It’s time for our Tell Us About monthly blog challenge again and, as it’s February, the theme is Style Icons (chosen by me). Last month’s prompt was Snow, chosen by Sally – which feels like a lifetime ago already. So let’s talk style. Not trends. Not what’s “in”. But the people who actually leave a mark.
My first ever style icon: Madonna
When I was a kid, Madonna was everything to me. Absolutely everything.
The lace fingerless gloves, the tutus, the leather jackets, the layered necklaces, the crucifixes… the attitude. I didn’t just admire her – I studied her. I even had a scrapbook filled with every image of her I could get my hands on (pre-internet days, kids LOL).
Her style felt rebellious, playful, feminine, strong – and totally unapologetic. As I got older, I stayed interested for years… until it tipped into what felt, to me at least, like shock for shock’s sake. Endless boobs and bums on display just doesn’t inspire me. I’m not judging anyone who loves that – it’s just not my thing.
What does inspire me is individuality. Confidence. Wearing something because you love it, not because it gets clicks.
The real rebels: style icons who wore trousers
Honestly, some of my truest style icons aren’t pop stars at all. They’re the women in the 1920s and 1930s who first dared to wear trousers. That took guts. That was radical. That was style with meaning.
Long before women wearing trousers was even remotely acceptable, there were a few brave souls who just did it anyway. Amelia Bloomer (top left) was already ruffling feathers back in the 1850s by promoting practical clothing that allowed women to move properly, and by the 1920s and 30s women like Marlene Dietrich (top right), Katharine Hepburn (below, right) and Greta Garbo (below, left) were happily swanning about in trousers both on and off screen, much to the horror of polite society. Add Coco Chanel (below, middle) into the mix, who helped make relaxed, menswear-inspired clothing feel normal rather than rebellious, and you realise just how gutsy all of this was. None of these women were chasing trends or trying to shock — they were simply wearing what felt right to them. And honestly, that’s exactly the kind of style icon I admire most.
And while we’re here – yes, I fully believe it should work both ways. Men should wear skirts and dresses if they want to. The fact that it still shocks people says more about society than it does about clothes. Who decided trousers were “for men” anyway? Fabric doesn’t have a gender.
But I’ll step off that soapbox now because this post is about icons.
Whimsical, witchy, and forever magical
If you know me at all, you’ll know I adore whimsical and whimsigoth style – and that makes Kate Bush (top left) and Stevie Nicks (top right) absolute top-tier icons in my world.
Flowing dresses. Lace. Velvet. Dark boots. Shawls. Floppy hats. Layers upon layers.
It’s witchy. It’s romantic. It’s otherworldly. And I freaking love it.
Their style feels instinctive rather than styled. Like it came from somewhere deep and intuitive. That’s always going to win my heart.
And then there’s tailored magic
On the complete other end of the spectrum, I adored the late Diane Keaton (above), who will always be one of my ultimate style icons. She’s best known for her wide-legged trousers, waistcoats and borrowed-from-the-boys tailoring, but what I really love is her complete disregard for fashion rules. Even when she’s in a skirt, like here, that unmistakable Diane Keaton energy is still there — layered, slightly eccentric, practical and elegant all at once. She wears clothes for herself, not for approval, and that kind of confidence never goes out of style.
I’d say something similar about Victoria Beckham (not her earlier style though lol), although I’ll admit I’ve lost touch with what today’s divas are wearing. I stopped following news and gossip during Covid and honestly… I’ve never gone back. No regrets there.
Wear what you damn well please
Here’s the thing: any woman who wears whatever she wants, regardless of trends or opinions, is a style icon to me.
I love people who don’t follow fashion rules. People who dress for themselves. That, to me, is real style.
Which brings me to Iris Apfel (above). I’ve just bought a thick knit jumper from Vinted with her face on the front and I absolutely adore it. She was the ultimate example of wearing what you love, piling on jewellery, clashing colours, and not caring one bit what anyone else thought.
The jewellery layering always impressed me – mostly because I struggle with that myself. I love jewellery, but choosing more than one piece at a time makes my brain short-circuit 😂
My true style icons (plot twist)
If I’m being completely honest, some of my biggest style icons aren’t real at all – they’re fictional characters, and they’re almost always witches. The sisters from Practical Magic are a perfect example, but it’s the aunts – Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances – whose style I absolutely adore. Flowing layers, rich fabrics, dramatic silhouettes and that wonderfully unapologetic older-witch energy. Perfection.
I also loved the sisterly witch vibes in Witches of East End, whose wardrobes leaned heavily into modern, mystical elegance. Then there’s Phoebe Buffay, whose floaty, bohemian, slightly offbeat style somehow made her a fashion icon even though I never actually watched the show properly. And of course, the sisters from Charmed, whose 90s witchy wardrobes were iconic in their own right.
I’ve also always been drawn to Willow Rosenberg. Even though I’ve never watched the entire series (I really must one day), I’m very familiar with her softer, layered early looks and her later, more overtly witchy style as her power grows. That gentle-to-powerful evolution, reflected in what she wears, really resonates with me.
And then there’s Luna Lovegood, who I absolutely adore. Whimsical, intuitive, slightly eccentric and completely unbothered by what anyone else thinks, she wears what feels right rather than what’s expected. There’s a quiet confidence in that, and a kind of everyday magic that I find incredibly inspiring.
Looking at all of these characters together, it’s obvious what draws me in: flowing silhouettes, layers, texture, a sense of mystery, and a total lack of interest in trends or approval. To me, that’s what a true style icon is – someone who dresses like themselves, whether they’re real or fictional, famous or imaginary. And honestly, I’ll always take that kind of magic over whatever fashion says we should be wearing this season.
I should probably also mention Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. While her style is very different to my usual witchy, flowing favourites, I’ve always admired how expressive and personal it was. Carrie treated clothes like storytelling – playful, emotional, sometimes completely impractical, but always her. She never dressed to blend in or play it safe, and that fearless self-expression is something I’ll always appreciate, even if I wouldn’t necessarily raid her wardrobe myself.
So for me, style icons aren’t about fame or labels. They’re about bravery. Expression. And wearing something because it feels like you.
That’s the kind of icon I’ll always admire.
Don’t forget to check out how my fellow Tell Us About co-hosts interpreted Style Icons. And welcome our newest members Leslie (or should I say welcome back!!) and Catherine…
- Sally — Sally discusses unconventional style icons including male performers, fictional characters, works of art, and animals/plants – there is style inspiration everywhere around us! Within a World of My Own
- Marsha — Marsha has struggled through the years with defining her style. Maybe that’s because she has so many style icons! Marsha In The Middle
- Rosie — Rosie is talking about garden styles. Rosie Amber
- Debbie — Over the years Debbie has discovered her own style and has named it as ‘Joyful Original’ Deb’s World
- Leslie — Leslie has never thought of herself as a fashionista by any means but we all have a certain flair about the clothes we wear, the home we create, the life we live. Check out what has most impacted her sense of style. Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After.
- Catherine — A Typical 60.
We would love for you to join us. So if you have a blog—or even just want to take part via Instagram, for example, please get in touch!
