A Unique Individual: Johnny Depp (Part I)

John Christopher “Johnny” Depp II, born on the 9th June 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky America, is the youngest of four children (Bingham 2005). Johnny Depp is one of the most talented actors of his generation. Despite his good looks, he hardly chooses glamorous roles (Bingham 2005), but instead Johnny has played “an incredible eclectic array of tongue-tied misfits, sensitive outsiders and eccentric renegades” (Johnstone 2006, 6).

While growing up Johnny was fascinated by old films about the Second World War and stuntman Evil Knievel, who represented a recklessness and danger that intrigued Johnny (Johnstone 2006). Other individual daredevils that also appeal to Johnny later in his life are writer Hunter S. Thompson, author of The Rum Diary and guitarist Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones (Johnstone 2006). By the age of fifteen, Johnny has lived in approximately 20 different places and in order to deal with the lack of stability, he developed a fantasy world which he could escape into (Johnstone 2006).

Johnny’s first love is music and has formed his first of many bands at the age of thirteen, which they called themselves Flame (Johnstone 2006). Johnny was exposed to live music and instruments throughout his childhood by his uncle, who was a Baptist minister and ran a gospel group (Johnstone 2006). 

At the age of twelve, his mother bought him an electric guitar, which he then spent hours, locked in bedroom playing (Bingham 2005). He taught himself to play by listening to records and jamming along to music from Aerosmith’s “Season of Wither” or albums by Alice Cooper and Kiss (Johnstone 2006). Johnny also listened to soundtracks albums A Clockwork Orange, Last Tango In Paris, albums by Bob Dylan and classical music by composers such as Brahms and Mozart (Johnstone 2006). His earlier influence also included the famous punk band Sex Pistols and U2, who was part of the “New Wave” music movement, and Iggy Pop (Bingham 2005 and Johnstone 2006). 

Johnny dropped out of high school at sixteen in 1979 and concentrated on writing songs and becoming a rock star (Bingham 2005 and Johnstone 2006). In 1983 Johnny married his first love and wife Lori Ann Allison and moved to Los Angeles hoping to make it big with The Kids, a band he later joined (Johnstone 2006). Life in LA was a struggle, the band was not doing well and in order to make ends meet and pay rent Johnny took a succession of low- paid jobs (Johnstone 2006). In 1984 prior to their divorce Lori Ann Allison introduced Johnny to her friend Nicolas Cage (Johnstone 2006). It was a meeting that has changed the course of Johnny’s life and entered him into the world of acting (Bingham 2005 and Johnstone 2006).

 To be continued...

RULE 3: Celebrate your individuality.

“Fashion is a form of self expression,” says Melinda Janian, designer and co-founder of Melinda & Narina. Whether through a vintage brooch or quirky print, inject a little bit of yourself into every outfit.

RULE 4: Be Confident.

Never, ever wear anything that you don't feel comfortable in. "It doesn't matter how much money you spend, if you lack confidence, your outfit loses its appeal," says Veronique Xavier, head buyer and designer for Wanted Shoes.  

Get Creative

Wear a nightgown that is not sheer or too short that will show your underwear. Add a belt, a necklace and a cropped jacket, or vest, to take the nightgown out of its bedroom role.

Or

Tuck the shirt that is usually reserved for work into a pair of high-waisted jeans or as shown above in the picture of Grace Kelly in a pair of three quarter jeans and add a scarf for a bit of colour and personality.

Or

Combine your one piece swimsuit with a skirt, or shorts, and a belt for a business or casual look. However, be aware that going to the bathroom could be a bit problematic with a one piece bather.   



 

Original Images of Model and Tees are from Shop Til You Drop May 2008               



Plain t-shirts are simple and comfortable. It is also a blank canvas for you to add your personality and creativity into your clothes through accessories, a scarf, a vest, pictures or a tie. The style can be casual with just a pair of jeans or smart casual plus a jacket over the t-shirt. Either way, t-shirts are awesome!                          

Rule 1: Get back to basics.

Neutral tees and black pants are a good base for your closet to grow from.

Rule 2: Get Creative.

Let your clothes live outside of their designated roles. For eg., turn your work shirt into a casual weekend wear or your night gown into an evening outfit.

Let us know what’s your uptake on these first two rules?

 

'30 of the Best Style Rules'

On Monday the 28^th of September 2009 I came across this “30 of the best...Style Rules” on http://www.30daysoffashionandbeauty.com.au. To me, this 30 tips and rules really do sum up all you need to know about being your own fashion stylist. The rules and advices are from experts and people who work in the fashion and beauty industry. I have created collages around the 30 Rules and added my spin on it. A majority of the images in the collages are cut from numerous fashion magazines.

30 Days of Fashion and Beauty is an annual event in Australia that occurs throughout September. It celebrates all things fashion and beauty including designs from up and coming Australian fashion designers.

Fashion and Style                    

Fashion, according to the Macmillan English Dictionary, is “the activity or business that involves styles of clothes and people’s appearance” and style in this context is the way we dress. Fashion can be sexy, glamorous, mysterious, confident, graceful, empowering and allows us to express our individuality. It also has history, which gives us a small glimpse of the events of its time.  

In 1966 when Yves Saint Laurent launches his famous and fashion phenomenon the “Le Smoking”, tuxedos for women, it created controversy but empowered women and offered them the choice to wear a suit that was normally exclusive to men with influence and power (Baker 1995 and White 1995). The tuxedo was then revived in 1981 (White 1995) and recently in YSL’s 2011 Fall/Winter collection.

The romantic and historic time of Jane Austen where fashion consists of “organdie ruffles, silk flowers and the empire line” (Johnson 1996, 17) and equates to a sense of opulence (Johnson 1996). Or the decadence designs of the twenties where style was bohemia and eveningwear “catches the scent of silent movies and opium dens” (Johnson 1996).

The 18th century romanticism and lavish rococo design of Marie Antoinette’s time and pre- revolutionary Paris, where gowns were made from layers and layers of pastel fabrics, ruffled lace, bold patterns, embellishments and beading (Huckbody, 2006).

Fashion comes in many combinations, structures and designs and like designer Paloma Picasso said “It’s very important to use fashion only as it serves you and not to become a slave of fashion”. And Nicole Chavez, stylist to celebrity such as Rachel Bilson and Scarlett Johansson, “Bring your personality into your clothes and have [your wardrobe] be an extension of who you are”. 

 

Reference List:

• Baker, K. U. 1995. Evening Star. Vogue, May
• White, L. 1995. The Saint returns. Vogue, May
• Johnson, A. 1996. Scene stealing. Vogue Australia, November
• Huckbody, J. 2006. The New Rococo. Harper’s Bazaar Australia, December