Fashion || Rule Breaker: KELIS ROGERS

Fashion || Rule Breaker: KELIS ROGERS

Kelis releases her fifth solo album since her debut in 1999 tomorrow.

With growing controversy over from whom and where many of the music industry's most

colorful entertainers gathered their inspiration, Kelis undoubtedly set the tone for

individualism long before such style was considered "acceptably-edgy" by the mainstream.

Since I have known the work of Kelis Rogers, her trendsetting ways have gone far beyond

hair cuts & color, attitude, pop-art sex-appeal. Her fans know, just as well as she does,

what there was to gain from creating songs with the depth of her experiences.

If the film "What Dreams May Come" could manifest within the body of artist,

the results would be Kelis, a singer who has implemented over a decade worth of fabulous

fashion rule-breaking.

Never second guessing or limiting her options, she was one of the few women

in music that could utilized her wardrobe, as a mood ring

and you could actually believe the mood her look was conveying.

Time and time again, she created not fully compromising her artistry to the demands of

the mainstream, and continuously dedicated herself to creating music SHE wanted to deliver;

music her loyal fans continue to devoure and demand.

We all had an opportunity to venture through growing pains with "Kaleidoscope (1999),"

journyed into self-discovery with "Wandarland (2001)," tapped into our inner vixen with "Tasty (2003)",

came back to earth with "Kelis was Here (2006)," and were reborn in the epic dance album that is "Flesh Tone (2010)."

If there was one thing that we could count on from Kelis, it was a quality that can't be found

in much of the manufactured appeal that graces our music store shelves;

We could alway count on her to be true to herself.

Kelis never reinvented the wheel, she just kept it spinning.

Welcome to the 22nd Century of Music and Fashion. Life and Love.

Pick up "Flesh Tone" tomorrow, and dance until your heart's content.

For more information or to cure amnesia regarding Kelis' Fashion and Beauty History:

Ultimate Kelis | Appearances Gallery (Archival)

Curlista | Hair Evolution: Kelis

VH1: The Fab Life | Kelis' Top 20 "Most Bizarre Looks"

Zimbio | Kelis - Lookbooks (Contemporary)

♥ Designer Jenny P.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: JANELLE MONAE

*INSPIRAT!ON Rule Breakers: Identifying individuals with undeniable, out-of-this-world, unconventional, storybook style.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: JANELLE MONAE

The highly anticipated release of "The ArchAndroid" fell upon us on May 18. 2010.

For those of us that are familiar with the theatrical, futuristic-funk introduction of

Monae's first SUITE (first release in 2007 chronicling her alter ego Cindi Mayweather)

titled "Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase," this latest arrival is right on time.

With musicianship in the music industry throwing listeners in a whirlwind of unidentifiable beats

Many of us are reaching for the melodies and lyrics that remind of the foundations

legends of Motown, Blue Note, and so many other labels gifted the world of music.

Janelle Monae is fully aware of the archetype conceptual but thoughtful music can be in today's time.

Immersed in this world, METROPOLIS, created by her own effort to remind us all about what should have our ears.

With it, Monae created an image easily Identified by well tailored white button-up shirts, black satin blazers,

cummerbund and slacks; consistent styling that is sometimes altered or manipulated by added details:

pleated shoulders, matador embroidery, etc. She has noticeably created a look

that has become HER trademark, one that has already got a hold on Dolce & Gabbana runways

which then trickled down to Rihanna's 2009 Costume Institute Gala look.

Imitation is the highest form of __________.

In this latest addition of Fashion Rule Breaker, as a tribute to her commitment to creating music everyone can believe in,

we sound off as she does in her beautifully written "Cold War," --We want to be Free.

We here at INSPIRAT!ON ask that you elevate your ears and have a listen.

To hear Janelle's Monae's "The Arch Android in full for the first time visit:

The ArchAndroid - Album Detail - Listen free at JMonae.com

Janelle Monae Paper Mag photo shoot by Jiro Schneider / Dan Monick | Styling by Mack Dugan and Megan Rizer

White blazer and shirt by D&G, tie by Prada and gloves by DavidElfin.

