Happy Anniversary, Live Through This!

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Hole's Live Through This album.  Not only is this one of my favorite albums of all time but Hole is also the home of one of my favorite rock stars, Courtney Love.  I have had a huge girl crush on Ms. Love since I was a kid.  She's the reason I attempted to play guitar (that lasted about 2 weeks) and why I wrote my future occupation as "Rock Star" in my 8th grade yearbook (please refer to the former part of this sentence for that outcome).

I remember the day I purchased Live Through This.  I bought it in 1999 at Best Buy right before hitting up the local Wendy's and sneaking into the R rated movie Varsity Blues with a friend.  Needless to say, my love for the album outlasted my love for the movie.  Afterwards I went home and listened to the CD on my Discman and I don't think I listened to anything else for the next week.  I was 12 years and absolutely taken with this woman yelling in my ear over 90's grunge rock.  I loved the garage-esque sound of the music and the lyrics were probably one of my first encounters with what I would consider "ugly-pretty-cool."  

I not only became entranced by the music but also by her style.  She was the ultimate 90's grunge princess.  Babydoll dresses paired with combat boots and smeared red lips with a cigarette in her mouth.  Maybe even a tiara and a fur.  In later years Ms. Love would trade in her babydoll dresses for high fashion gowns and even be included in a Saint Laurent campaign but she always somehow managed to stay true to herself and her persona.  It was just the evolution of a badass rock star.

So, cheers to you, Courtney and Hole!  You've made an album that I still know every word to and will most likely continue to blast and sing along to until I'm 80.  I'll end this post as Hole ended their album..."goooood....bye!"

Images via MTV.tv, Suicide Blonde, Wikipedia, Hipalien.

Fictional Fashion Icon: Darlene Conner

One of my favorite television shows to watch growing up was Roseanne.  I still watch the reruns played daily on TV, sometimes for hours at a time without even realizing it.  In fact, I'm surprised it's not playing in the background right now as I write this.  Although the show has been off the air since 1997, somehow it doesn't feel outdated and it continues to make me laugh (minus the season where the Conner family won the lottery but that's a whole different post).

 

My favorite character on the show was Darlene.  The middle child of the Conner siblings, Darlene had a sarcastic sense of humor and an I-don't-give-a-fuck-attitude.  She started off the series as a tomboy but along the way morphed into a moody teenager who draped herself in black and felt like an outcast.  I found her very relateable during my own teen years.

 

Dan's fashion choices are also kind of awesome.

 

Eventually Darlene traded in her all black look for a 90's approved grunge wardrobe.  Her look was effortless and cool, like she just rolled out of bed and threw on the first thing she saw.  I see pieces of Darlene's fashion influence all over these days whether it's on the streets, runways, or the pages of the latest Urban Outfitters catalog.  Let's now take a look at some of her best moments.

Never one to shy away from her opinions, Darlene wore this "MEAT STINKS" t-shirt to her mom's loose meat restaurant, The Lunchbox.  Forget supporting your favorite band, Darlene chose to show her anti-support for meat with this tee.  If you're also anti-meat (I'm a carnivore), you can buy the same tee at Bona Drag.

 

 

Darlene's wardrobe contained the most necessary clothing item ever: denim.  Here she sports a baggy, ripped up pair with boots.  I dig it and so do these models off duty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still keeping with the denim theme, Darlene knew the importance of a denim jacket.  My closet was lacking one until I recently picked up this one by Levi's.  Bonus: it's on sale!

 

 

Plaid flannel shirts were a 90's staple and continue to be now, whether on your back or around your waist.  Darlene and her dad Dan knew this and so did those other 90's TV icons, the Olsen twins.

 

 

 

 

Darlene also knew the importance of layering pieces, which is why she inVESTed in this piece.  See what I did there?  I'm sorry, I'll stop.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll leave you with one of my favorite moments from the show between Darlene and Dan, complete with denim and flannel.

 

Images via thirdanddelaware, Style, Olsens Anonymous, TheyAllHateUs, Sass & Flash, Models Off Duty, Breaker Breaker Blog.