It girl

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Poster for the film "It" (1927), starring Clara Bow

An "It girl" is an attractive young woman who is perceived to have both sex appeal and a personality that is especially engaging.[1]

The expression it girl originated in British upper-class society around the turn of the 20th century. It gained further attention in 1927 with the popularity of the Paramount Studios film It, starring Clara Bow. In the earlier usage, a woman was especially perceived as an "it girl" if she had achieved a high level of popularity without flaunting her sexuality. Today, the term is used more to apply simply to fame and beauty. The Oxford English Dictionary distinguishes between the chiefly American usage of "a glamorous, vivacious, or sexually attractive actress, model, etc.", and the chiefly British usage of "a young, rich woman who has achieved celebrity because of her socialite lifestyle".

The terms "it boy" or "it man" are sometimes used to describe a male exhibiting similar traits.

History

Early use

An early literary usage of it in this sense is found in a 1904 short story by Rudyard Kipling, which contains the line "'Tisn't beauty, so to speak, nor good talk necessarily. It's just It. Some women'll stay in a man's memory if they once walk down a street."[1][2]

Elinor Glyn, the notorious British novelist who wrote the book titled It and its subsequent screenplay, lectured:

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Glyn first rose to fame as the author of the scandalous 1907 bestseller Three Weeks. She is widely credited with the invention of the "it girl" concept: although the slang predates her book and film, she was responsible for the term's impact on the culture of the 1920s.[3]

In 1927, the Paramount Studios film was planned as a special showcase for its popular star Clara Bow, and her performance[4] introduced the term "it" to the cultural lexicon. The film plays with the notion that "it" is a quality which eschews definitions and categories; consequently, the girl portrayed by Bow is an amalgam of an ingenue and a femme fatale, with some qualities later portrayed by Madonna's latter day "Material Girl" incarnation. By contrast, Bow's rival in the script is equally young and comely, as well as rich and well-bred, yet is portrayed as not possessing "it". Clara Bow later said she wasn't sure what "it" meant,[5] although she identified Lana Turner[5] and later Marilyn Monroe[6] as "it girls".[5]

The fashion component of the "it girl" originated with Glyn's elder sister, couturier Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon, known professionally as "Lucile". Lucile managed exclusive salons in London, Paris and New York, was the first designer to present her collections on a stage complete with the theatrical accoutrements of lights and music (inspiring the modern runway or catwalk show), and was famous for making sexuality an aspect of fashion through her provocative lingerie and lingerie-inspired clothes.[7][8] She also specialised in dressing trendsetting stage and film performers, ranging from the stars of the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway to silent screen icons such as Mary Pickford and Irene Castle.

As early as 1917, Lucile herself used the term "it" in relation to style in her fashion column for Harper's Bazaar: "... I saw a very ladylike and well-bred friend of mine in her newest Parisian frock ... she felt she was 'it' and perfectly happy."[9][10]

Modern "it girls"

In the late 1970s the term started to distance itself from Bow, as magazines used it to describe Diana Ross.[11] Since the 1980s, the term "it girl" has been used slightly differently, referring to a wealthy, normally unemployed, young woman who is pictured in tabloids going to many parties often in the company of other celebrities, receiving media coverage in spite of no real personal achievements or TV hosting / presenting. The writer William Donaldson observed that, having initially been coined in the 1920s, the term was applied in the 1990s to describe "a young woman of noticeable 'sex appeal' who occupied herself by shoe shopping and party-going".[12]

In 2023, Matthew Schneier for The Cut, defined the New York "it girl" as being: "Famous for being out, famous for being young, famous for being fun, famous for being famous." Schneier added that an "it girl" does not define itself that way, but that "magazine writers, newspaper columnists, photographers" do.[11] The prominence of an "it girl" is often temporary; some of the rising "it girls" will either become fully-fledged celebrities, commonly initially via appearances on reality TV shows or series; lacking such an accelerant, their popularity will normally fade. Schneier claimed that achieving obscurity is required to be considered one: "An undeniable celebrity is not an “It” girl."[11]

