Yahoo Lifestyle At the age of 50, Chloë Sevigny is still the ultimate It-girl
Several years ago, I was interviewing Chloë Sevigny about a short film she had recently starred in. At some point during our call, I asked her about her reputation as a style icon –as one does when talking to the Chloë Sevigny. Her unexpected answer has always stuck with me. She told me that it made her uncomfortable, that it was a label she wasn’t sure what to do with, and one that she didn’t ask for. I could feel her shrug over the phone as she laughed.
Her disinterest in it is what makes her so cool. There are thousands of girls out there who would die for that 'it-girl' title, who are out there posting themselves on social media every minute of every day in hopes that someone declares them the next style icon. And then there’s Sevigny, who has had that title for decades and doesn’t really care.
This week, Sevigny turns 50, and she’s still the coolest girl in the world – without trying. She isn’t influenced by trends or what anyone else is wearing. It’s evident from every single one of her looks that she has such a clear sense of who she is and what she likes (it’s what people these days call 'personal style'). In the age of social media, that level of almost anti-self-awareness, where you don’t realise or care how you are perceived, has essentially become extinct.
In 2024, it's hard to get dressed without worrying what someone online will say about it, but Sevigny grew up in a time when you really just lived your life to live it instead of taking photos of it. She never looks like she is trying too hard, and she always looks comfortable. She has a knack for wearing things that feel unexpected and yet so obviously her. There’s always a whimsical touch – like a sailor collar or a pair of tiger-print tights – that is somehow just right. When she puts an item of clothing on, it feels like she was always meant to wear it. Her brand is so strong that it’s impossible to recreate any of her looks because it is her essence that makes them so special.
Even at 50, Sevigny still has fun with what she wears in ways society has tried to tell women they can’t after 30. It’s inspirational, especially for a generation that seems more terrified of ageing than those who have come before them. There’s no doubt in my mind that if I brought this up to Sevigny she would shrug it off; she's not trying to make a revolutionary statement – and that's the whole point. She’s just being her.
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