The other day I witnessed a passionate discussion about the rise of punk, one person quite rightly insisting that punk music was born in the United States while the other gamely tried to agree while asserting equally correctly that punk in the UK was very different, bringing with it a complete cultural aesthetic, with art, fashion and music coming together to make a punk scene. One of the people who made punk in the UK less a musical evolution and more a cultural revolution was Vivienne Westwood. How fitting that she is a style icon at The Style Icon, the grand fashion event running until the end of the month. This gown from Legal Insanity incorporates many the tempestuous and wild themes that distinguish Westwood’s designs and make her a fashion revolutionary – not just a fashion designer.

The fabric is so very Anarchy in the U.K. meets The Cramps and so very, very Westwood She often combined wild anarchic fabric in traditional formal silhouettes. I knew this gown was an homage to Westwood without seeing the name.

In keeping with the punk styling, I added a ring and bracelet with a lion’s head fro WTG and over-sized earrings from Plastik. My hair is shaved on the side, with a great cut from Dura and a hair tattoo from MADesigns.

I chose Clef de Peau’s skin because of its exaggerated dark eye makeup. All elements of punk fashion. So here’s a salute to Vivienne Westwood. And a salute to risk and doing what you love. When she began, she was doing what nobody else was doing. She created fashions that many mocked and viewed with contempt. Now she is the highest paid designer in the world and Miss Piggy will wear Westwood in the new Muppets Most Wanted movie – a success undreamed of during those lean and challenging years when she was rebelling against fashion traditions and making a musical movement into a cultural sea change.

p.s. I made the background image using a flag, some filters and the CF Anarchy font from CloutierFontes. It’s free to use on my Flickr if you like it.

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****SHOPPING LIST******
Poses: aDorkable
Skin: Clef de Peau::Julia::T1 Base Brows 2 Ginger
Tattoos: Clef de Peau::Julia::Lipstick Rosewood
Clef de Peau::Julia::Backstage Make up 7
Eyes: [UMEBOSHI] Eon eyes Duo Green (med)
Lashes: Lelutka
Mani/Pedi: SLink Mesh Hands & Feet with FLAIR mani applier
Hair: .::MADesigns HAIR::. ~ Hair Base ~ Red V
*Dura-Boy*36(Sienna)
Clothing: Legal Insanity – vivienne fur collar chemical
Legal Insanity – vivienne punk gown chemical M
Shoes: Miamai_Moon pumps woods & leather – Carmine
Jewelry: Plastik Monica Earrings Platinum
WTG – Lion the F-b Bangle and Ring