I have to confess to generally not paying much attention to the world of music.
Occasionally a single will grab my attention and I’ll download it on iTunes, I like to listen to some big band swing or something like the Andrews Sisters and I’m partial to a bit of mid 90s grunge and indie or a bit of rock occasionally. I’m not much of a consumer of music so Paloma Faith passed me by a little, right up till I fell in love with her a bit when she appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in Autumn of last year.
She was wearing a little yellow pill box hat atop the most AMAZING hair and a jacket covered in pom poms. And she was funny. Funny, and a little bit odd.
This, I thought, is a girl that knows about dressing up. She’s got that retro vintage twist, but she knows that the advantage of being a modern girl is that you can wear what you want, mix your decades, or go out in a leopard print leotard.
Her outfits are sometimes pure quirky fun, sometimes a mix, and sometimes pure vintage glamour, but she always dresses like she’s having fun. Speaking as a girl who seems incapable of wearing jeans and a t shirt without unconciously trying to create a “theme” I appreciate this urge towards fancy dress in others.
This is one of my favourite photos. I love the ladylike goth feel. The outfit has a futuristic feel in the pattern on the top, but overall it feels retro, but dark and mysterious.
But, like all my style icons, Paloma Faith is no mere fashion plate. She’s got an MA from Leeds University, an amazing singing voice, and she says things like “…And I get disappointed with people of my generation, because I think there’s a culture of numbness; of getting completely smashed the whole time, and not thinking about anything.”
She’s a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, a little bit retro queen, and very much her own person. Plus, I love the quirky, deco, theatrical feel of her website.
So, for a love of dressing up, Paloma Faith gets the almost imeasurable honour of joining the ranks of the Retro Chick Style Icons
Comments
13 responses to “Retro Chick Style Icon – Paloma Faith”
I agree. She looks incredible and works her own weirdness brilliantly. Someone with an actual brain in the music industry has got to be applauded, haven’t they?
I think I’m like you with music- most of it completely passes me by! I adore swing and the Andrews Sisters too, but also have a fair few musical soundtracks.
But out of the two modern CDs I’ve bought in the past few months, OK it might have been a couple of years since I did before thinking about it, Paloma’s was one of them.
I’m not saying I’d wear a some of the things she does but I also adore others, I have to very much admire her style.
Florrie x
Yes, Paloma is definitely not about blending in or being subtle. My favourite outfit is the one with a hat – so glamorous! She is one of those people who are not afaraid to express themselves and in her case it is obvious that she does it for her own pleasure in the first place.
I agree with the comment about her generation too, so many people are so scared of failure that they are even afraid to dream.
Thank you for your welcoming comment Gemma!
I love her style. That pom pom thing she was wearing on buzzcokcs was seriously amazing! It was also the first time I became awre of her. Though I find her music terminally boring and she’s not the brightest person in the world, is she. Or maybe she’s putting the whole OTT ditzy thing on, which is almost worse.
She is awesome! I love that pom pom getup!
I adore her, she’s so beautiful and her music is breathtaking! I’m also in love with her red hair <3
Noel Fielding is so adorable in the first picture, I'm a fan 🙂
Yikes! I have no idea who she is! (I’m completely missing out across the pond). But I’m totally looking her up now. She’s Adorable and OMG, her eyebrows are TO…DIE…FOR!
I’ve heard of her and have to admit that she looks great. Her style is so unique, that it looks amazing.
She restores my faith that this market-researched, focused-grouped world can still produce something mad and glorious. And what about that name? She’s adorable in every way.
I had not heard of her before. I love all her shoesies, though!
I adore everything about Paloma Faith.. from her quirky pop to her style, she is totally ace.. LOVE that photo of her with Noel Fielding. What a babe fest!
I blogged about her. I love her so much, it’s all very effortless. 🙂
http://illbefrancoise.blogspot.com/2010/05/play-on-play-on-play-on.html
I just discovered Paloma Faith a few weeks ago. I have been trying desperately to get my hands on her music, but sadly I cannot find a single CD here in the States. *sigh* Why does everything I want have to be across the pond?
I adore her style.
Cheers!
Rebecca Jean
Midnight Maniac