This morning, I woke up early, eager with anticipation for the day ahead. Today isn’t just a regular morning in September, it’s also a day that should be celebrated by rockin' women everywhere. If you enjoy music, if you’ve ever been party to a jam session or been able to say you were “with the band,” if you’ve embraced the rock and roll aesthetic with every panting breath and strong, able bone in your body, then today is for you. It’s a day to pull out your good leather and pencil pants, to tease your hair high, and drink your coffee black: today, is Joan Jett’s birthday.
Joan Jett has often been called “the Queen of Rock and Roll,” and her struggle and perseverance in the business of Rock has paved the way for every female musician to follow. More than a singer, Joan is a guitarist, a producer, a writer, a creative mind, and a household name. From her beginnings with the Runaways, to the inception of her record label, to ongoing collaboration with countless of her talented and world famous peers, she is a force to be reckoned with, and an inspiration to today’s new generation of harder, stronger, more determined female hopefuls in the world of music.
So how do you celebrate the birthday of a woman like Joan Jett? Well, for starters, hold your lighter high, blast your favorite Blackhearts tune, and don’t forget to rock! And to make it even easier to appreciate a day like this one, we’ve pulled all of the best black and beautiful, rock worthy jewelry to pay Fall fashion homage to a style that’s so uniquely Joan.
Starting with leather, spikes, pendants, and chains, and ending with animal print, tribal, and totally twisted layers, we’ll show you how to recreate the coolest looks ever worn by a rock and roll legend. Here we go!
For regular, everyday style, the Joan Jett look is a mix of metallics and leather, with a big load of black and a few subtle hints of color. Joan sticks to simple, leather chokers with pendants or ties and mixes leather braids, cuffs, or bandannas with chain link on her wrists (usually only one wrist), so for this look, I kept it nice and simple.
The clothes in these shots are Tripp jeans and a vintage cotton-lycra tee from Manchester, UK. They’ve been paired with electric blue Rocket Dog buddies, Merle Norman Age Defying eyeliner in Charcoal, and a wig of my own design, but the real star is this amazing studded belt:
For a more Glam Rock look, I added a touch of tousled pink, piled on the bracelets, used a layered chain necklace, and threw on some rings. Joan’s more glamorous styles are generally just like this, with more necklaces, and a few rings added to a rock worthy ensemble.
The jewelry for both looks came from Body Candy, and although I opted not to include tribal pieces in my own accessories, it’s common for them to show up in Joan’s wardrobe, including in her tattoos.
Stealing Joan Jett’s style was amazingly fun, and it felt like the right way to celebrate the birthday of a legend. It may sound cheesy, but it’s definitely true; all of us here at Body Candy Love Rock n’ Roll.
