After receiving a Birkin bag as a gift from an unnamed benefactor six months, Courtney Love claims she gave up the "kook"—as in the nutty, somewhat disheveled mode of dressing that has defined her style for most of her life. "Having a Birkin even makes you read every part of the Emily Post etiquette book," she told WWD in a surprisingly lengthy profile dedicated to the singer's style evolution.
The article comes in the wake of the 8-day old blog WhatCourtneyWoreToday and all the subsequent attention it's garnered. CoLo (or perhaps even better, LoCo) says that while she leaves it in the hands of three capable bloggers with Cold War-era identities: T, L, and X, she does her part by contributing at least one photo per day of whatever she happens to be wearing.
In the article we learn that CoLo, a "longtime clothing collector," counts among her wardrobe stock: Cristobal Balenciaga gowns, mid-19th century garments from the Edwardian and Victorian eras, Studio 54-worthy Chloe dresses, and an empire-waist John Galliano couture gown that she nearly hacked into with scissors. It was around that time that someone wisely intervened, explaining the value of couture to her, she remembers.
That was in 1997, but it didn't stop CoLo from making another major misstep a decade later, when she unconsciously donned a fake Chanel couture dress to an event. "It was a scandal, the Chanel police were after me," she said. Again, she blamed it on her lack of couture knowledge at the time.
Now that she's the proud owner of a Birkin bag (the first of several, she assumes), CoLo's wardrobe has refined, she says. She's also employed the services of stylist and friend Panos Yiapanis, which, realistically has probably been more of linchpin in her style transformation than the Birkin. These days her closet picks include pieces by It-names Givenchy, Alexander Wang, Ann Demuelemeester, and all things Rick Owen.
While we've noticed the subtle change in Love's dressing habits, what's more notable is all the media hype championing her sartorial whims of late. What's next? A "Courtney Love's Guide to Style" book deal? It's a scary thought, but not at all unlikely.
