Diva comes from the Latin word for goddess. The Diva type takes that idea to heart and expects respect for her divinity (or else). Like many looks, Diva is as much as a matter of style.
The Look is high maintenance, but the very essence of a diva is the phrase "I'm worth it". Divas want to look well taken care of. As far as fashion goes, this attitude translates into anything that looks obviously expensive. A Diva might change her style a bit after studying the latest fashion magazine, but the essential message is label-conscious, pampered, and ready for her close-up.
The original modern Divas were stars of stage ans screen, and the word "diva" is most associated with powerfull female singers, from opera to pop to hip hop. Many hip-hop Divas work a glam "ghetto-fabulous" look with outsize jewelry and a haute street sensibility. Onstage, Divas often look like over-the-top showgirls, turning up the glitz and glitter, but always in high style. The Diva wants to ensure she's the center of attention, and that desire gets kicked up a notch when there's more attention to be had. Check out the red carpet at any Hollywood awards show for a reliable display of Divaness.
The Ice Queen is the image of perfection associated most often with Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) aristocracy. The Ice Queen's look is about good "breeding". She wants to appear upper class, as if she were from a family with old money. There's nothing flamboyant about her. She exudes tasteful, understated wealth. Her clothes are expensive, cut with good, simple lines; they don't glitter or shine, or exhibit extremes of any kind. Her jewels are real but simple and delicate - a strand of pearls, tiny diamond stud, and a gold watch. The idea is that truly wealthy people don't need to show off with glitz; ostentation is tacky.
Grace Kelly was the quintessential Ice Queen, both on and offscreen - the cooly elegant movie star who became real life royalty. Director Alfred Hitchcock called the blonde beauty a "snow-covered volcano", refering to the tension between her outer cool and inner fire.
There's a posture and demeanor that's essential to the look : while she may be friendly, the Ice Queen maintains a certain distance. Her reserved manner is in keeping with her understated fashion. She's cool and classy, as befits her name.
The Androgyne look displays the characteristics or nature of both male and female.
Wheter the Androgyne look is about obscuring the distinction between male and female or adopting the look of the opposite gender, it's always about playing with traditional gender roles.
Some women simply like the aesthetic or comfort of men's clothing; others use the fashion statement to express an identity that exists outside the realm of traditional male and female roles; still others identify more with maleness than with femaleness.
In the distant past, when women's roles were greatly restricted, dressing as a man was a route to freedom. As women from Civil War enlistee Sarah Emma Edmonds to stagecoach driver Charlotte (Charley) Parkhurst discovered, women disguised as men could gain access to places they were forbidden from going. They could also gain authority and power. For these reasons, certain female artists and writers have sometimes taken on androgynous guises. One of the most famous Androgynes in history was the 19th century French Author George Sand, who took a man's name in creating her quasi-male identity. Although she dressed in men's attire, she was considered extremely seductive and had liaisons with many of the most creative men of her time.
The Bombshell was born in Hollywood, but she got her name in the Pacific Islands. During world War II, posters of Hollywood actresses were sent to troops overseas to help booste moral. Even at home, people needed to distraction from the war. Hollywood was happy to oblige with musical extravaganzas and pin-up posters of their glamorous stars.
After her explosive success in Gilda, Rita Hayworth became the first literal bombshell when one of her pin-ups was pasted to the first atom bomb tested on Bikini atoll in 1946. Soon after Rita introduced the bikini bathing suit, named after the site of her bombshell fame.
The 1950s called for a different kind of Bombshell, one that acknoledged the country's postwar return to conservative values and traditiopnnal homes and families. Marylin Monroe was the ultimate Blonde Bombshell, all softness and feminity, breathiness and boobs. Her cozy glamour made her the Bomshell-nest-door : unbelievably georgeous yet almost accessible in her all-American sexpot way. Her unique combination of high-gloss beauty and vulnerability makes her the enduring queen of the Bomshell genre.
The Bombshell look is a seductive combination of power and weakness- while a Bombshell has the ability to bowl men over, she can also seem somehow dependent, as if she needs a man's attention to activate her power.
About the Diva
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