An ode to Jenny Lewis’ amazing technicolor rainbow suit
Last weekend at Coachella, Jenny Lewis reunited with her former Rilo Kiley bandmate Blake Sennett and the girls of HAIM to close out the music festival. In honor Lewis’ musical reign, we present this essay in tribute to Lewis’ ubiquitous style statement: A technicolor rainbow suit, a variation of which she wore while performing in Indio last weekend.
One of my best friends introduced me to the singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis in college, and I was hooked immediately. Her music is beautiful and therapeutic, and I can depend on it no matter my mood.
I was lucky enough to see her live last year, and while her music was the star of the show, another thing caught my eye. Jenny always commands attention when on stage, but at this particular performance she was wearing something special: a whimsical matching rainbow suit.
I have to admit that my initial reaction was one of confusion. Normally I hate suits. When my mom took me to buy one for my very first real job interview, I basically had a meltdown amidst the Tahari section in Macy’s. And a suit is not typical performer wear, especially for a woman. Suits make me think about businessmen and job interviews, not concert chic. But as she strutted around on stage, Jenny somehow made this suit look sexy – sexier than your run-of-the-mill pop star ensemble. She was killing it in that suit. I immediately became obsessed.
It is the most fun suit I have ever seen. I feel that to call it a suit is not even fair because it defies the air of conservatism and seriousness that come with the word “suit.” Yet somehow it also manages to exude power. Also, it has stars on it, and I love stars.
The suit has since become somewhat of a uniform for Jenny. She’s wearing it on her album cover for Voyager, which she released last year, and she seemed to wear it for most of her performances on tour in 2014. She rocked it on the red carpet at this year’s Grammys.
Now look: Jenny Lewis has so much confidence that she could probably wear anything, and I would think it looked amazing. But more than that, Jenny managed to turn the pieces of attire I most despise into the coolest outfit I have ever seen. I don’t even hate regular suits as much anymore because they invoke the spirit of Jenny.
Yes, I have tried to google “where to buy Jenny Lewis’s suit?” Sadly, the answer is nowhere. It’s a custom made airbrushed number that’s a collaboration from photographer Autumn de Wilde, stylist Shirley Kurata, and art director Adam Siegel. It’s inspired by the spangled suits that country music stars wore in the 50s an60s, a nod to some of her musical inspiration as well as her style notes. But no, you can’t just run out and pick one up at H&M.
That’s probably for the best, because let’s be serious, I have nowhere to wear this suit . . . other than around my apartment. (If only it was workplace appropriate.) And in truth, its appeal is not as much about the actual design or colors as it is about the person who is wearing it. I’m no Jenny, but boy do I wish I could rock that suit. Rainbow conservative never looked so good.
Regina Stuart has been shipping fictional romances since Zack and Kelly’s prom in 1990. On momentous occasions, you can count on her to gather her friends in a circle and make them sway to the tune of “I Don’t Wanna Wait” or “Seasons of Love.” She loves all things teen and is convinced that she was a Disney star in another life. Follow her on Twitter @RegKStu for more of her musings.