Editors at The Cut also included a list of over 150 ‘"It" girls. Called 'It' Girl Inflation, the article praised the Internet for increasing supply and demand, or democratizing, the 'It' Girl. Notable New York "it" girls included Tinsley Mortimer, Olivia Palermo, Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Amanda Hearst, Leigh Lezark, Vashtie Kola, Cat Marnell, Audrey Gelman, Tavi Gevinson, Petra Collins, Jemima Kirke, Barbie Ferreira, Sahara Lin, Chloe Wise, Lexie Smith, Emily Ratajkowski, Hari Nef, Salem Mitchell, Julia Fox, and Eve Jobs.[13]

Examples

1900s

  • Evelyn Nesbit (1884 or 1885–1967), American artists' model, photographic model, chorus girl, and silent film actress, whose rise to fame around 1900 has been called "the birth of the 'It Girl'".[14][15]
  • Brenda Dean Paul (1907–1959), British silent film actress and socialite.[16]

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Gallery

Film and theater

"It boy"

The term "it boy" (sometimes "it man") has been used to describe a male exhibiting similar qualities to an "it girl". In 1950, Bow identified Robert Mitchum as an it boy.[5] In 1995, Entertainment Weekly referred to Leonardo DiCaprio as "Hollywood's 'It' Boy" because of his "blazing talent and dashing baby-faced looks – a combination of the mystic and the mischievous – that have the praise faucets gushing buckets".[80][81]

2010s

South Korean boy-band BTS was called an "It boy" band by Billboard in 2017.[82] In 2018, Vanity Fair referred to Timothée Chalamet as an 'It' Boy".[83] In 2019, Jimin was first called "it boy" for his role in the world of fashion by the Spanish website Flooxer Now and described as such by other media.[84]

