Icons Series: Care to Cher?
Style Icon
We have all seen and heard all there is to know about the classic style icons; Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, etc. But what makes them so iconic in the fashion industry? Their style was generally groundbreaking enough that everyone saw it, loved it, and wanted it for themselves. What makes it iconic is that these women’s wardrobes inspire designers, celebrities, and the fashion-obsessed today. Another example of a style icon is pop goddess, Cher. Her daring style with barely-there tops, exposed midriffs, naked dresses created buzz that everyone talked about. One of her most famous looks was at the Oscars where she wore a giant feather headdress with a very provocative dress that showed her entire midriff, which had almost never been done before. She challenged and pushed fashion boundaries and her style continues to influence designers today.
Cherilyn Sarkisian was born May 20, 1946 in El Centro, California. Cher did not grow up wealthy, and moved around a lot. Her father was an American-Armenian truck driver with alcohol and gambling problems, and her mother a waitress and occasional actress and model. Because of some of her mother’s acting gigs, Cher was able to be an extra in a few movies and television shows. Cher developed an unusually low voice at the age of 9 but knew she wanted to be a star. After marrying actor John Southall, Cher’s mother enrolled her at a wealthy children’s school where Cher immediately stood out. Fellow classmates knew she wanted to be famous and knew she had what it took to get there. Cher did very well in school and excelled in subjects like art and literature, and was involved in theatre. At the age of 16, Cher dropped out of school and moved to LA with a friend to pursue a career. She danced in small clubs along sunset strip in order to pay her way, but took any and every opportunity she had to meet or make connections that may get her somewhere. Around this time is when she met Sonny Bono. Sonny originally wanted to launch Cher as a solo artist, but because of her severe stage fright she convinced him to do it with her. After Rolling Stones convinced them to move to Europe because Americans “just didn’t get them,” the duo rose to stardom. They produced many hits and later starred in many TV shows including their own “Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.” It ran for 3 years and was a huge success. Sonny and Cher were considered Rock’s “it” couple. On the show Cher sported elaborate outfits that made her a trendsetter and later even designed a clothing line. Teens began emulating their style with bell bottoms, striped pants, ruffled shirts, industrial zippers, and fur vests. Girls began straightening their hair and dying it black. Their influence on fashion trends in the 1970’s is one not to be ignored. Unfortunately, the couple did not last and divorced in 1975, but this did not harm Cher’s career. Her success continued to climb in which she had many hit albums, singles, movies, etc. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress in Moonstruck.
Cher began her more daring, alluring, low-cut gown signature style and is widely recognized for some of the most daring, provocative looks to ever make their way onto a red carpet (especially an Oscars one). She is called the “Goddess of pop” and described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry. Specifically recognized for her distinctive contralto voice, the singer/actress went on to have a 6-decade long career. She has also been highly publicized for her political views, philanthropic endeavors, and social activism, but aside from all of this, everything that has made her cool and successful, Cher is very much a style icon.
Cher’s fame was at an all-time high in the 70’s, and was a huge influence for trends at the time. Aside from her popularization of the striped pants, bell-bottoms, ruffled shirts, and fur vests, Cher was very well recognized for her controversial yet visually stunning red carpet ensembles. As Billboard describes “Cher’s skin-baring, sequin-drenched ensembles have left a trail of glittering breadcrumbs across the mood boards of designers and musicians who have since emerged… She was the original red carpet renegade” (Mazurek, 2017). Her rule-breaking garments paved the way for current trendsetters who continue to try to push boundaries such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga. Cher worked closely with designer Bob Mackie who designed many of Cher’s most iconic looks that influence many designers to this day. For example, the feather and crystal encrusted naked dress she wore to the 1974 Met Gala is one of the most famous, iconic, and appropriated dresses of all time. This was the first time a Hollywood celebrity attended the event, and it changed the game. Cher’s wardrobe was so extravagant, there was no event she could not be in attendance. Cher also did not dress to be on the “Best Dressed List,” she was not looking for others approval, she simply wanted to give them “something to look at… it was about fun” said her stylist, Mackie. This same concept it shown through some of fashion’s modern boundary-pushers. Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez are all examples of women who currently still shock the world with some controversial pieces by either baring a shocking amount of skin or bizarre over the top gowns and accessories.
A few recent style ideas and inspirations taken from Cher in modern pieces would be Kim Kardashian’s 2015 Met Gala dress. It was confirmed that the inspiration for the gown was Mackie’s design for Cher for her first Met Gala. Aside from the naked dress, if Cher wasn’t wearing see-through mesh, she was wearing barely-there tops and low rise pants exposing a hefty amount of midriff and occasional underboob. If not leaving little to the imagination, she left nothing! Cher may have been one of the first to start the “Free the Nipple” movement without even trying. There were many occasions in which she wore sheer tops exposing her nipples fully. This is very prevalent today, and part of the feminist movement as well. Bell bottoms are also making their way back around and Cher was one of the first to make them popular. Besides apparel, Cher also influenced the makeup and hair industries. Today, you can see women with extensions and weaves down to their hips and longer, and lashes curling to their eyebrows with falsies or extensions. As Laver’s timeline states, “everything that is old is new again” in this couldn’t be more true in Cher’s case. Her influence continues to this day and will still be prevalent in the future. Her iconic looks continue to shape the fashion industry today through inspiring designers, current trendsetters, etc.
