Inspiration for replacing 'rock chic' with a more polished look

[lizaliza]

Not sure if I can create this thread, but i'll give it a go..

"Rock Chic"

Yes, I loved it when it was new, exciting, edgy.. it was different, casual, the "i just woke up and still look this great" look but now? I'm bored.

Take a look on the highstreet and that's all you see.. people trying to be different to the point where everyone looks the same.

What happened to the glamorous women and men? What happened to polished hair, nail varnish that ISN'T chipped, heels that aren't scuffed?

I need re-inspiring and I'm struggling to find images of men and women on the streets, and celebrities with that old school glamour, or just their own polished sense of style.

Can anyone help post some images they have?

Here's a few I have.. they're pretty much all of the same people!






Gracias xoxo
www.twitter.com/lizarocks

 

[The_Ida]

I get what you're saying...but is Heidi Montag's style something to aspire to?

 

[carte_postale]

you should visit Chloë Sevigny thread. She isn't rock-chic at all.

 

[lizaliza]

No, not her style, her style is horrific. I just like that particular image..

 

[papa_levante]

Rock chic is annoying me as well. Everyone wears their leggings. Everyone wears their Ray Bans, some sort of flannel, maybe a Fedora... it's annoying and becoming more and more unoriginal.

 

[Desi]

maybe this "Rock" looks means something different to women then it does to men? I love the Rock look that goes on with the John Varvatos Star USA lines. Very well put together without being so campy. Sometimes the mainline show gets it down but often it falls a little flat. I wish I could find more pictures of his Star USA show but they are impossible to find.

 

[iSpot]

or the Balmain hype... I first loved the look (Paris Vogue) but, yeah

 

[masha-m]

This has been my favourite anti rock-chic image

Garance Doré

Also check out the threads on Giovanna Battaglia and Anna Dello Russo. Those two are like the definition of polished

 

[emma peel]

fedoras, leggings, flannels... they are annoying i agree.

but i like fashion originality that isn't the same old birkin bag, sky high heels, blowout ladies who lunch rich girl look. you can't walk in that look, and it's very class-ist in the sense that it costs beaucoup bucks to attain and maintain

that said, i think the ray bans, long center parted hair and low slung pants on the gorg girl above are pretty hipster/rocker.

 

[papa_levante]

Those are such "dangerous" colors, and that girl is pulling it off beautifully

 

[masha-m]

Well said, emma. That "too rich to work" look is also pretty boring and allows even less innovation than "rock chic".

Also, if you want inspiration that's a bit left of field, check out Sea Of Shoes's blog as well. Her style is a little wacky and doesn't subscribe to any style-direction dogmatically.

 

[Sea Of Love]

I absolutely love the rock chic look. I love that they look naturally amazing and it sure beats the contrived look 'polished' people go for these days. It seems like people are either one or the other there is no middle ground.
that woman in the photo that you posted walking out of the airport is anything but classic..... she has a load of Louis Vuitton luggage, a birkin, a gucci baby bag and she is pushing her kid in a Burberry pram. I want to scream at her 'I get it you're rich'

All of this being said, I think I love this look because I can never achieve it. I tend to morph more towards the classic feminine look as much as I don't like to. The problem I see with this glamour look is that it is VERY easy to get wrong and just look pretentious. For example say you were to see a woman with perfect makeup, beautiful hair (not in big waves that she had to get up at 4am to achieve), expensive jewellery and subtle black clothing.... this is what I personally would refer to as the glamorous look. The look that I detest to along the same lines are the type of people you see If you were to spend say 5 minutes on a forum that is....um.....purse focused shall we say owning every Birkin that comes out does not make you stylish or chic. And it comes down to the old saying money don't buy class.

One thing I have noted is that you won't find a celebrity (especially in LA) with this style. They are all to trend and designer focused. Either that or they spend the day in Uggs and trackies. You would have to look more towards the streetstyle blogs like Jak & Jil, Garance or the sartorialist because the people that dress in this old world glamour style are either
1. Fashion people
2 New York socialites
the celeb crowd that try and go in this direction end up looking like Victoria Beckham

oh and no fake tans.

 

[m.j.]

i just love rock chic...but u cant discuss taste, so i understand people who dont like it or dont get it

 

[fashionista-ta]

lizaliza, please credit your images ...

