Can a Look Be Too Unique?

Before her makeover, Ms. Winehouse didn't stand 
out from the crowd. Her Back To Black look 
is almost iconic.
I happen to love Amy Winehouse, which may be helped by the fact that I could not possibly care less about a celebrity's personal life. She has a voice with a wide range that's tinged by her addictions and makes her one of the best artists on the radio. Amy's personal styling is also quite fabulous. What better why to instantly communicate her love of jazz and blues than with a beehive and winged eyeliner?

But that's the problem. Salons are being flooded with requests for beehives. I recently saw a teenage girl walking through my suburban, Midwestern mall with heavy, winged eyeliner and fake flowers tacked to her pile of hair. All this tells me is people like Amy Winehouse. And since it's her look they're copping, they look desperate to me. Desperate to be associated with someone famous. Desperate to be noticed.

Yet fashion's latest muse is releasing her own line of clothes and beauty products. This shouldn't surprise me. As much as I want fashion to purely be about art and self-expression, it's also about money. Imitation is money in the bank. After all, how successful would the house of Chanel be if Coco Chanel hadn't been a magnetic personality with a unique yet imitable look?

Is there a celebrity whose look is so unique you don't want to try it for fear people will call you a groupie? Do you have a friend with such a distinct style, you avoid it's elements all together?


Comments

becca said…
I love over the top looks, but I don't want to copy them. However, it is fun to find inspiration in them like an understated bouffant and some winged eyeliner (but not as thick) worn to a party could be really cute.

I wouldn't try the whole look though.

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