Today would have been Amy Winehouse’s 29th birthday.
Though I never took a strong interest in her music or her life, there’s no doubt that she was a falling star that burned through the universe too brightly and exploded into a million little stars into the great abyss (or insert whatever cliche you want to put there).
She was an anomaly, a slew of contradictions both aesthetically and musically: a Jewish girl from Britain who sang with guttural and smokey intensity, a cotton candy beehive hairdo and cat eye-wearer who enjoyed the heroin chic look of tank tops, wilted and tattooed arms and missing teeth.
She had the sound of Etta James, the look of Dusty Springfield and the self-destruction of Sid Vicious all rolled into one.
The majority of Winehouse’s pictures circulating the web are images of a sad, dirty and sickly young woman who looked much older than her age. Photoshopped photos emphasizing her cocaine-laced nostrils, her track marks or any other abnormality on her body are commonplace. She was a mess, there was no doubt about it, but today, as a part of an on-going series I’m trying to start, “Fashion Fridays”, I want to showcase some of the happier and more stylish times of Amy Winehouse. The girl had the beauty within her, she just tried very hard to keep it stuffed down.
6 Comments
We’re all so tough on celebrities. She could have very easily been a friend of mine in another life. It’s too easy to highlight the negatives in people. I’m glad you’ve taken a more friend-ly approach by highlighting her many positives. She exploded into and out of this world, but she won’t easily be forgotten. In today’s world where everyone has the possibility of having their 15 minutes of fame online, that means something. Thank you as always for your awesome content. I look forward to your posts and glad I have more time now to actually comment on their awesomeness.
Awww, man! Thanks for that! I really needed to hear that.
She was definitely chic. I never really got into her music, but she had great style. I agree with the previous commenter, with sites like the Superficial always tearing people apart. The internet really brings out the worst in people sometimes. 🙁
It sure does. It still shocks me what people can on the Internet. Haven’t gotten used to that one yet.
When I first heard Amy’s voice, I thought, “God damn now there’s some talented pipes.” I immediately fell in love with her smokey, honey voice.
I knew she had her problems and was dreading her demise, though I didn’t expect it to come so quickly. I feel like she could have produced some incredible records with that voice.
The public likes scandal and to jump onto the negatives/superficial stories. I’m sure, as with most people who have their addictions, she didn’t plan to dive so quickly and end her life. As someone who struggles with their own vices, I can understand the uncontrollable nature of it all. She had her demons, I’m sure. It’s just a shame they got to her so quickly.
In my book, she’s one of the greatest contemporary voices I’ve heard. Then again, I do have a weakness for those soulful, sultry pipes.
My best friend adored her and had a similar fashion style as Amy. She even had a smokey, beautiful voice herself. Artistic talent the likes of which I rarely see and beautiful, her star burned just as quickly as Amy’s. She passed in January of 2011 out of the blue. Heart just gave up on her and she was perfectly healthy.
It kills me when such talent is taken from the world so quickly. We need more artistic and musical beauty in this world, not less. And it’s a shame when the truly talented are taken too early either by their own demons, accidents, or natural forces.
I’m happy you chose to portray her in a positive light because, really, she was a beautiful woman. She had her problems, but don’t we all?
Cheers
Dale
LOVE this post. There are few celebrities that really made me shed a tear with their death. Amy Winehouse was one. I loved her style, her unique sound, and her immense talent. I knew that loving her and her music meant imminent heartbreak when her body gave out from the substance abuse, but I couldn’t stop myself. She is still one of my all-time favorite singers (Valerie is my go-to karaoke song) and I love that you highlighted her retro-with-a-twist style.