Shop It to Me: Brian Jones, Pretty in Pink

I’ve never been one to wear tons of pinks – being blonde, I always felt wearing the color would give off immediate Barbie connotations. I’ve always loved dark, earthy tones – deep reds, plums, emeralds … shades that evoke darkness, witchiness, general badassery. Wearing something soft and pink was always on the opposite end of the style spectrum for me. But this photo of Brian Jones might be enough to change it all for me. This is one of my favorite photos of the Stones founder – I actually have a print hanging on the wall in my bedroom. He somehow makes a precious outfit look kind of super badass – I mean, who other than Brian could make a pink cable-knit sweater and boa look sexy? The man is such a mystery to me – yin-yang exemplified in human form: the darkness of his drug addition and womanizing and the lightness of his obsession with trains, storybooks and Winnie the Pooh. How could these extremes of innocence and cruelty ever be reconcilable in one person? But on a strict style basis, these two opposites came together for a really stellar look. Granted, I don’t have the pageboy haircut to complete this look but I kind of want to give this outfit a try:

First, start with a pink cable-knit sweater like this one, which is currently on sale (all the better!). I went for a slightly darker shade of pink because I’m not sure if I’m quite up for the ballerina vibes I get from Brian’s super-pale sweater. Pair it with a feather boa – I LOVE this one from Groupie Couture so much (I even included it in my holiday gift round-up last year), I am constantly strategizing ways to wear it in outfits. Since most people don’t have many options for purple pants in their wardrobes (another cause of my great sadness for my generation), I suggest investing in a versatile pair of colored denim, like these True Religion skinnies. So at this point, this outfit is very girlish and sweet – but the accessories give the look a supreme edge worthy of a rock star. Brian is wearing some really amazing jewelry – I love his beaded tassel necklace, which I found a modern version of here, and his stone jewelry. I firmly believe big cuff bracelets and statement rings are absolute must-haves for anyone’s wardrobe. Obviously, he must have picked his goods on his travels, but I found a pretty groovy multi-colored cuff from ASOS. Finish off the look with a super sixties pair of round frame sunglasses and I swear, Anita Pallenberg would take one look at you and want to date you.