Singer, songwriter, artist, designer, and actress Courtney Love may be famous for being the widow of the late Kurt Cobain, but her decades-spanning career is a testament to her innate talent, tenacity, and creative flair.
Love is never out of the public eye for long, and her unique style and fashion sense have made her a much-emulated figure. Her aesthetic is so instantly recognizable that Courtney Love costumes for fancy dress or Halloween parties have been popular for years.
Key to Love’s style is her mixing of vintage pieces with modern items and her use of accessories: sunglasses, in particular, are a signature element of the star’s style.
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Queen of Grunge
When Courtney Love first burst onto the scene in the 1990s, she brought her unique sense of fashion with her. The punk-but-glam outfits she was never seen without, along with her music, quickly became her trademark, and both were a significant part of the development of the decade’s grunge aesthetic.
The pretty silk slip dresses, frayed hemlines, and bias-cut gowns that Love helped to popularize have remained in fashion throughout the decades, morphing into the different looks and styles of each changing year.
It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that the star’s raggedy-looking dresses came from a thrift store – but a closer look reveals both the quality of the fabric, the exceptional tailoring – and the fact that it’s from Versace.
Exaggerated Cat Eye Frames
One of the eyewear styles that Love returns to again and again is the exaggerated cat eye frame. The star usually opts for this shape of sunglasses with lenses set into classic tortoiseshell or black frames.
These types of shades are a great complement to her grunge/vintage fusion aesthetic, adding some elegant chic to outfits that comprise, for example, floaty white lace dresses and black bother boots. To truly nail down Coutney’s style, don’t forget to apply a slick of bright red lipstick and give your hair a muss before leaving the house.
Oversized Oval Frames
The star has a penchant for oversized sunglasses but favors oversized oval frames over other shapes. Oversized shades are an easy way to add glamor to any outfit – but be sure to choose a type that suits your face shape for the most flattering look. For example, oval-framed eyewear looks best on those with angular face shapes, such as square, diamond, and triangle. If you have a round or oval face shape, opt for oversized glasses with rectangular frames.
Bonus oversized sunglasses tip: when choosing a pair, look in the mirror and give yourself a big grin. If the bridge noticeably rises off your nose, they don’t fit as securely as they should: move on to the next pair!
Shades with Transparent Frames
One of this season’s hottest trends is the clear framed sunglasses! Being Courtney Love, the star was one of the first to embrace this major new fashion, being snapped while out on errands sporting a large pair of square shades with transparent frames.
It’s easy to get Love’s eyewear look: clear frames are super easy to pull off, even oversized options, as they don’t overwhelm the face and so suit most face shapes.
‘Those’ White Framed Sunglasses
One of the most iconic photos from the 1990s shows Courtney Love with her husband, Kurt Cobain, and their young daughter outside, possibly at a festival. In the image, Cobain is wearing a striking pair of white, thick-framed sunglasses – instantly making this eyewear one of the decade’s key accessories.
Although Love isn’t pictured wearing these glasses, their notoriety makes them worthy of mentioning here! This type of sunglasses looks great with a simple jeans and T combo, but it can also be used to inject instant personality into a more formal look.
Courtney Love: The Story So Far
While she may be best known for her marriage to Kurt Cobain, Love’s career has spanned four decades in its own right. As well as continuing to perform with her band, Hole, and, later, as a solo artist, the star is a keen artist: she debuted a collection entitled And She’s Not Even Pretty, comprised of forty drawings and paintings, in New York in 2012.
After playing several supporting roles on TV shows throughout 2014, including Sons of Anarchy and Revenge, Love starred in the NYC stage production Kansas City Choir Boy. Her performance was praised by critics and audiences alike.
Love has long been known for her unique fashion sense, so it was no surprise when she teamed up with Sophia Amoruso to release a clothing line in 2018. The collection reflects Love’s instantly-recognizable aesthetic: glam oversized shades worn with a boiler suit and high heels, for example, or a ball gown paired with battered sneakers and a beanie.
What’s Next for Courtney Love?
Last year the star announced that, after ten years of work, she’s finally finished her memoir, The Girl with the Most Cake, which is expected to be released sometime in 2023. Love has also recently revealed that she’s currently working on a new studio album, which will be her first in twelve years.
Speaking of the new record, Love terms it her ‘magnum opus.’ As with everything else, the star turns her hand to; it’s sure to be inimitable.
