Just look at Billie Eilish on the front cover of Vogue. That’s one hell of an image overhaul. For the shoot, her trademark baggy hoodie and skater shorts have been replaced with a pink satin corset, which gives her an hourglass silhouette, with a classic, old-timey pin-up Hollywood glamour look. She’s even dyed her trademark, grunge green and black hair a bright Marilyn platinum.
According to Vogue it was entirely her own idea. The 19-year-old pop star, who first came to our attention with her viral hit Ocean Eyes, recorded when she was just 13, may well singlehandedly revive the corset, making it cool for Gen Z, though it was already having a bit of a moment. Thanks to Bridgerton, the bodice-ripping Regency romp that had us all swooning over the Duke of Hastings played by Regé-Jean Page, online searches for corsets rocketed, up 123 per cent last December, according to online search engine Lyst. And even before that, ahead of the curve influencers like Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa were on board with last year’s ‘summer corset’.
But what if, like me, you’re in your mid-50s? After a year spent in pandemic athleisure wear, is it now time to go the full Jessica Rabbit? Or is that somewhat de trop for a midlife look? Madonna is 62 and it hasn’t stopped her. But, well, she’s Madonna.