 

[The_Ida]

Just because you're tired of rock chic doesn't mean that you have to go totally overboard in stuffiness, does it? I personally hate the NY socialite look. I think they look fake, stupid and contrived.

A great alternative is Chloé around SS06-SS07 (for me personally). I think those collections are timeless. They're not all cute baby doll dresses, I think they have something relaxed cool/feminine about them without being stuffy. I also love that none of it fits tight and everything can be worn with flats. Of course Chloé now isn't what it used to be, but Maje, Vanessa Bruno, A.P.C. and Paul & Joe has a similar feel about it (at 1/4 of the price). And some other French brands too, I'm sure. Is it glamorous? No. Is it rock chic? No. Problem solved

I don't think that there are only two sides to fashion - rock chic or, eh, glam. I think there are a lot of things totally uninspired by those two. I guess I pretty much stick to what I've always been doing, and rock chic and glamour has nothing to do with it.

 

[ediewho]

I think theres like a big misunderstanding about being a rock chick... ask them about music that is what defines a rock chick... not just the look HONESTLY ... Im a rock chick and i wont ever stop being it since i was a child and ive always been inspired about musicians I did like while dressing... And not like cool... but about feeling well inside the clothes im in... if that has become a tendency it's the same old silly thing about a 90s revival... when that aint 90s at all... if you dont dirt and crash your own clothes its just a joking matter by my honest opinion... again just one opinion...
ive been wearing leggings since a kiddo..when i had like gym ones and cut them or remade them... eventually they crash of my crazy going outs...then you couldnt buy them at Zara shops for example... i remember some Asian press girls took a pic of my look in a festival music in 2002 cause i was totally not wearing on fashion with black leggings, white mini skirt and a green tank top and some glasses i got from a random place who were awfully bigger in my face for those days hahaha... i should find a picture from that outfit...
But then one day some of my average clothes were at regular shops... Again you can pretend being many things while wearing clothes but if you wear classic and you dont have manners your clothes wouldn't be enough and if you wear so rock or punk but you dont have any minimal music background... As soon as people start talking you would be lost sooo... people can play with fashion ideas but never forget who they are if not its just like a carnival dressing sort of... nope?

 

[lafindesiecle]

I'm personally pretty firmly grounded in the chipped black nailpolish and leather jackets land as I've more or less been there my whole life, but I don't think it's like there's some spectrum of 'glamour' and 'rock'....

I agree about APC, and similar brands -- I think that very simple, casual, clean-lined French androgyne look can be very well put together without looking like "I'm tottering around on a pair of Manolo stilettos with a LV bag to show off how rich I am, and/or I am wearing terrible knockoffs of these things from Forever 21."

Plus I would argue against this as an overwhelming trend anyhow -- I feel that parallel to the whole grungy 90s rock, 80s glamour, and 70s hippie trends, there's a HUGE Mad Men and 19th century Victorian type influences all over in street fashion, and I think going with those sorts of timeless 40s-50s-60s styles always looks chic and put-together. Has anyone ever looked bad in a pair of well-fitting black ankle cigarette pants, a black ballet flat, and a white silk blouse? Or a high-neck lacy blouse, high-waisted brown tweed skirt, tights and some solid pumps? Unfussy and easy but always looks impeccably 'neat.'

 

[The_Ida]

Has anyone ever looked bad in a pair of well-fitting black ankle cigarette pants, a black ballet flat, and a white silk blouse? Or a high-neck lacy blouse, high-waisted brown tweed skirt, tights and some solid pumps? Unfussy and easy but always looks impeccably 'neat.'

*raises hand*

I would personally not wear that because it's wayyyy to dressy for me, but props to everyone who does! You're so right, it isn't that hard looking put-together without going overboard in logos, bows, accessories etc.

 

[PinkPrincess113]

I don't think we necessarily have to replace rock chic with a polished look but I get what you're saying. It's not my style to look unpolished, etc because people don't take me seriously that way. I think the way you dress is how people perceive you and sometimes people dress the way they want to be treated. Other times it's just how people want to express themselves.

I love Olivia's looks.. all of them, and I admire her style. Although you can't "walk" in them I think that's the point. She looks elegant, classy, sophisticated. I really like that look. I also LOVE her casual looks.. anyway I guess this belongs in the Olivia Thread, haha.

 

[ediewho]

Then is not rock...