Thoughts of June: It Girls

The October issue of Nylon was the 'It Girl' issue and the overall theme has really stuck with me. Peaches Geldof wrote an article about what makes an It Girl entitled 'Just Do It' and went so far as to outline the steps to become one. She dropped names of legendary It Girls like Clara Bow, Jane Birkin, Jean Shrimpton, etc, and throughout the issue other names like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and even Beyoncé were listed. I have a hard time believing that every girl out there could follow Peaches' guidelines and, poof!, become an It Girl. On the flip side, I will admit that the article had an empowering vibe in which any girl can be whoever she wants to be. Regardless, I feel like 'It Girl' is a very present/in the moment term, while Icon is much more appropriate for the names listed above. Also, I feel a big thing was overlooked in this issue, and that is the relationship between a photographer, director, designer, etc, and their muse. This relationship is so important because without an outlet, the majority of muses would never be seen. A lot of It Girls who went on to become Icons, particularly in the fashion world, were discovered without ever following any steps to become an 'It Girl'. Kate Moss was spotted at JFK on vacation with her family. Jerry Hall was discovered while she was sunbathing in Saint Tropez. Naomi Campbell was found at a shopping mall hanging out with her friends. Cindy Crawford was first photographed by a local news reporter while shucking corn on a farm, and the list goes on and on. I think It Girl is a term better used for fleeting, momentary status, and while being an It Girl is a good thing, it takes a truly talented women to take it beyond that and become an Icon. With that said, below are a few of my Icons, who are yours?