March is Fashion Month in Palm Springs. Well; actually, every month is fashion month here.
Since I haven’t written much about personal style lately, I thought it would be fun to post a few things to do on that topic. Starting with Nancy Sinatra’s impact as a trailblazer in not only music, but fashion.
As part of Modernism Week, I attended a special presentation of Nancy Sinatra’s music, videos, and photos from her personal archives at the Annenberg Theatre, followed by a discussion of her influence in music and fashion. With Nancy herself, her daughter Amanda, and a few others.
A few days later, the people of Palm Springs gave Nancy the boot(s) – literally. We honored her with a dance performance in the street to the re-boot (ha; pun intended) of the iconic song “These Boots are Made For Walking.” A double decker bus rode by Arenas street, dancers wearing go-go boots got off and choreographically danced to the tune as Nancy stood by and watched from one of the local hotspots. DJ Mod girl spun disco tunes while we grooved to the aspiring and inspiring copycats. But we all know there’s really only “one Nancy!”
So let’s delve a little further on why Nancy Sinatra had such an impact on us – on her own merit; aside from the fact that Frank Sinatra was her dad.
- In the early 60’s her following was mostly in Europe and Japan but with her release of “These Boots Are Made For Walkin” In 1966, she gained popularity in the US. The song instantly went to #1 on the charts.
- She brought back to America, British designer Mary Quant’s go-go boot trend. Nancy Sinatra may have popularized the look a while ago, but the footwear craze seems to be very much in style today and hopefully here to stay.
- Beyonce as Foxxy Cleopartra in Austin Powers “Goldmember” channelled a Sinatraesque vibe with her big hair and sexy clothing.
- Obsessed Magazine pointed out that Quentin Tarantino sampled her 1966 song “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” in the opening of his film “Kill Bill: Vol. One.” As a result, the song was introduced to younger audience and gained popularity.
Her influence was also felt in Austin Powers “The Last of the Secret Agents.” Check out this YouTube video:
The following was taken from an excellent indepth article written by Kate Hutchinson for the “The Independent” (full article fellow).
Nancy Sinatra who cut countless peerless tracks with producer Lee Hazlewood – swirls of peachy psychedelia, outlaw country, and strings that appeared to sweep across ocean roads – that have been used in Tarantino films or covered by Beyoncé. She made films with Elvis. She sang one of the great Bond songs. She is a stone-cold showbiz legend.
Her influence criss-crosses the decades, too. In the Nineties, Sinatra found fans among indie-rockers like Kim Gordon, Kim Deal and Beck. Then in the mid-2000s, a revival spearheaded by her daughters, Angela and Amanda, out came a compilation of Sinatra duets with the likes of Jarvis Cocker, Bono and Morrissey. Others will remember the omnipresence of that Audio Bullys remix of her Cher cover, “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)”. Or her cameo in The Sopranos. Her Factory Girl of the Canyons look – PVC knee-high, white boots, relaxed beehive – was mimicked by the “fembots” in Austin Powers. A decade later, you have Lana Del Rey saying she styled herself as a “gangsta Nancy Sinatra”, country princess Kacey Musgraves covering her songs, and Angel Olsen referencing her dramatic orchestral arrangements.
Full Article:
You GO-GO GIRL!
Original Boots Video:
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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