Olive B. Godlee is one of those people you only meet every so often. She's sort of like a beautiful urban gypsy princess goddess, if you can imagine it. First of all, her name is Olive B. Godlee. So there's that. Then there's the fact that her family is Australian. Then there's that she dresses incredibly; I wouldn't be writing about her otherwise. She lives in Brooklyn (mad jellin'!), and her mom is an artist and her dad is a costume designer. Olive says things like, "I'm down with that," or, "I dig that," or, "Let's bounce," which is basically my vocabulary in a nutshell. She's ridiculously nice and equally gorgeous, but above all she is inspirational. I can't even count how many times I've seen her wear something and the next day or a few days later I've tried to replicate it. The best part about Olive's fashion sense is that it's so unique. Sure, there are people who dress similarly and totally rock it, but no one that I know personally. It's always a massive letdown when you talk to a crazy-well-dressed person and they're obnoxious and snooty about it. That is the absolute worst. Fashion is not an excuse to flaunt your wealth by any means, although far too many people use it for that purpose. Often the best dressed people are the ones who have the most original pieces, which means they could've found their entire wardrobe at a flea market in Texas. I don't know.
Part of the reason Olive is so inspirational is because it seems to me that there's this element of mystery with her. You never know when she's going to cut her hair or what she's going to wear tomorrow. She may walk into science class with a scarf wrapped around her torso or thigh-high boots creeping up her legs. One day she's wearing a sweet and girly vintage dress with red lipstick and the next she's sporting jeans and a ripped t-shirt with a flower pin in her hair. Olive's not afraid to experiment, and it always works out in her favor. She knows what to wear, but she's not grandiloquent about it. She keeps you guessing. That's the fun part.
You can read more info about this awesome chick in our little interview below.
Odelia: How would you describe your style?
Olive: It goes from kind of like a sixties Twiggy look to a grunge kind of thing. I feel really pretentious saying that but like that kind of thing. My brother's told me who—he's twelve—he told me that his favorite look of mine is the kind of more punk look, which is like—this European guy cut my hair and he was really really gay and fabulous and he told me that the longer end of my hair is the “ugly” bit of my haircut, so it's the more punk part.
Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?
Olive: I love Twiggy with a burning passion, and Marilyn Monroe obviously, and the whole kind of sixties look. But also love the kind of Victorian look, like the long dresses and corsets and stuff.
Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?
Olive: I love Odd Twin and Beacon's Closet and Guvnor's and Olive's, which is on Court Street [in Brooklyn], and just flea markets are by far best.
Odelia: If you could own one item right now that you don't have, what would it be?
Olive: It would either be like, a legitimate corset or a pointy sixties bra, or the swimsuits from the sixties, they're really really hot. Also, I need a pair of creepers, that's just gotta happen.
Odelia: Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?
Olive: It is, but at the same time...okay, no, it totally is, I choose to paint my nails disease colors over studying for my science test, so yes, I would.
Odelia: Natural choice. Would you say that you spend a lot of time—okay, not spend a lot of time, but would you say that make-up is an important part of your day?
Olive: Well, sometimes, but I usually end up doing it on the train, which is really un-classy, but I try to go for a more interesting look or something that goes with what I'm wearing.
Odelia: Okay, thank you!
Photos by me. (Note: These photos were taken before Olive changed her hairstyle; I stuck in one at the end that was taken more recently, so you could see what it looks like now. I totally dig it.)
This look is a perfect mix of sixties and punk. It's like Swinging London in the nineties. The dichotomy between the two aesthetics somehow looks just right on her.
Be any more of a badass, I dare you.
I don't know anyone else who can would wear a yellow dress to school. Peep the matching fingernail polish on the left; I feel bad, I kept her from studying for our science test that day because I influenced her to paint her nails the night before.
The piercing blue eyes; the Twiggy makeup; the delicious hair... Now you can confirm that I wasn't just saying nice things about her because I know she's reading this. (Hi Olive!)
She recently (okay, a few months ago) cut off the "ugly" part of her hair (see the interview for this reference). It reminds me of what my hair was like when I cut it in December: shorter in the back. I'm going back to that style again because having the hair on my neck buzzed is just so much fun.
And this is her backpack. Customized by her, and freaking incredible, if I might add.
On the back is a quote from The Little Prince. I mean, come on! This is pure genius!
Photo by Louis Vaccara.
This is Olive with her new-ish haircut and the aforementioned flower in her hair.
Et voilà! Just soak it all in.
We go to an arts school, so of course she's an actress and an awesome artist as well, so I think you should check out her Tumblr if you want to see some more scrumpdiddlyumptiousness. I'm not even a Tumbl-er, but I really enjoy hers.
Okay, that's enough fangirling for me for one night.
Up next week: Olive's friend Nora DellaFera, a vintage angel.
P.S. Isn't "dichotomy" a great word? I learned it from Leandra.
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