Janelle Monae Honey Mag photo shoot by Carrie Schechter | Styling by Darryl G. and Carmegie for Iyli Ili

Zang Toi suit, Steve Madden shoes, Kenneth Jay Lane earrings and ring

Janelle Monáe | VOGUE Italia / Vogue.it (June 2010)

InStyle features Janelle in an 8 page Spread! | Wondaland Arts Society (July 2010)

via: JMonae

♥ Designer Jenny P.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: EBONY BONES

*INSPIRAT!ON Rule Breakers: Identifying individuals with undeniable, out-of-this-world, unconventional, storybook style.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: EBONY BONES

If she didn't shock you into today with her live performance at this year's Art Basel,

you should automatically recognize her as a force to be reckoned with by fashion.

Ebony Thomas, Afro-Punk rocker known as Ebony Bones completed her 2009 LP

titled "Bones of my Bones" fully equiped with an amazing shoot of Bones

styled head-to-toe by Nobuko Tannawa in Timothy James Andrews

She started building her name recognition in 2007 via MySpace and has since powered

runways (Diesel) and music festivals (SXSW) and even fashion campaigns (Yves Saint Laurent) with her electric performances.

As Mentioned in my previous entry, the inspiration for her look undoubtedly channels Addaperle ("The WIZ" 1975)

--I received personal confirmation of this from her sample of the WIZARDS cadence trumpets

from the film for the JC de Castelbajac runway performance.

‘‘Sometimes the best way to get a message across
is through comedy and color,’’ says Ebony Bones whose riotous punk stage act is all the proof one needs.
‘‘You don’t have to be glossy or shiny to be creative.’’ -The New York Times

Ebony Bones interview with VOGUE Paris

via: EbonyBones

♥ Designer Jenny P

Fashion || Rule Breaker: SHINGAI SHONIWA

*INSPIRAT!ON Rule Breakers: Identifying individuals with undeniable, out-of-this-world, unconventional, storybook style.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: SHINGAI SHONIWA

"Forever fabulous..." is the lead singer and bassist of The Noisettes, Shingai Shoniwa.

From the towering empress-like natural coif to her listless

statement pieces, this 29 year-old musician is an overlooked and underrated leader in the world of fashion.

It took me some time to decide what photos of Shoniwa I would share on INSPIRAT!ON

After coming across her countless warrior-bound stage looks that are

but mesmerizing and intriguing. The versatility of her look is never ending

and stays well behind the line of potentially being described as "costume."

If Iggy Pop, Billie Holiday, Grace Jones, and David Bowie had a lovefest,

Their seed would be Shingai. A wonderful heroine for the Afro Punk movement.

via: NoisettesUK

♥ Designer Jenny P.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: BETH DITTO

*INSPIRAT!ON Rule Breakers: Identifying individuals with undeniable, out-of-this-world, unconventional, storybook style.

Fashion || Rule Breaker: BETH DITTO

Lead singer of the GOSSIP brings a new meaning to breaking the rules of Fashion.

She is a part of an underrepresented demographic in the market

Plus Size/Real Size women. It is a market, that in the past, lacked versatility and options.

Beth Ditto at EVANS Collection (Owned by Top Shop) is currently available in sizes 14-32 and starts at £18

Excerpts from "STYLE STUDIO: Beth Ditto"

"I love to break all the rules I was taught as a kid, I was always a fat kid, like really chubby.
And I was always taught not to wear horizontal stripes, and not to wear floral patterns,

and not to wear anything too crazy and colorful.

I think when I was about 18 I started to undo all of these rules I had learn and started to dress crazy all of the time."

Ditto on Punk Rock and the Fashion Industry:

"I think fashion is an incredibly powerful tool...punk would have been nothing without fashion.
Punk was nothing if not fashion. People were like, "oh fashion is so shallow." Well the people in fashion think really shallow.

I dont ever feel like the designers are really shallow...all my experiences with them have been incredible artists
who have a broad spectrum who are working in a very narrow industry"

via: Style

♥ Designer Jenny P.