She surely hates being treated as a pinup, yet Kim Wilde’s style can not pass unnoticed. “Smithy,” as his friends call her, is 22 years old and is the eldest of four children of rock & roll singer of the Fifties, Marty. Her superb voice and provocative style have jumped to the top of the charts worldwide in less than two years she became a celebrity in their own right.
Although Kim grew up close to a father who was a professional musician and played in halls, clubs and on television, her parents never made plans for her to go into the world of show business. Kim and her younger brother Ricky had been sent to a boarding school but they had so resented that they had to go home and attend a neighborhood school. Kim wanted a carreer in the arts while Ricky was encouraged to follow into the footsteps of his father. In the early Seventies, when he was a boy, there was talk of him to become the British version of Donny Osmond, but this had not been followed.
When Kim finished high school she took basic courses in art and design college in St. Albans. At the same time his brother struck up a relationship with Jonathan King, who is famous on both sides of the Atlantic. He hoped that he could help because he had written some songs and tried to make a record. When Jonathan listens to demo tapes, he soon noticed the musical accompaniment, sung by Kim, and he suggested to have Micky Most listen to it, the director of one of the largest record companies in Britain. Micky Most was contacted, listened to tapes and found that Kim had the qualities of a star and he immediately signed her to a contract with RAK Records.
They felt that the personal image of Kim, the one of a simple young woman, was perfect and did not need the help of styliste or image consultants of any kind. All influences that she had suffered during his childhood had perhaps given her the sense of the all important image and appearance required by show business, her style she had become a very natural way of being.
Her parents were more than surprised when they heard about the contract, they were happy for her and supported her in everything. It has become a family business with the above-mentioned Marty’s words, Joyce (mother of Kim) who takes care of the fan club, Ricky omposes Kim’s music and singing.
The first single of Kim ‘Kids in America’ was released in June 1981 was propelled to the highest ranks of the international hitparade. This title appeared on her first album titled ‘Kim Wilde’ and earned her a gold record in Britain and Japan. ‘Chequered Love’ was her next hit after the spring of 1981. She has since spent her time between studios and the promotion of more hits in the world. His second album ‘Select’ released in May 1982 earned her a gold record in Japan and a silver disc in Britain. It has not been released in the United States.
Kim until now had only one tour during her entire career, but when the singer has finished recording her next album, there certainly will be many meetings with the public. This quiet young woman who pleases audiences so diverse that she is practically assured to sing for years to come.
The Wilde mane of Kim
Right now most hairdressers have to get used to the demands of customers who want a hairstyle ‘à la Kim Wilde’. The irony of the whole story is that Kim not only has no favorite hairdresser but she never goes to the hairdresser. This is the kind of secret that we shall not repeat to these clients obviously anxious to be like their idol.
So then who is behind the ‘look’ by Kim Wilde? She herself. She refuses to go to the hairdresser because she does not want anyone to imposes his ideas and opinions, even if it comes from professionals. She also has the same attitude with respect to her wardrobe and her favorite clothes come from charity sales.
Kim tells us: ‘Years ago I cut my hair myself since I was in St. Alban’s College and I could not afford the hairdresser.’ At the time it was based on the hairstyle from Linda McCartney, but that was five years ago. Kim admits it was anyway difficult to cut hair from behind. Fortunately for her, she can say about her hair: ‘They are very docile and require little care.’ Then in the morning she ruffles her hair simply by passing the fingers in and she says they are disheveled and that ‘holds’ because she dries it by hand with the head down. From time to time she spends in hair gel to give them another look.
The natural hair color is light brown to Kim, she dyes it herself. Kim has a chance to succeed alone to decide her appearance and I think she has a very special talent that, fortunately for barbers and other artisans of beauty, few people possess.
Kim Wilde’s make-up
Kim’s first memories about makeup go back to her childhood: she remembers she tried all the makeup that her mother used. She loved to disguise herself and had quickly become an expert of changing her appearance. Therefore she is not claiming any counseling from professionals today.
Kim is well aware of the importance of skin care and she cleans and tones the skin twice daily. She said ‘I feel that too much makeup is bad for my skin’ and although she recognizes that removing her makeup takes a long time she thought that if we do not take care of our skin it will not look horrible. For her, women from the Fourties or Fifties took more care of themselves than women of this generation do and they looked more beautiful.
Her three favorite makeup assets are eye shadow, red blush and powder.
1. Blackened eyebrows and powdered to produce a natural effect.
2. Dark brown eyeshadow apllications across lid and projecting upwardly and outwardly to join at a point. Below, spread a thin line on the outside corner of the eye.
3. Blush applied in abundance on the cheek and brushed upwards and outwards.
4. Pale rose powder all over her face to give a solid foundation.
5. Lips outlined with a salmon coloured pencil before putting on a red lip gloss.