Fashion Icon: Maureen Starkey

This is a bit of an intimidating Fashion Icon post to do, because Senti is the doyenne of all things Mo. But she has very kindly sent me a pile of images with which to work. Thank you!

Maureen Starkey is by far and away the most admirable Beatle-wife, in my opinion. Not least because she had to put up with Ringo, but also because she was there from the very beginning. She wasn’t a model. She wasn’t an actress. She had been a hairdresser and was now a full time wife and mother, who still had to be the perfect accessory to her superstar husband. She performed this role beautifully, without ever overshadowing Ringo and never once looking like she would dearly love to thump the impossibly beautiful Pattie Boyd. Maureen was a woman’s woman. Kudos Mo!

Early on, her look was pure mod perfection. Immaculately coiffed hair, super sleek dresses and suits, and impeccably applied eye make-up to bring out her already quite spectacularly huge eyes. But Maureen was no follower. She was hugely experimental with her hair and make-up, especially in later Beatle years when her clothing also underwent a few gear changes. She did the maternity look exceptionally well in all eras, and was never afraid to try out different looks – particularly the notoriously hard-to-pull-off mannish suits and ties.

My personal favourite look is the hotpants, suede boots, [possibly] Mr Freedom t-shirt and bleached-end hair look, but there are lots to choose from. She probably tried every look you might dare to think of. Sometimes successful, sometimes not, but you’ve got to salute that haven’t you? Mo, you were truly awesome and you also helped give us the Hard Rock Cafe. We salute you!