It may be the mantra of Barbados-born songtress Rihanna …
but there’s no doubt that there is an allure to the sweet girl next door that trades her heavenly halo and cute cardigan for devilish horns and spiky Manolos.
So, what makes a good girl go bad? Is it her “dare me to” attitude as she races about town in a convertible Porsche 550 Spyder or atop a vintage Harley, maybe it’s the clothes she wears like thigh-high minis, fishnet hosiery, and head-to-toe leather; or even the company she keeps? The allure that the bad girl wields is undeniable.
The imagery is iconic and there’s no mistaking her for her meeker counterpart, the good girl. As young girls there’s a bevy of fairytales that play out in our head — meeting prince charming, being swept off our feet, and getting carried off into an enchanting new life. Then there’s the altered version, the one where the dark knight rides up, it’s just the sordid tale to make your mother’s hair stand on end.
When a good girl transforms into a bad girl there’s something even more intoxicating, more enticing, and more rebellious. We can even trace the origins of this rebel vixen back to ancient times, take Cleopatra — known for her seductive manner — who ruled the Egyptian empire with an iron fist and curtailed powerful emperors with her charm, beguiling two formidable Roman rulers, Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony.
The evolution of the good girl gone bad is unmistakable as her school girl persona — clad with classic cardigans, frilly frocks, and strings of pearls — is revamped into a more kitschy façade, one marked by racy fashion, an edgy attitude, and a bad boy in tow.
The mystique of the good girl gone bad is often immortalized on the big screen. Like Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker, honor roll student turned outlaw, and half of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo. We’ve seen it on the small screen too; take Gossip Girl, the satirical hit about a group of highly fashionable but morally questionable click of Upper East Side teens.
It has everything you want in a good drama including rebellion, envy, gossip, and plenty of bad girls from the scheming Blair Waldorf caught in a love triangle with her preppy ex and a notorious bad boy to the rebellious Jenny Humphrey who entertained the idea of legally emancipating herself from her parents.
Hollywood has also launched a few bad girls. Brittany Spears, once a Mouseketeer, is the paradigm of a good girl gone bad. So fitting was her mantra, “Oops I did it again,” as we watched the songstress descend further with each escapade. When she first hit the musical scene she was angelic but soon traded her schoolgirl kilt for something more daring. Then there’s Lindsay Lohan, who lit up the screen in a dual role as twins for The Parent Trap, who went from Disney sweetheart to female paramour of DJ Samantha Ronson.
When we see our favorite on screen heroines slowly descend into a wicked abyss we can’t help but revel, even bask at the possibilities. As much as we love to hate and hate to love the bad girl, we can’t help but be intrigued with the idea and a bit envious of her. After all, who hasn’t fantasized about taking a ride on the wild side?
Photographed by Cody Rundall and styled by Claudia Paolinelli
Chicly Yours,
The Chic Spy
