Style Muse: Edie Sedgwick

On a recent trip to New York City I indulged my second biggest shopping vice (after jewelry, of course) and stopped by The Strand Bookstore to pick up some New York-themed reading material. Included in my haul was a book about Andy Warhol and his 1960s studio, The Factory.

A bit later, while I was revisiting photos from Fall Fashion Week, I was struck by how many collections, including Dolce and Gabbana, used the 1960s as inspiration for their designs. I loved the looks, but wasn’t sure how to make them work for me. Then I pulled my copy of Popism: The Warhol Sixties off my bookshelf and inspiration struck. The stars were aligned – my style muse for this season is Edie Sedgwick.

Edie Sedgwick was an heiress, model, actress, and muse for artists of all stripes, including Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, and the Velvet Underground. Her distinctive style epitomized 1960s mod, and it is surprisingly easy to replicate with just a few simple pieces.

Must-have clothing items include: black leggings or opaque tights, striped sweaters, a minidress or miniskirt, ballet flats, and, of course, a leotard or two. Mix and match to your heart’s content! The look is effortless, but chic. But to really emulate Edie, the devil is in the details.

One of the most distinctive things about Edie Sedgwick’s It-Girl style was her love of makeup and accessories. Dark eye makeup, floppy hats, and short platinum blonde hair were all hallmarks of her look that many others went on to copy. A signature jewelry look for Edie was structured collar-style necklaces as well as loops of chain and pearls to create texture against her streamlined, mod ensembles. This necklace from our Antique Button collection can be styled into the perfect Edie-inspired necklace.

If there was one accessory that Edie was know for, though, it was her huge “shoulder-duster” earrings, which were even more dramatic with her cropped hairstyle. I love this pair of chainmail earrings from the AJ Covington collection for my Edie look: a big statement, but still totally wearable for everyday.

I can’t wait to try out my new look! Who is your style muse this season?

--Helene