2020s

Later, in 2020, Jimin was named "Global 'It' boy", dubbed so by Naver.[85] In 2021, Teen Vogue referred to Yeonjun, as "K-pop's fourth-generation 'It' boy" due to his participation in New York Fashion Week.[86]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. Kipling, Rudyard (1904). "Mrs Bathurst", Traffics and Discoveries. London: Macmillan, 352. 
  2. Mrs Bathurst, http://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/rg_bathurst1.htm  (Publisher: KiplingSociety.co.uk)
  3. Clara Bow: The original 'It Girl', https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141222-who-was-the-original-it-girl  article status: live  (Language: en
  4. private showing. (1927-01-01) Variety
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Waterloo Daily Courier, 21 September 1950
  6. Stenn, David (1988). Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild. Doubleday, 272. ISBN 0-385-24125-9. 
  7. Evans, Caroline. (2013). The Mechanical Smile, pp 34–36, 39–41
  8. Bigham, Randy Bryan. (2012). Lucile: Her Life by Design pp 23–31.
  9. Duff-Gordon, Lady (Lucile). (1917). "The Last Word in Fashions". Harper's Bazaar, 63, October 1917
  10. Bigham, Randy Bryan. (2012). Lucile - Her Life by Design, 31, 275.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 What Was (and Is) the 'It' Girl? An investigation., https://www.thecut.com/article/new-york-it-girl-essay.html  (Language: en-US
  12. Donaldson, W. (2002) Brewer's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 You're an It Girl! You're an It Girl! Everyone's an It Girl!, https://www.thecut.com/2023/04/everyone-is-an-it-girl-now.html  (Language: en-us
  14. Uruburu, Paula (May 1, 2008). American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White, the Birth of the 'It' Girl, and the Crime of the Century, First; hardcover, Riverhead Books. ISBN 978-1594489938. 
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 The "It Girls" of Every Decade, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/photos/2016/10/it-girls-of-every-decade  (Language: en-US
  16. "Man-eating, drug-taking, scandal-making: The It Girl through the ages", The Daily Telegraph, 24 August 2019. 
  17. Edie Sedgwick, eternal It Girl: 50 years after "Poor Little Rich Girl," she remains an icon, https://www.salon.com/2015/04/05/edie_sedgwick_eternal_it_girl_50_years_after_poor_little_rich_girl_she_remains_an_icon/  (Language: en
  18. 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 18.12 18.13 A Century of the New York 'It' Girl 151 women who captured the city's attention., https://www.thecut.com/article/new-york-it-girl-history.html  (Language: en-US
  19. Jane Holzer Doesn't Think Much About Her Year in the Spotlight, https://www.thecut.com/article/jane-holzer-new-york-it-girl.html  (Language: en-US
  20. Ali MacGraw Does Not Care for the Term 'It' Girl, https://www.thecut.com/2017/06/ali-macgraw-ibu-interview.html  (Language: en-US
  21. For Meredith Garretson, Channeling Ali MacGraw's Incomparable Style in 'The Offer' Was Second Nature, https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/meredith-garretson-the-offer-ali-macgraw-style  (Language: en-US
  22. "Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon: Beautiful debutante whom Cressida Bonas calls Mum", The Daily Telegraph, 11 October 2013. 
  23. Marisa Berenson: the It-girl who grew up, http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8785243/Marisa-Berenson-the-It-girl-who-grew-up.html
  24. Glass interviews former '70s It girl and actor Marisa Berenson, https://www.theglassmagazine.com/glass-interviews-former-70s-it-girl-and-actor-marisa-berenson/
  25. Diane von Furstenberg, fashion's 'It girl,' honored for lifetime achievement, https://archive.triblive.com/local/local-news/diane-von-furstenberg-fashions-it-girl-honored-for-lifetime-achievement/
  26. See Bianca Jagger's Style, an Original 'It' Girl, https://www.thecut.com/2014/09/see-bianca-jaggers-style-an-original-it-girl.html  (Language: en-US
  27. Lessons from a 1980s New York party girl and Warhol muse, https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/38609/1/dianne-brill-lessons-from-a-1980s-new-york-party-girl-and-warhol-muse  article status: live  (Language: en
  28. Cornelia Guest Looks Back at Her Life in Parties, https://www.wmagazine.com/life/cornelia-guest-life-in-parties-interview  (Language: en
  29. Dowd, Maureen. "LISA IN WONDERLAND", The New York Times, 1986-11-09.  
  30. She Played 'Lisa E.' for Two and a Half Years, https://www.thecut.com/article/lisa-edelstein-new-york-it-girl.html  (Language: en-US
