Fashion stylists help rock stars create signature looks, and stay on the cutting edge of fashion. The time to think about creating your fashion style is at the same time you create your music. You don't have to be Lady Gaga to get the right attention either. According to stylist June Ambrose, who's worked with Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, DMX, and Nas among others says, "When you see someone who looks fabulous, you're inclined to want to get to know them. When you go on a job interview, you want to look your best because you want to get the job. This is a record deal, you want to look the part, and have your image say 'I want a million dollar deal'. When you're meeting with label execs, you're going to have an incredible demo, and your image has to sell it."If you're not ready to hire a fashion stylist of your own, here are are some ideas to bring out your Inner Rock Star:Look AroundInspiration can be found everywhere. George Clinton found a book on a train to Dallas called The Clones, which led him and Funkadelic to the futuristic outfits that became their trademark. "At the time we were putting Funkadelic together, we saw the Beatles with Sgt. Pepper, the British group The Who had Tommy, which was their rock opera, the original production of Hair was on Broadway, so we decided to come up with a funk opera."Create Drama
According to David Dalrymple, who designed Britney Spears' infamous breakaway outfit for the MTV Video Awards, the right outfit is theatre: "I've always loved costumes for people who are on the edge: drag queens, dancers, strippers. I love that kind of performance, real dramatic, theatrical, Las Vegas.
That's what it's about, that theater."Rip It UpDare to be different and take your clothes to another level. Says Dalrymple, "Your outfit has to be something that doesn't look like it's off the rack. That could be taking something as simple as a T-shirt, slicing it up, perforating it, and making it your own. I'm from the school of using what you've got to make something splashy. It could be painting something or embellishing it, finding a great leather jacket in a thrift store and having an artist friend paint a mural on the back. Then it's your own."Think CostumeYour recording artist clothes need to separate you from the rest of the pack, as well as the everyday life. Continues June Ambrose, "The psychology of it is to understand that for 20 hours of the day you're not going to be the same person that your mother gave birth to. It's about your character. I worked with DMX when he hadn't come out yet. He didn't understand shoes, suits, or slacks or any of that stuff. I told him, 'It's not about you, it's about your character'. It's playing dress-up. It's not real life."Work ItDon't be afraid to be sexy. Continues Dalrymple, "I think it's very liberating to get up and show your sexual side. It's about revealing different sides of you, and if a particular artist wants to share that part of them which will make the audience feel closer to them, it's just a choice of how much they want to reveal."Hide itLet your body be your guide when wearing things that make you look good. Dalrymple adds, "An artist needs to play up the positive things and play down the things they're not feeling great about. They need to be feeling great when they're on the stage performing. They need to not feel like, 'My back fat is jiggling and I feel embarrassed'. You don't want to be preoccupied with that when you're onstage. You don't want anything to take away from the performance."For the GuysMen may not have as many clothing options as women, but that shouldn't stop them from looking hot. Says June Ambrose, "If a man walks in with jeans and a great shirt, he's sexy if he's well-shaved, with maybe some great cuff links, or a conversation piece like a great watch."
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