Shocking Style: The Marchesa Luisa Casati

If like me, you tire of seeing the same old same old fashion adivce and trend reports in magazines, then perhaps a regular tribute to some lesser known style icons will help inspire. Every now and again, I would like to provide a small tribute to some of the most forward thinking style icons of our time and times past.

To start of this mini-series of the sartorially bold, I thought who better to feature but the Marchesa Luisa Casati. Ever heard of her before? No?! Shame on you! In my opinion, she was the perfect example of personal style. Desperate to be different, she went to extreme lengths to separate herself from her peers.

Some classic examples of her efforts: wearing live snakes as jewelry; having an evening gown fashioned entirely out of light bulbs for a formal dress party; taking her pet cheetahs for long midnight walks through her gardens, wearing nothing but a sheer robe. She shunned curves (not something that I advocate, in particular) and favoured her very slender boyish frame. She dyed her hair in shades of fiery orange and absinthe green. She kept her pupils perfectly dilated with bella donna and rimmed them with so much coal she looked almost alien. Did I mention that she was doing this between the years of 1881 and 1957?

In today's world, we almost expect this sort of fashion craziness from the likes of Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga...but in the late nineteenth and earlier twentieth century?? It takes a certain creative genius and a load of 'if you don't like it, fuck-off!' attitude to pull these sorts of looks off. Go and look her up immediately and prepared to be amazed with the images you'll find of her.

Too over-the-top for your tastes? Tell me why @ ms.sabrina.grey@gmail.com