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Most elegant/stylish person.

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As a sideline to the fashion question in the 'clothes' archive I'd like to know which people you regard as having that trickiest of virutes, 'style'. ie. which person (that we will have heard of) has the most elegance and fashion sense.

To begin, I'll say Leonard Cohen (I'll try not to mention him again, but it's hard - I'm having an obsession at the moment); Tom Waits, though he's not what you could describe as dignified, he does have a strange aura of stylishness about him; Nick Cave; the early incarnation of Suede before Brett dyed his hair blonde and professed undying love for Oxide and Neutrino *shudder*; The Tindersticks; Luke Haines has it, despite being balding and mean of face (I think it's his utter snideness and cynicism that do it for me); Jarvis Cocker has it (erm, lets forget that appearance on the Ali G show, shall we?); and I'm pretty sure Stephen Meritt has it, though I've not actually sure what he looks like.

Basically, my idea of having style is to a) involve a suit, b) involve cigarettes, c) be in black and white, and d) have a pretentious air with a smattering of cynicism.

You?

― Ian, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

David Sylvian circa Tin Drum, Neil Codling during the Coming Up days, Bowie as the Thin White Duke, Patti Smith in 1977 in that white shirt/black tie combination, Siouxsie Sioux on the cover of Superstition, Prince on the cover of Purple Rain. And most of what you said above.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/6ths_stephin.jpg

― turner, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Audrey Hepburn. Albert Camus. Richey Edwards.

― Justyn Dillingham, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Turner, is that picture genuine? Despite not being particularly handsome, he *is* the epitome of 'my' style. I'm genuinely shocked. I think it's time to listen to 'The Desperate Things You Made Me Do' on repeat for a few hours again..

And also, how could I forget Patti Smith on the cover of Horses. I also feel I should mess up my 'style theory' by adding Keith Richards from the Exile On Main St. era (hey, he still had cigarettes... and that Cocksucker Blues film is in black and wh..blue). Jagger around Sympathy For The Devil time. Iggy looked quite beautiful in his silver-trousered Raw Power phase. The Velvet Underground had it (excluding little Mo and dastardly Doug), but Lou lost it massively after Berlin. Also, Richard Hell usually looked quite beautiful. Shame he couldn't write more than one decent song. Oh, and Polly Jean Harvey's new look is really quite stunning, that fringe.... And Nico also deserves a special mention.

I should really add people other than musicians...

― Ian, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's the real McCoy. I sorta picked out one of the goofier ones though.

― turner, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Quentin Crisp, Lux & Ivy from the Cramps, Neil & Jennifer from Royal Trux, Robert Forster, Leigh Bowery.

― Arthur, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Homepride dude. Bowler hats rock.

― Jonnie, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

belmondo is the epitomy of style. the way he drags his thumb accross his lips in 'a bout de souffle'.

― Ed, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Most Stylish: Oswald Bosteng

Most sexy: Mathieu Kassovitz

Most appealing: Mark Thomas

Most cool: Jarvis Cocker

Strange but true ... They are very different

― chrissy, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

belmondo is a good call. what about elliot gould in the long goodbye?

― gareth, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn in How To Steal A Million. Katharine Hepburn in anything to 1960. Gene Tierney in Oleg Cassini (a result of Oleg Cassini being in Gene Tierney). Yoko Brown, the most stylish Japanese woman in London (she's the subject of the sculpture on the new Spiritualized LP by her husband Don Brown). Patti Smith until she let her son play Smoke On The Water at the ICA. Bowie in Man Who Fell To Earth and being thin white duke-ish.

And some friends and acquaintances: Georgina Starr and Paul Noble, artists. Justine Frischmann. Tracey Emin largin' it in Westwood. Nick Currie in whatever I found or bought as a joke, six months after I did so, except for the pink outfit from Domsey's. Jarvis Cocker in charity shops circa '94/'95. Kahimi Karie. Gilles Weinzapflen and Florence Manlik.

I have a shitload of meetings to go to otherwise I'd be here all day.

― suzy, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

yes, i'd forgotten Gene Tierney, good call

― gareth, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I concur with those who say Thin White Duke-era Bowie - my kingdom for that thing he's wearing on the front of Low.I must also mention Bryan Ferry,and I can't believe that no one mentioned Kraftwerk.

― Damian, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

can none of you say WEIRD AL?

― mark s, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Most stylish man on TV: Tony Benn

― jamesmichaelward, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

but why did audrey hepburn have to wear all those damned tiaras? and that awful dance sequence fashion craze of wearing black all over except a pair of white socks?

I am struggling to think of who I think is stylish, people have their moments. I think i have a weakness for film noir women, though I would never dress like that myself. Why should men in suits appeal I wonder? they had it easy, all they had to do was slap on a label suit. they had nowhere near the hit and miss affair of choosing a dress. Bring back the days of the reagency etc when men got to flash plumage as well.

A few people I know in Dunedin dress stylishly but strangely I dont want to imitate them

― Menelaus Darcy, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

cary grant

― Alan Trewartha, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I am the most stylish person I've ever seen, though Wheeler comes close with his new Russian coat. But besides my friends, I'd like to put in the good word for Catherine Deneuve.

― Ally, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That's scary, I was just about to type that. Catherine Deneuve looks grate, even now. She certainly was the best and most lovely thing in that movie with the brunette Chuckie doll.

And a big up to Alain Delon (in the 60's anyway)...

― Nicole, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Robert Redford in the Sting is the ultimate in style. The wardrobe is the most impressive part of the moviee.

― Tim, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tippi Hedren!

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That's scary, I was just about to type that. Catherine Deneuve looks grate, even now. She certainly was the best and most lovely thing in that movie with the brunette Chuckie doll.

What, Dancer in the Dark? Anyhow, I wish I had her wardobe from Belle de Jour, that's fantastic stuff. But I like all that old French bollocks.

― Ally, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Robert Mitchum. Steve McQueen.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tracer, I audibly gasped when I read your response! What kind of freak are you!?! I love Tippi Hedren, and at one point nurtured a small obsession for her.

As far as suits, cigarettes and black and white goes, I vote Bryan Ferry.

btw, is that photograph above the dreadful Stephen Merritt? I hope that's a joke.

― Sean, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, and Arthur, do you have a closet full of Sprouse and Fiorucci? : )

― Sean, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

So yeah, Keef circa 'Dirty Fingers'...hell, The Stones circa 'Dirty Fingers'. Patti Smith (of course) and a couple of years ago Milla Jovovich in L'Uomo Vogue in black Helmut Lang suit (which of course I had to get and surprisingly found at half price in exactly my size...eh yeah). Also Alain Delon, every male lead in a 60s Antonioni film, lest we forget Ryan O'Neal in 'The Driver', so cool he didn't even feel like shagging Isabelle Adjani. In short: black suit, white shirt, optional black tie, 60s/70s shades, fag optional.

Oh and Françoise Hardy wearing anything really.

― Omar, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Kurt Cobain!

― james, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

but why did audrey hepburn have to wear all those damned tiaras? and that awful dance sequence fashion craze of wearing black all over except a pair of white socks?

Eek! This is a concise explanation of what I'd always wear if I had the money to buy clothes on a whim. (Oh, I might wear red, though.) Where did she dress like this?

I have to think about the question more. People who look stunning in black are good enough, though. And Iggy Pop in the Raw Power phase, as someone mentioned. Yum.

― Maria, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)


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