Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie circa "The Simple Life". Courtesy of @shesvague
Pop culture in the early 2000s was distinguished by tramp stamps, diamante bedazzled everything, barely-there ensembles and some of the most wildly uninhibited paparazzi shots that Bella and Kendall wouldn’t be caught dead in today. If this era of audacious fashion, over the top glamour, and pure, shameless, trashy, sex appeal evokes a sense of yearning for the Noughties, @shesvague is the memory lane of your wildest dreams. The Instagram sensation fashion archive, that counts Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton amongst her 270K+ following, is documenting all of the iconic fashion, beauty, film and female empowerment moments of the Y2K era. Despite her online stardom and frequent DM’ing with celebs, she’s managed to stay anonymous, referring to herself only as a “bored wealthy housewife living in Melbourne,” but we can only imagine that she’s just as glam as the women she celebrates on her feed. And while this brand of feminism may not exactly be avant garde, there’s definitely something distinctly subversive about this display of influential women revelling in their sexuality and not conforming to the standards of the time.
How was shesvague born and at what point did you realize that this account was growing into something bigger than just a personal archive?
She’s Vague was born after a break up and when I realised a boyfriend wasn’t what I wanted. What I wanted was glamour, fashion, decadence, female empowerment, sexual liberation and vintage Dior.
I knew it was growing bigger when both Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton followed me. Two of the most iconic pop culture queens!
How would you describe shesvague in 3 words?
Stunning, rich, trash.
What is it about the 2000s that you find the most alluring?
The women. They were so inspiring in terms of fashion choices, the way they presented themselves and the way they chose to live their lives.
I also just love a thin eyebrow and Paris Hilton in her early 20’s.
Is there any one woman that you think encompasses the shesvague aesthetic and attitude the most?
Me, duh!
Who are you favourite designers? Do you find yourself personally gravitating more towards Noughties creators or do you also have current favorites?
- Early 2000’s John Galliano
- Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton
- Donatella Versace
- Jean Paul Gaultier
- Thierry Mugler
- Anna Sui
- Vivienne Westwood
- Tom Ford for Gucci
Is the way that you express your aesthetic online true to how you express it in real life?
Everyone interprets the She’s Vague aesthetic differently. If you were to describe it as fabulous and absolutely divine, then yes.
Do you think fashion trends were better back then and if so, what are the current trends you dislike?
I just believe in wearing whatever you want whenever you want. I don’t dislike anything. If a person loves wearing what they’re wearing and they feel glam in it, then that’s all that matters.
You’ve collaborated with brands like House of Holland. Do you see more collaborations like that in the future? With such a big following and growing, do you see shesvague expanding beyond just an Instagram archive?
I’d love to work on more collaborations like that. Honestly, working with She’s Vague is the best decision a brand could make.
I’ve always thought about my own line of sex toys or clothing for dogs. We’ll just wait and see what happens.
Do you think we’ll ever get to see the face behind shesvague?
Maybe, for the right price $$$