  31. Mutti, Giulia. "The Influential Legacy of Tina Chow", Another Magazine, October 28, 2015.  
  32. Keogh, Kat. "Kat Keogh: Tamara Beckwith – now an over-the-ill IT girl", Birmingham Mail, 26 June 2011. 
  33. 34.0 34.1 "Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and co: Whatever happened to the 'It girl'?", BBC News, 9 February 2017.  
  34. The 'It' Girls, https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2000/9/the-it-girls  (Language: en-US
  35. A New York 'It Girl' Goes Hollywood, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-23-cl-15610-story.html  article status: live  (Language: en-US
  36. 37.0 37.1 'It' Girls, https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/anniversary/35th/n_8550/  (Language: en-US
  37. Willman, Chris. "Add Parker Posey to the Short List", June 4, 1995. 
  38. Macor, Alison. "Party Girl", Austin, Texas: Austin Chronicle Corp., August 11, 1995. 
  39. Quart, Alissa (Nov–Dec 2002). Who's Afraid of Parker Posey?. New York City: New York Media. 
  40. Vincentelli, Elisabeth. "Hari Nef and Parker Posey: Two 'It' Girls Whose 'Humanity Peeks Through'", February 15, 2023. 
  41. McInerney, Jay (7 November 1994). Chloe's Scene. New York City: Condé Nast. 
  42. Chloë Sevigny, 'It' Girl to End All 'It' Girls, https://www.thecut.com/article/chloe-sevigny-new-york-it-girl.html  (Language: en-US
  43. 44.0 44.1 'It' Girl Inflation You're an "It" girl! You're an "It" girl! Everyone's an "It" girl!, https://www.thecut.com/2023/04/everyone-is-an-it-girl-now.html  (Language: en-US
  44. Tinsley Mortimer Flirts With Her It Girl Past and Bats Her Lashes at Her Future, https://www.wmagazine.com/story/tinsley-mortimer-real-housewives-fake-lashes-interview  (Language: en
  45. We Ask Charlotte Ronson: How Does It Feel to Be Called an 'It Girl'?, https://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/349883-charlotte-ronson-it-girl/  (Language: en-US
  46. Fan Bingbing: The Chic Life of a Cannes 'It' Girl, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cannes-girl-fan-bingbing-inside-505668/  (Language: en-US
  47. How to Be the 'It' Girl, https://observer.com/2000/10/how-to-be-the-it-girl/  (Language: en
  48. Nicky Hilton on Instagram, Motherhood, and the Perfect Pair of Shoes, https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/nicky-hilton-on-instagram-motherhood-and-her-favorite-pair-of-shoes  (Language: en
  49. The Making of Fashion's Latest 'It' Girl, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/fashion/28ALEXA.html  (Language: en-US
  50. Whatever happened to the It Girl?, https://theface.com/culture/whatever-happened-to-the-it-girl-celebrity-culture  (Language: en-US
  51. Tumblr Girls, It Girls, and Girlbosses: The Evolution of the Influencer, https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/alexa-chung-it-girlboss-tumblr-2010s-nostalgia  (Language: en-US
  52. 7 of Alexa Chung's most iconic outfits, https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/pkgjab/alexa-chung-style  (Language: en-US
  53. The Rise and Fall of Mischa Barton: A Timeline, https://www.eonline.com/news/839974/the-rise-and-fall-of-mischa-barton-a-timeline
  54. Template:Citation
  55. Mischa Barton talks returning to TV, joining The Hills and reclaiming her It girl status, https://www.vogue.com.au/celebrity/interviews/mischa-barton-talks-returning-to-tv-joining-the-hills-and-reclaiming-her-it-girl-status/news-story/512df91267eeaae2c91f67794c0e6983
  56. It-Girls Of The 2000s: Where Are They Now?, https://etcanada.com/photos/577546/it-girls-of-the-2000s-where-are-they-now/  (Language: en-US
  57. The Number-One Girl, https://nymag.com/news/people/31555/  (Language: en-US
  58. Dorfer, Tobias. "It-Girl Sara Schätzl aus München Öffentlich bis zum Zusammenbruch", Süddeutsche Zeitung, 31 January 2012. 
  59. Schneider, Martin. "Sara Schätzl: Warnung vor dem Roten Teppich". 
  60. The secret life of Cory Kennedy, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-feb-25-tm-corykennedy08-story.html  article status: live  (Language: en-US
  61. Cat Marnell Is the Lifestyle Guru We Deserve, https://www.thecut.com/2020/11/cat-marnell-on-her-new-patreon-beautyshambles.html  (Language: en-US
  62. How "It Girl" Petra Collins Went from Ballet to Behind the Camera, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/01/petra-collins-ballet-photographer  (Language: en-US
  63. Park Shin-hye is Elle's new it girl, http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201608181452493409654_2
  64. Rapper (And New York It Girl) Ice Spice is Only Just Getting Started, https://www.vogue.com/article/rapper-ice-spice-is-only-just-getting-started
