We all have a favorite band but there's something about an all girl group of musicians that's hard to resist. The following female acts have not only made an impact with their memorable tunes but also with their fabulous style.
THE ANDREWS SISTERS
Back in the 1940s, everyone was boogie woogie-ing to the sweet harmonies of these three sisters; Maxine, LaVerne and Patty. Singing together since they were children, the girls went on the road to support their family following the collapse of their father's restaurant. After touring in vaudeville, The Andrews Sisters came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts, eventually becoming America’s most popular female singing group. During World War II they were known for entertaining the armed forces in the USA and abroad. They also influenced fashion of the day with their complimentary, sometimes army inspired, matching outfits, and chic curled under hairstyles.
THE SHANGRI-LAS
Though the 1960s cranked out quite a few all female groups such as The Ronettes, the Marvelettes, and the Shirelles, we love the Shangri-Las for for their bad girl sense of style. These rough and tumble ladies from Queens, New York ranged in age from 15 to 17 when they started performing under the direction of George “Shadow” Morton in 1963. Known for singing about teenage angst, drag races and their love for rebellious boys, the lyrics to their biggest hit "Leader of the Pack" were considered so shocking that some radio stations refused to play the song. The girls also made quite a fashion statement, only wearing pants instead of the prim and proper dresses of the time, along with white go-go boots and teased hair.
THE RUNAWAYS
The Runaways formed after 15 year old self taught guitarist Joan Jett was introduced to drummer Sandy West by infamous music producer Kim Fowley in 1975. Fowley had a vision for an all-female teen rock group and soon added singer Cherie Currie and Lita Ford to the line-up. Despite their “jailbait" appeal, these girls were serious about their instruments and wrote or co-wrote most of the band’s material. Their debut album included songs about sex, skipping school and partying as well as the classic "Cherry Bomb". The Runaways also attracted attention for their risqué stage wear, often clad in lingerie, leather jump suits and platform boots. This attitude and edge is said to have been the start of the Riot Grrrl movement, almost 20 years before it officially began.