“I have a small obsession with Courtney Love,” says Philly-based singer-songwriter Patty Crash, whose fashion sense shows a perfect marriage between the sweetheart and the badass of a 1993 teen drama. She shows me a golf-tee with Nirvana’s trademark happy-faces embroidered onto it, “It’s such a small world. Courtney’s under the same management as my BFF Nikki (Nikki Jean). One day, she came into the office like a hurricane and left this shirt. Nikki just gave it to me afterwards…It still kind of smells like her.” With her biker-chic, blonde locks, combined with perfectly trimmed bangs and plethora of Salvation Army found lace-trimmed, floral-print, and acid-washed bottoms and tops, Crash’s homage style to Love certainly looks far beyond a Mudhoney after-party. Mixed with her indie-pop/hip-hop style, she creates a modern East Coast look of her own.
The Icelandic-born pop-singer–who is mostly known for her collaborations, performances, along with her long-lasting friendships, with the likes of many artists such as Tyga, Travis McCoy, Nikki Jean, and The Roots–took the time out of her busy, songwriting, schedule to share with me a more personal side of her: her wardrobe, her My Little Pony dolls, and her admiration for Courtney. For the record, the sky was made of amethyst that day.
Philthy Blog: Describe your personal style.
Patty Crash: trashy chic! Wait.. pause not in a I’m-wearing-trashbags-Ke$ha kind of way. Just in, like, a I-don’t-give-a-fuck kinda way–like a mix of Molly Ringwald and Courtney Love: sweet and trashy.
PB: Do you have any special novelty accessories from home that you wear out?
PC: Ha! Other than green eyes, pale skin, and viking hat with horns…I’m not too big on accessories. LESS is MORE! Occasionally, I like to tie a string around my neck or, if im going somewhere nice, maybe a bow-tie.
PB: What type of materials do you search for when shopping? I’m in love with your signature acid wash jackets, where did u find them?
PC: I love thrifting not just because it’s cheap…wait no, I do love it because its cheap, but mostly because you can find some amazing shit if you know where to look. I got one (acid wash jacket) at Retrospect for a Halloween costume I never took off. The other one is from a sneaker swap at Arts Garage.
PB: Best purchase of the year:
PC: A Vintage wedding dress–I like to collect them and where them on stage!
PB: Favorite Do-it-yourself projects with your clothes:
PC: I love chopping bridal and bridesmaids gowns from the early 90’s
PB: Favorite decade and style icon:
PC: Ha! Definitely the 90’s because I got my first walkman then. I think the 90’s is the decade before it all changed–before Youtube. I had a PAGER and Bill Clinton was president! Also, in 1995 when Courtney Love threw her shoe at Madonna at the VMA’s, that’s when I fell in love with music!
PB: So the cat’s out of the bag, Courtney is your style icon. In what way do you identify with her?
PC: She just goes hard and I respect that. To get any kind of respect, she had to fight hard. She’s not what is considered the “best” guitar player or singer, but an artist and a renagade like myself. .. She taught herself how to play the guitar, and currently I’m teaching myself too.
PB: Have you ever performed any Courtney-esque songs?
PC: After I drop my album I plan on putting out a grunge or accoustc live versions of the album. I really think that if a song is well written, it should translate to any genre. I recently signed a development deal wit Mercury/Island Def Jam. Courtney is also signed to Island Def Jam so the possibility of doing a collabo on that grunge mix-tape would be gangsta.
PB: What would you sell in your dream “Patty Crash merch table?”
PC: One of a kind vintage dresses in all colors in sizes that I could pick up along the way at Salvation Armies across the country!
