Cherry Bomb

Do you think I'm too old to be a badass?

When I was a teenager young girls didn't yet have equal footing with their male counterparts. The Women's Lib movement had just come to fruition and the ripple effect hadn't quite balanced the scales between the sexes. It was not considered feminine to be assertively sexy or independent. Girls were too weak to be badasses; especially someone as physically disabled and mortally shy (yup, I was shy!) as me. 

Then I found The Runaways. Some of you are old enough to remember them. Along with their muse, Suzi Quattro, they were the original riot grrrls. An all-girl band of teens that wore head-to-toe black or racy lingerie and sang about rebellion, seduction, sex, drugs, and rock n' roll from a female-empowered point-of-view. It was all a bit camp and puerile but the musicianship was solid and the core message as transmitted from teen to teen resonated with me. You can be in charge of your own life. You can stand up for yourself. You can be a badass. So I was - and I often took it way too far as adolescents do. But those are stories for another time. 

Fast forward to 2013. The Runaways biopic was released three years ago. Joan Jett became one of the first women to form her own label, Blackheart Records, and continues to record and tour the world as one of Rolling Stone's Top 100 guitarists of all time. Former Runaways guitarist Lita Ford and vocalist Cherie Currie have recorded a Christmas song together called Rock This Christmas Down.

And I'm doing something I almost never do; wearing head-to-toe black. The snakeskin pattern jacket is Calvin Klien via Ross. My W D N Y tuxedo stripe leggings were an online purchase from ideeli. A Summer boutique clearance event yielded the Ya Los Angeles sequined top and quilted bow belt and of course, the shoes are Rock and Candy from Shi. The gorgeous one-of-a-kind brooch is from Appolonia's Accessories. Not only is it beautifully made, it's fastened using magnets instead of a pinback - which means no tiny holes poked in your garments.

Anyone who remembers the Runaways will instantly understand the significance of the bag. Their very first hit was a song called Cherry Bomb. Remember the lyrics?

Can't stay at home, can't stay at school
Old folks say, ya poor little fool
Down the street I'm the girl next door
I'm the fox you've been waiting for

Hello Daddy, hello Mom
I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb
Hello world I'm your wild girl
I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb

My friend and guitarist/vocalist extraordinaire Jim Rotramel, aka "Skinny Jim" of The Number 9 Blacktops put it up for sale for a song (yes; bad pun) and I had to have it. If you're a fan of rockabilly tunes and just straight up great rock n' roll please check out his site or his Facebook page. While I'm plugging great tunes, I need to mention my friends Black Snake Halo have released a four song Christmas EP called Merry Christmassss available to download for free from their bandcamp site. I've collaborated with Larry Smith and Jan Buchholz from BSH on musical projects and individual songs in the past so I'm very excited to share this and help put you in the holiday spirit.

So what do you think - am I still a badass?

Linking with lovely Patti for Visible Monday, Shelley for Fashionista Style Hop, Seeker for Tres Chic Style Bits, and Kristin and Megan the BonBonRose girls for Monday Mingle.