Iconic Style: Teddy Girls

Teddy Girls style inspo by Ken Russel
Teddy Girls Were Badass postwar Brits –The Last of the Teddy Girls -Photography by Ken Russell

When we learned that Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of Dior, was in part inspired by the Teddy Girls for her presentation we decided to see what she was talking about – and, no it has nothing to do with a bear!

What are Teddy Girls?

Turns out the Teddy Girls were part of a distinctly British youth subculture that came about after World War two. It was influenced both by Edwardian style and the advent of rock and roll.

Defiantly gender neutral, Teddy Girls favored cuffed pants, tailored jackets and elegant clutch bags. Their style wasn’t just for aesthetics but was a way to reject the austerity of the post-war society they were living in. The girls in these photos are just 14 – 16 years old and many had quit school to work in factories and offices. Their style underscored their independence.

The Teddy Girls were the punks of their time, impertinent characters with wild quiffs who wore Edwardian-style men’s jackets with ample skirts, jeans and black leather jackets

–Maria Grazia Chiuri

Blazers, Rolled up Jeans, Neck Scarves and Ballet Flats Define the Look

4 Teddy Girls style inspo by Ken Russel
Teddy Girls style inspo by Ken Russel
Teddy Girls style inspo by Ken Russel
Teddy Girls style inspo by Ken Russel