Quote:
Originally posted by Johnny Stew
I don't feel at all that Stevie "sold herself" as sexy and hot looking, or intentionally put an emphasis on that.
Sure, she dressed and danced onstage in a very feminine way, but it was the public and the media who put that "sex symbol" status on her.
Stevie was just doing her thing. She's often said over the years that she knew people thought she was cute and all, but that it was her songwriting that she wanted people to take notice of. She even said something to the effect of, "no one can be cute forever."
Stevie is a sexy woman, and that was apparent, even under all that chiffon, and all of those scarves and shawls.
I think... like most everyone in this world... she did want to look attractive and be sexy... but I don't think she ever "sold" herself in those regards. Being thought of as a sex-symbol was just a byproduct of all that.
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I see your point, but do not agree with your conclusion. I think Stevie clearly knew and still knows how to use her looks to sell her and FM's great music. I think her quotes over the years support my point. She said after the BN cover, she was so mortified, that she essentially said, well I am still going to be sexy - I'll just bury myself under a 100 pounds of chiffon to do it. Then there was the one about how she did not consider herself sexy but she knew she was cute and she knew exactly how far to take that image. I think underlying meaning of these quotes (paraphrases) illustrates she knew the importance of sex appeal when selling something (no matter how great it is) to the masses and she consciously molded her image to present herself in the sexiest way. Again, she was still doing this during the S.A. tour because she knew that appearing in clothes that made her look large would kill that image she admitted she had worked so hard to project. Then there was the line in her BTM that she felt so bad that she could not be the Stevie that everyone expected, etc. Even now, she never allows releases of candid photographs; every one is highly touched up to rid her of the wrinkles, etc., that most other women her age have a million more of. In sum, I agree the public ate her sex appeal up with a vengence and that she naturally exudes this sex appeal, but I think she wisely consciously put it even more so out there and by her own admissions her image did not just happen without any thought. So, yes, she is/was a very beautiful and sexy woman and it would be and have been hard for her to have not been sexy. I am just saying she knew how to work that sexiness to her advantage and I have no problem with that. In fact, I admire it.
Also, she is not alone in that boat. LB clearly also has clearly used sex to sell his already great music. I mean you cannot get sexier than the cover of Law and Order. Then there was the dramatic fashion change from Rumors to Tusk.
I guess what I am saying is that while they are both very sexy people as well as very, very musically talented, etc., they both, esp. Stevie, realize the power of crafting an image and their image was 100 + sexiness to my eyes.
But, that is my opinion and I respect other opinion no matter how wrong I think they are - he says while going puff puff and with tongue in cheek
