A Teen Idol, A Prep Queen and an Iron Lady
Three women died last week who marked different stages of my evolution as a woman.
During the 1960s I remember watching Annette Funicello leading the Mickey Mouse Club. After making my stage debut as “Trixie, the No Neck Monster” in Tennessee Williams’ “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” at the age of five I longed to join the Club, wear mouse ears and perform on TV and film. But I was stuck in Chattanooga attending The Bright School and acting in class plays instead with costumed roles like “The Dancing Icicle” or “The Singing Grape.”
When Annette danced with Frankie Avalon in “Beach Blanket Bingo” I practiced the Boogaloo and begged my mother for a real bikini. I settled for a tamer two-piece that covered my belly button (like “I Dream of Jeannie!”) and danced in front of the TV set watching “Hullabaloo” and “Shindig!” instead of being at a beach bonfire with cute boys. Life was so carefree and fun on the beach it seemed! But I had to go to school, so the closest I ever got to a beach was Spring break with my family in Florida.
During the 1970s during high school and college I was a preppy queen down to my shiny penny loafers. We southern girls socialized in bright, eye catching Lilly Pulitzer shift dresses with matching handbags that had wooden handles and changeable cloth covers and Pappagallo espadrilles. Everything was color coordinated. Being colorful and fitting in was really important back then. No one wanted to be a drab wallflower; we all wanted to be Lilly ladies.
When I move to New York from Atlanta in the 1980s with my bright cheery wardrobe I suddenly felt out of place. Everyone wore black and neutrals, and clothes were fitted, belted and padded. Margaret Thatcher was Great Britain’s first woman Prime Minister. She was the “Iron Lady,” and I worked at being the “Iron PR Lady.” I wore shoulder padded power suits in black, red and dark blue with sensible, stylish business pumps and carried a briefcase filled with important client documents and marked up media lists. To be “powerful” you dressed the part, carried alot of paper and had a big Rolodex (I had four on sitting on my desk!)
Now I dress in a more relaxed fashion in whatever colors I choose. All my information is carried in a small IPad and I dance to my own tune whenever and wherever I want. I don’t worry about fitting in or sticking out.
Annette, Lilly and Margaret became iconic because their lives had interesting stories that touched ours. And while many of us will not be on film or run a fashion line or lead a major government the three women helped open doors to let us live the lives we do choose.
Annette, Lilly and Margaret: I consider them the modern evolution of ancient Greek mythology’s “Three Graces” known for possessing the characteristics of charm, beauty and creativity. They also possessed three other characteristics to guide today’s women: intelligence, integrity and independence.
Free Spirited, Colorful, Strong, Creative, Independent. Bidding them good-bye last week felt like the end of an era, and it made me wonder which women young girls look up to these days….and what are the messages they are sending? So I did a search of the “Top Most Researched Women on the Web” in 2013. The top three are: #1Lady GaGa, #2 Kesha and #3 Madonna. Of note was #7: Justin Bieber. Go figure! http://top50womenontheinternet.com
