Unless you’re really into experimental ’80s music, you likely haven’t heard of Siouxsie and the Banshees. But Siouxsie Sioux (lead singer of the band) has been incredibly influential both musically and for her sense of fashion. Siouxsie Sioux is by far one of our favorite unexpected style icons.
One of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ most popular music videos, Spellbound, truly shows Siouxsie Sioux as unafraid to be bold, androgynous and theatrical with her choice of makeup and hair. This is Kate Bush on steroids. Think: neon yellow Kabuki-like shadow that arches down from her eye to the middle of her nose, starkly drawn-on black brows, pale face, hot pink lips and an incredible mane of shaggy hair, complete with a yellow top and very high-waisted black polka dot skirt to match the makeup. Siouxsie Sioux is creature-like and looks more like a Serge Lutens ad in movement than the singer of a rock band.
As a style icon, Siouxsie Sioux also eschews subcultures. She’s goth, she’s glam, she’s strange, she’s a little bit boyish and most of all, she’s unafraid to wear what she wants. In Siouxsie and the Banshees’ Happy House video, we see her with a deep cat eye and red lip plus a harlequin-like co-ord set with a massive white collar. Her hair here is much shorter.
One of the things that does really set Siouxsie Sioux apart from the other musical and style icons of her time was her penchant for makeup and changing her look. She would often hang out at the gothic London club The Batcave, and change her look with dramatic, geometric makeup daily. This was also a place that celebrated the birth of DIY fashion, and Siouxsie Sioux as well as Robert Smith, were keen to turn trash to treasure and upcycle everything from nylon tights to old t-shirts to make their own creations.
In Christine, we can see another one of the icon’s ecclectic looks: feathered shadow, brows that are geometric and sweep into the corner of the eye and a heavy-handed contour. The maroon coat, yellow bandana and matching pants, all topped off with a patterned panama hat, really make it though. Some would call the look edging towards goth or glam rock, but it’s truly undefinable.
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