Fans Can't Look Away From Billie Eilish's British Vogue Cover
Singer-songwriter and pop sensation Billie Eilish has made as big a splash for her unique fashion sense as for her record-breaking musical career. According to Insider, by 2021, the "Your Power" singer became only the second artist and first woman to sweep all four major categories at the Grammys. Eilish is known for showing up to award shows in her signature, loose-fitting (but haute couture!) sweatshirts and pants. "Billie Eilish is ushering a new era of fashion," as Harper's Bazaar commentator Elaine Welteroth observed during E!'s red carpet coverage of 2020's Oscars, at which Eilish arrived in an all-white fleece Chanel pantsuit accompanied by her particolored green and black hair.
Although she may get credited as a sartorial trailblazer, it was a choice born out of insecurity rather than statement-making. "The only reason I did it was 'cause I hated my body," Eilish told Dazed Magazine in 2020. "There was a point last year where I was naked and I didn't recognize my body 'cause I hadn't seen it in a while."
In April, the cultural phenom dropped the highly-anticipated July release date of her second studio album "Happier than Ever" via Instagram — but equally eye-catching were the images from the album's photoshoot, showing off her new blond 'do, retro bangs and all. It was her risque looks from June's British Vogue cover story, however, that had fans' tongues wagging.
Billie Eilish is blonde, showing skin and "doing whatever I want"
Sharing sneak peeks from her June 2021 profile in British Vogue on her Instagram, Billie Eilish showed fans that she truly may be "happier than ever" — at least when it came to her self-image. The previously self-admittedly insecure Eilish debuted a confident and decidedly more sophisticated pin-up-inspired look in the magazine's cover photo shoot.
Wearing form-fitting lacy silk corsets, garter belts, and stiletto heels, Eilish told Vogue UK she was well-aware of the full range of ramifications the startling transformation might have on the peanut gallery. "Don't make me not a role model because you're turned on by me," she explained the point she tried to get across with this new set of garbs. "'If you're about body positivity, why would you wear a corset? Why wouldn't you show your actual body?'" Eilish said, anticipating the possible criticisms of her photoshoot. "My thing is that I can do whatever I want," she retorted.
Fans were all for it. "Someone needs to go round collecting people's jaws from the floor," the band (and Eilish Instagram-follower) Max and Harvey wrote in the comments. "IM GAY," exclaimed another Instagram user (who identified as "she/her" in her bio). A comment that perhaps summarized it best was from one individual who supportively wrote, "HAPPY YOU FEEL CONFIDENT WITH YOUR BODY!! go girl so proud."
After all, it is hard to not love a role model who leads by example!