Miley Cyrus is a ‘controversial’ figure of late (though I think that we should let her twerk and wear when and what she wants and we shouldn’t have a go at her for cultural appropriation before we get angry with every white hiphop and jazz artist & every white artist who wears a bindi or a headdress), and she has transformed, like a butterfly from a chrysalis, from a denim-lovin’ teen country pop star to a Chanel-adorned, controversial fashionista. We at Lifestyle are here to chart that change.
The Hannah Montana Phase
To be fair to her, when I was that age, I wish that I had a team of stylists to keep me in denim and on the straight and narrow, instead I thought that it was a good idea to become an Emo and wear horrible pink and black clothing and try to be Avril. She looks cutesy, toothy and sweet and matched the Disney image perfectly. She looks like any pre-teen girl’s dream self; all cute hair extensions and rhinestoned jeans and cropped jackets. Her wig was to die for, too. She may not have been the most fashionable of young celebrities (I think that goes to the Beckham children or Suri Cruise), but she looked good and how many of us start to be interested in fashion before we finish puberty?
Teen Vogue 2007
Miley started to ramp it up on the fashion front, subtly, around this time. Think red lipstick and glam designer ballgowns. She still did her signature adorable smile and peace sign pose but she held herself with more poise- because she was older. Imagine going through puberty in the private eye. She did it, though, and still looked fabulous. I know she had a stylist and hair and makeup people but if most of us had had people telling us what to wear all the time when we were 14-18 would we have listened and would we have enjoyed it? Teen Vogue loved her, and so did the camera. She looks darling in this shot.
Can’t be tamed
This was her first big break out of the Disney shell. This is always a difficult move to make- do you remember that Britney and JT were originally famous because of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse? They did it perfectly. She didn’t start her Disney rebellion by twerking in a bikini- she gradually eked away by grunging it up and singing, fully clothed, in a cage. Smokey eyes, hotpants and long, glossy, darker hair were staple looks in this stage of her life. She looked gorgeous. The peace sign was nowhere to be seen, and she shed her blonde wig to come out as Miley, leaving Hannah behind. With shorter skirts, more of what seems to be her own style, higher fashion, Miley was starting to come into her own, and leave Disney behind. And she looked gorgeous for it.
And the hair starts to come off…
Just before the- gorgeous- short crop, Miley experimented with a bob. You can really see how she was ramping it up on the style front here, in 2012, with the dip-dyed hair and high fashion outfits. She finally looks more adult than teen. With nose ring, defined eyebrows and an adult pout (still showing her flawless white teeth!) she was hinting at more change to come…
This is one of my favourite looks of hers. She looks so polished.
The crop!
I don’t care what anyone says, I adore her hair. She has such a beautiful face for it, and it really accentuates her high cheekbones. It also edges her up and completely divorces her from the Disney image. You have to do something crazy to remove yourself and stand alone. People hate on her for her crop tops and fun, albeit slightly sexual, behaviour but all I see is a woman having a good time. If I was Miley and I had her wardrobe, I would flaunt it too. She wears haute couture now, with big fashion labels such as Chanel starting to take notice. I would love it if she became Coco Mademoiselle- it’s always someone with an obvious personality and she would bring so much fun to it. I can see a bit of young Hannah Montana Miley in her new persona- it’s like she has finally found herself and her new look has liberated her again. She is very firmly out of Disney’s clutches! Work it, Miles. (And her outfits are wonderful, although I wasn’t a huge fan of all the teddy bears).
If you do want a teddy bear Miley-inspired look, though, try this adorable jumper from Topshop. Buy one for me while you’re at it.
