The Icon: Stevie Nicks

By Heather Marrin
The Luxe Life
Monday, April 15, 2013

When Tavi Gevinson of RookieMag ended her TEDTalk on Still Figuring it Out, she noted that the one lesson to take away from it all was “to just be Stevie Nicks. That’s all you have to do.” Gevinson credits her undying devotion to the rock icon to Nicks’ unapologetic attitude towards her flaws and unmatchable presence on stage and off. And Gevinson’s last words on the TED stage? “So yeah, please be Stevie Nicks.” If we would, we could. In the meantime we’ll be watching her preform tonight in all her rock-god glory and counting down the top ten things we love about Stevie Nicks.

Her eclectic fashion choices, period. Flowy-skirts, leather, and lace are just a few of the staple items we can thank Stevie Nicks for making mandatory when it comes to music-festival fashion must-haves.
Her songwriting. Nicks has penned some of the greatest songs in rock and roll history, including Rumours classics, “Dreams” and “Gold Dust Woman.”
She does her own thing. We aren’t the only ones that love her in Fleetwood Mac and love her just as much solo—her debut solo album Bella Donna has gone five-times platinum selling over five million copies.
Her unique start. Nicks got her start in the spotlight playing local gigs with her grandfather at the age of four.
Her extra-curricular high-school activities. While kids her age where playing on school sports teams and joining student councils, Nicks was falling for her future musical and romantic partner, Lindsey Buckingham—they would later join forces in a band called Fritz which opened for greats like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, and then together join Fleetwood Mac.
Her strength. After battling addiction during the 80’s and early 90’s, Stevie completely detoxed in ’93 and not too long after Fleetwood Mac hit the road again rocking for stadium-sized crowds.
Her big heart. She regularly visits soldiers who have been wounded at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. She has said, “I refuse to be pulled into the politics of war. But once these soldiers sign up, go to war and come back to a hospital, I will do whatever it takes to make them better.” She has also been a past supporter of a number of other charities including Music Rising, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Red Cross (to name a few).
Her bangs. From a Farah Fawcett flip to 80’s crimp to dead straight; Nicks has rocked bangs every which way and has never failed to pull it off.
Her top hat. Nicks has arguably made the black top hat just as famous as Abraham Lincoln.
Her voice. She’s got that thing that every female vocalist wants—that’s why she is number fourteen on VH1’s lists of 100 Greatest Women in Rock and Roll and has a spot in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.