to be very pretty in a conventional way achieve the irony that is essential in good style. Style isn't any more democratic than beauty.
Someone less likely to work in fashion than B., I cannot imagine. But I can't think of anyone who had better style.
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