She was basically a fluke. Before Lesley Lawson became the face of a generation, she was just a skinny teenager from Neasden with a nickname her brother's boyfriend gave her because of her "twigg-like" legs. She didn't look like the models of the early 60s. Those women were sophisticated, statuesque, and polished. Then came Twiggy from the 60s, a four-foot-eleven-ish (okay, she was 5'6", but she looked tiny) burst of androgeny that changed everything.
It honestly started in a hair salon. Leonard of Mayfair wanted to try out a new short haircut, and Lesley was the guinea pig. He spent seven hours cutting her hair into that iconic, sleek blonde crop. Barry Lategan took the photos, hung them in the salon, and a fashion journalist named Deirdre McSharry saw them. Boom. The "Face of '66" was born.
The industry wasn't ready. But the kids were.
The Look That Broke the Mold
People often forget how radical her appearance actually was for the time. Before her, the "New Look" of Dior and the curvy silhouettes of the 1950s still lingered in the collective consciousness of the fashion elite. Then you had this girl who looked like a waif. She was 91 pounds.
Critics at the time were actually pretty mean about it. They worried she was promoting an unhealthy image, a conversation that feels very modern but was actually buzzing in British tabloids nearly sixty years ago. But for the youth in London, she was a rebellion. She represented the "mod" movement—the sleek, the geometric, and the un-traditional.
Her makeup was its own architectural feat. She used to apply three layers of false eyelashes. Then, she’d take a black eyeliner pencil and draw additional lashes directly onto her skin to make her eyes look massive. They called them "Twiggs." It took her hours. It wasn't "effortless" beauty; it was highly stylized art.
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Twiggy from the 60s and the Youth Quake
Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of Vogue, coined the term "Youthquake." Twiggy was the epicenter.
You have to understand the context of 1966 and 1967. London was the center of the universe. Mary Quant was shortening hemlines, and the pill was becoming accessible. The world was shifting from "dressing like your mother" to "dressing like a rebellious child." Twiggy from the 60s became the canvas for this.
She wasn't just a model; she was a brand before we really used that word for individuals. By 1967, she had her own line of clothes called "Twiggy Dresses." There were Twiggy dolls. There were Twiggy coloring books. It was a level of saturation that even modern influencers would struggle to match. She once said that she hated the clothes she was modeling at first, thinking they were a bit "silly," but she became the primary vehicle for the miniskirt's global dominance.
Beyond the Camera Lens: The Retirement that Wasn't
Most people think she just disappeared when the 70s hit. That’s a total myth.
She actually "retired" from modeling in 1970. She was twenty years old. Think about that for a second. Most people are just starting their careers at twenty, and she was already an icon looking for a second act. She famously told the press, "You can't be a clothes rack for the rest of your life."
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What followed was actually more impressive than the modeling. She transitioned into acting and singing. Ken Russell cast her in The Boy Friend (1971), and she surprised everyone by winning two Golden Globe Awards. She went to Broadway. She did My One and Only and earned a Tony nomination. She wasn't a "personality" trying to act; she actually had the chops.
Why the "Waif" Aesthetic is Misunderstood
There is a lot of talk about how Twiggy ushered in an era of "heroin chic" or body dysmorphia in fashion. It’s a heavy legacy to carry.
However, if you look at the actual history, Twiggy herself was naturally thin. She famously ate like a horse, according to her contemporaries. Her look wasn't about starvation; it was about adolescence. It was a visual rejection of the "womanly" curves that had been the standard for decades. She looked like a boyish girl, which was a very specific aesthetic choice of the London mod scene.
It’s worth noting that the fashion industry took her blueprint and ran with it in ways she couldn't control. By the time we got to the 90s and Kate Moss, the "Twiggy look" had been stripped of its 60s playfulness and replaced with something much darker. Twiggy herself has often spoken out about the need for healthy models, distancing herself from the more extreme versions of the look she helped popularize.
The Enduring Influence on Modern Style
Walk into any Sephora today. You’ll see the "cut crease" eyeshadow technique. That’s Twiggy.
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Look at the runway shows for Miu Miu or Prada from the last few seasons. The shifts, the A-line minis, the Peter Pan collars—it’s all a direct lineage from Twiggy from the 60s. She gave the world a template for "quirky" beauty.
She also broke the "supermodel" ceiling. Before her, models were anonymous. She was a celebrity with a voice, a personality, and a working-class accent that she refused to lose. She proved that a girl from a "normal" background could become a global phenomenon just by being herself—and maybe having some really great eyeliner.
How to Channel the Twiggy Aesthetic Today
If you're looking to bring some of that 1966 energy into your wardrobe without looking like you're wearing a costume, it's all about the balance. You don't need the three layers of lashes.
- Focus on the Shift Silhouette: A simple A-line dress that doesn't cling to the waist is the ultimate nod to the era. It's comfortable and looks incredibly chic with flat shoes.
- The Graphic Eye: Instead of the full 60s "doll" look, try a crisp, graphic wing or a darker color in the crease of the eyelid to mimic her depth.
- The Bold Accessory: Twiggy was often styled with massive, plastic earrings or bold, colorful tights. Pick one statement piece rather than doing the whole set.
- Embrace the Flat: One of the best things Twiggy did for women was making flats (and loafers) cool. You don't need a four-inch heel to be a fashion icon.
- Texture Over Pattern: The 60s were big on ribbed knits and crochet. Mixing these textures gives a vintage feel without being too on-the-nose.
The real lesson from her career isn't about being skinny or wearing miniskirts. It's about the fact that she didn't fit the mold of her time, so she just made a new one. She turned what people called "flaws"—her height, her weight, her "funny" face—into the most desirable traits in the world. That’s the kind of influence that doesn’t fade when the decade ends.
To really understand her impact, look at how she transitioned from a teenage trend to a Dame of the British Empire. She didn't let the 60s define her; she defined the 60s, and then she moved on to become a powerhouse in her own right. That’s the real story.