I thought it appropriate to start out a woman’s magazine with an article that explores women from all eras who permanently left their mark in the world, with fashion and grace. These are women who not only brought home bacon, raised families, and wore heels, but did it with such grace that the world had no choice but to look upon them with awe and envy.
I believe every woman is capable of making their mark upon this world in such a way. Inside every female is the possibility of a queen, a fashionista, a world changer.
Who better to start out with than
Cleoptara, Queen of Eygypt
Queen Cleo in all her stylish grace
Cleopatra, 69 BC-30 BC, was the last pharaoh of Egypt, lover of Julius Ceasar and fierce defender of her lands. She was a forward thinking woman who refused to speak her native tongue, instead speaking only in Greek. An icon of sensuality, she led a tumultuous life that ended dramatically and tragically. We have her to thank as we wrestle eyeliner for the bold, sexy cat eye look.
Elizabeth I of England
Saint of gingers, Queen Elizabeth the First
Queen Elizabeth I, 1533-1603
The Queen of England during a time of immense social and economic change, Elizabeth ruled with an elegant fist. She endured enormous familial turmoil and suffered humiliations unimaginable before gaining the throne. She started several fashionable trends in England, such as high collars, ghostly skin and female education, all in addition to being a single, working gal!
Jane Austen
Revolutionary romance novelist, Jane Austen
Jane Austen, 1775-1817 A timeless female author, Jane Austen wrote witty, much loved romance novels, which include the popular “Pride and Prejudice”, “Sense and Sensibility” and “Emma”. Her books broached a controversial subject at the time: The worth of the woman inside, not the just the outside. The revolutionary Jane Austen wrote and published her novels at a time where female authors were scorned and rarely published. Jane forged a road when there was barely a trail before.
Emmeline Pankhurst
Elegant and fierce, Emily Pankhurst gave her life to fight of women's rights
Emmeline Pankhurst, 1858-1928
Emily Pankhurst was an outspoken British suffragette. She devoted her entire life to the cause of womens’ rights. She left no stone unturned, exploring all means of protest, including violence, hunger strikes, railings and smashing windows. She endured indignities such as jailing and force feeding. During the first World War she called a temporary truce between opposing sides of the war for womens’ rights. She and her army of suffragettes aided in the war effort. Emily died only three weeks before women age twenty one and over were given the right to vote.
Coco Chanel
A world wide icon for the trail blazers of timeless fashion
Coco Chanel, 1883-1971. Coco Chanel was labeled by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the twentieth century. The only designer to be listed as such, she revolutionized and liberated female fashion. Implementing shocking new elements, such as clothing stylized after mens’ wear, simplicity, and movement and shape in women’s clothing. She even introduced trousers and suits for women, and still remains famous for her timeless fragrance Chanel No. 5.
Rosa Parks
A woman not afraid to stand up for her rights, Rosa Parks suffered jail time for her courage
Rosa Parks, 1913-2005. Rosa Parks fought her battle for civil rights with peaceful grace and dignity. She is famous for the day that she refused to give up her bus seat for a white male passenger. When she didn’t give up, the bus driver called the police, and she was arrested when they arrived. Rosa’s bravery launched two key events in the fight for civil rights, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign. In one small act of bravery Rosa launched a chain of events that led to the victory of civil rights and equality.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe in the timeless pose so many love
Marilyn Monroe, 1926-1962. Born Norma Jean Baker, Marilyn Monroe rose from spending her childhood in several foster homes to becoming one of the most iconic actresses in history. Her endless aura of glamor and sophistication makes her a role model for girls and women everywhere. Marilyn started her career by being discovered in a munitions factory, where she worked during the Second World War, by a journalist. He was so struck by her beauty and grace that he used her in several shots, starting her career in modeling. She changed her name to that of her grandmother’s and took drama lessons. She died tragically young from an overdose in 1962 at the early age of 36. We have her to thank for immortalizing that LWD.
There are countless other women who left their manicured mark upon the world, some timeless and recognized, others obscure, but still there, changing their surroundings to better the world and the people they love.
~Tori Weller
La Belle 