Personal Style Icon: Jimi Hendrix, Guitar Hero

(November 27th, 1942 - September 18, 1970)

Eric Clapton, whose own fans called him “god,” was notoriously intolerant of any musician who was bastardizing the blues. That is, until he saw Hendrix play Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” in 1967. Hendrix, with his nasty feedback and wailing guitar effects, was the only person who could ever threaten to knock Clapton off his high horse while simultaneously influencing him to completely rethink music.

Hardly anyone would argue with the opinion that Hendrix was one of the most influential and badass guitarists who ever lived. One of the only times I’ve ever completely agreed with Rolling Stone was when they proclaimed him the best guitarist of all time in their 2003 issue.

Jimi bucked convention and influenced millions in more ways than just his popularization of the wah-wah pedal. Hendrix was the most unintentional style icon for the early hippie era.

When Jimi was young his parents’ unstable marriage and his mother’s eventual death forced him to live off and on with his Cherokee grandmother in Vancouver. Her culture influenced his early sense of style, and he was teased for wearing Native American clothing and carrying around a broom that he pretended was a guitar.

Several years later, when Hendrix exploded on the music scene as a revered rock god, people began copying his unique sense of style along with his searing guitar riffs. Hendrix had a flamboyant fashion sense, but it was thrown together with a devil-may-care nonchalance.

He paired antique military jackets with velvet pants and western style hats studded with Cherokee brooches. And while he was imitated thousands of times over, the je ne sais quoi he had seeping through his veins, the stuff that legends are made of, could never be duplicated.

Just like many rock stars before him, women and booze (in that order) managed to get him in the end. In London two months before his 28^th birthday, Hendrix asphyxiated on his own vomit, from the red wine that blocked his airways.

The details were never fully explained, and the only person who truly knows what happened is Monika Dannemann, Jimi’s girlfriend at the time, and the only person present at his death. Because of the shady circumstances, Dannemann secured her spot on my list of people who helped kill rock n’ roll, somewhere in between Courtney Love and Yoko Ono.

When his star was shining the brightest, Jimi Hendrix’ career in music was cut tragically short, but his legacy will forever remain larger than life.

Jimi's Personal Style Signatures

Jimi didn't exactly have a science to his style. He didn't care about what was "in" at the time but he always came back to these favorite pieces:

1. An antique military jacket like Priestley's Black Military Jacket ($339) or this Sgt Pepper Bolero ($42.95). For a much less flamboyant version try Topman's Black Cotton Military Peacoat ($140). Ladies try BB Dakota's Battalion Jacket ($39.49),Urban Outfitters Wool Band Jacket ($98) or Forever 21's Brushed Cotton Plaid Jacket ($13.99).

2. Authentic Cherokee pins he could stick to his hats and clothes like this Vintage Navajo Coral Brooch Pin ($39.95).

3. Bandannas and scarves to wear around his head and tied to his legs or arms.

4. Destroyed jeans.

5. A "Westerner" hat exactly like Resistol's 4X Spotter open felt hat ($99.99).

6. A white fringed jacket like this vintage Indian Western Rodeo Jacket ($189.95) or a fringe vest like this one ($69.99).

7. Native American pendants for necklaces like this Navajo Sterling Silver Turquoise Pendant ($30)

8. A Fender Stratocaster.