Style Inspiration: Janelle Monáe

March 31st, 2010 § Leave a Comment

There was the initial buzz in 2008–Vogue in August, Essence in November, a Gap ad in December–then in the November 2009 Vogue there she was discussing her shoe collaboration with George Esquivel, all along Janelle Monáe’s fashion chart has risen right along with her career. And while my crowning her as a style maven isn’t breaking news (or all that fresh) it does give me a reason to announce that today she debuted a new music video for “Tightrope” and appears in the April 2010 issue of Vogue for their annual “Size” edition. At a petite 5 feet tall (including the bouffant according to the magazine) Ms. Monáe is tiny but her unique look is making gigantic waves.

I am particularly fond of her shoe game–back in 2007 I discovered we shared a singular desire to bring back saddle shoes (I mistakenly ended up with a much too school-girlish pair which sat in my closet for almost two years until I got this pair of Candela spectators this past August)–I also love that she has a uniform of menswear suiting accompanied by brogues, which she fiercely adheres to, and her fearlessness in general. Janelle’s voice is also pretty amazing. I have her debut EP, Metropolis (Suite 1: The Chase), and am eagerly awaiting her new album The Arch Android.