This morning I read two different fashion stories: The first was about Sarah Jessica Parker as a fashion icon being selected as the new face of Halston. The second was about Carmen Electra as a fashion icon sharing her style secrets.

These two women are so dissimilar that I had to wonder how the same term could be used for both of them. So what makes a fashion icon? If a celebrity puts on clothes that they may or may not have chosen themselves and they look good, does that celebrity deserve icon status?

A fashion icon is someone that influences fashion choices that the rest of us make. An icon constitutes a defining characteristic of a given society or era (wikipedia).
True style is an art. Just as a modern artist that must be first trained in classic technique, a true fashion icon must first understand fashion design. She must understand cuts, materials, and techniques in order to make wise, not trendy, choices. My interpretation then, is that as a fashion icon should be more than a celebrity that looks good in the clothes that a stylist lays out for them. She has her own voice, she listens to her instincts, and she takes fashion risks. And those risks (usually) look good on her.

On our website, users are asked in their profiles to name their fashion icon. The question is intended to get people thinking about whom or what inspires them and what makes someone stand out for their fashion choices and style.

For those that love fashion, it is how we express our creative side to the world. It is an outward display of our moods, our hopes, and our self-images. Where we find that inspiration is up to us. I guess on thing SJP and Carmen Electra do share is that self-confidence we all admire. Self-confidence is, after all, iconic.

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