  65. Jung Ho-yeon Says Squid Game 'Changed Me for the Better', https://www.vulture.com/article/jung-ho-yeon-squid-game-sae-byeok-interview.html  (Language: en-us
  66. #ELLECoverStar: K-Pop Star And Dior's Newest Brand Ambassador, Kim Jisoo - Elle India, https://elle.in/article/ellecoverstar-kim-jisoo/  (Language: en-US
  67. Who is Jennie Kim, The K-Pop It Girl Who Fans Call the 'Human Chanel'? - Jennie Kim Blackp, https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/who-is-jennie-kim-k-pop-blackpink-chanel  (Language: en-US
  68. Style File: Blackpink's Rosé, https://www.voguehk.com/en/article/fashion/style-file-blackpink-rose/  article status: live  (Language: en-US
  69. K-pop It-girl Lisa @lalalalisa_m of @Blackpinkofficial is rumoured to be launching her own fashion line. In December of last year, Lisa's management company YG Entertainment registered a new trademark filing for "Manobal Lalisa" and "Manobal" as merchandising labels. If approved, the trademark would reserve the right to produce clothing and underwear. Stay tuned for more details!, https://www.instagram.com/p/B8dwZW-Anpa/  (Language: en-US
  70. 3 Rising Stylists Who Work With Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana DeBose and Hoyeon, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/hollywood-rising-stylists-olivia-rodrigo-ariana-debose/  (Language: en-US
  71. aespa Is Primed to Conquer the Digital Age, https://www.papermag.com/aespa-savage-2655251903.html#rebelltitem1  (Language: en-US
  72. How Le Sserafim is Taking on Bolder Beauty Looks with "Antifragile", https://www.allure.com/story/le-sserafim-antifragile-kpop-interview  (Language: en-US
  73. 5 reasons why Stephanie Hsu is Hollywood's new 'It' girl, https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3215119/5-reasons-why-stephanie-hsu-hollywoods-new-it-girl-eeaao-rising-star-slated-appear-comedy-film-joy  (Language: en
  74. Zendaya: The New Generation of the "It Girl", https://www.strikemagazines.com/blog-2-1/zendaya-the-new-generation-of-the-it-girl  (Language: en-US
  75. The Making of an "It" Girl: Inside Zendaya's Euphoric Rise to the Top, https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1183789/the-making-of-an-it-girl-inside-zendayas-euphoric-rise-to-the-top
  76. 9 Thrilling Moments From KCON 2023 L.A.: Stray Kids, RIIZE, Taemin & More, https://www.grammy.com/news/9-performances-kcon-2023-la-recap-stray-kids-riize-ive-photos
  77. Meet Irene Kim, the fashion 'It' girl rumoured to be dating BTS' J-Hope, https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3189050/meet-model-irene-kim-bts-j-hopes-rumoured-girlfriend  (Language: en
  78. It Girl Musical, http://www.ItGirlMusical.com
  79. Hollywood's 'It' Boy, https://ew.com/article/1995/03/24/hollywoods-it-boy/  (Language: en
  80. 'It' Boys, https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/anniversary/35th/n_8598/  (Language: en-US
  81. Herman, Tamar (2017-09-21). BTS' 'Pied Piper' Is Filled With Tough Love Towards Fan Culture (in en-US). 
  82. (2018-10-15) Timothée Chalamet's Blazing Beautiful Boy Press Tour (in en-US). 
  83. ', http://www.apsk.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=27021&replyAll=Y&reply_sc_order_by=I  (Language: ko
  84. ', http://www.insightkorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=79397  (Language: ko
  85. TXT's Yeonjun Is Making His NYFW Debut, https://www.teenvogue.com/story/txt-yeonjun-nyfw-debut

Notes

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Further reading

  • Bigham, Randy Bryan. (2012). Lucile: Her Life by Design
  • Brown, Leah Marie. (2015, 2016, 2017). The It Girls series. Book one: Faking It < ISBN:1-616-50813-2 >; Book two: Finding It < ISBN:1616508140 >; Book three: Working It < ISBN:1616508159 >; Book four: Owning It < ISBN:1516101227 >
  • (1986) The "It" Girls: Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon, the couturière 'Lucile' and Elinor Glyn, romantic novelist. London: Hamish Hamilton. 
  • Evans, Caroline (2013). The Mechanical Smile: modernism and the first fashion shows in France and America, 1900–1929. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300189537. 
  • Marwick, Arthur (2004). It: a history of human beauty. London: Hambledon and London. ISBN 1852854480. 
  • (1976) The "It" Girl: The Incredible Story of Clara Bow. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-440-14068-4. 
  • Stenn, David (1988). Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-24125-9. 

External links

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