Glamorous Eccentric: Gwen Stefani

I thought I would start off with an easy one: Gwen Stefani. Gwen Stefani came onto the fashion scene with the acclaim of her band No Doubt's third studio album: Tragic Kingdom. Her astonishing beauty and deep Southern California style was a breath of fresh air to the rock community, let alone the fashion community. With a penchant for the pin-up styles of Vargas, Gwen Stephani did her own hair, makeup and wardrobe for her shows for years. Here is what I could find of her original style:




I heard in an interview once that the bindi she wore was a direct influence on her by her ex boyfriend and bandmate Tony Kanal's mother who was Indian and wore one. Gwen thought it was so funny that the bindi caught on like wildfire, and became a fashion statement.

As Gwen got more famous and had more money, she started to delve into higher fashion, though usually with a vintage flair:




But it wasn't until she released her first solo album that she went a little kookoo. Using the Harajuku girls of Japan as inspiration, she began to wear crazy outfits that were a little bit Heidi, a little bit vaudville and a lot of haute couture.




In the past few years her crazy has become more subtle and she seems to be exploring her roots again. This could be due to running after two toddler boys, or it could be because she is back on tour with No Doubt. Either way, Gwen looks amazing when out on town running errands or playing with her boys.



Gwen Stefani inspired me, as a mother, to try and glam myself up a bit. I was pregnant around the same time as her and I thought she always looked so put together and stylish while lugging around her giant belly. I admired that she put the effort into something I could barely deal with.

I would also like to point out Gwen's makeup and hair. Like I mentioned earlier, Gwen did all of her own hair and makeup for years, and I imagine she still does it often. She is rarely without her signature red lips, and she comes up with hair frivolity the likes of which I have never seen before her, but often copy after.

What I love the most about Gwen Stefani is her dedication to fashion and the fact that she dances to the beat of her own drummer. She got a lot of crap for her Harajuku outfits, but that is what was inspiring her at the time and that is what she wanted to wear. Don't get me wrong- I HATED her style during her solo albums, but I admired her for not listening to the haters and wearing what she felt comfortable in.