Spotlight/Feature Image Test - Band Tees, Breakthroughs, And The Real Charlotte Lawrence

Music, and style, runs in the family. Her mother, actor Christa Miller, came of age in Manhattan’s downtown rock scene and had a knack for pairing sharp suits or lived-in denim with old band tees—an effortless kind of cool that made a lasting impression on a young Lawrence. “Basically, my mom is the coolest ever,” Lawrence says. “She was in the sickest rock and roll scene in New York.” Through her, Lawrence was introduced to bands like The Police, Talking Heads, and of course, Bowie.

For Lawrence, wearing a band tee isn’t just about the look; it’s about the love for the music. “My only rule is that I need to at least know two songs from the band before I buy the shirt,” she says. “I can’t just buy it because I like how it looks.” That’s not to say she’s above admittedly reverse-engineering things a little: “Sometimes I’ve found a shirt that I love so much and then forced myself to discover the band after the shirt," she says.

In addition to defining her personal style, Lawrence’s rock t-shirt collection serves as a catalog of her musical influences and evolution as an artist. Musicians like Elliott Smith, Joni Mitchell, and Fiona Apple are key players large in her creative universe not just for their sound, but for the way they carried themselves. “I think all of them have this sort of casual-cool style," she says. "It feels relaxed, like they didn’t even try, but Fiona Apple onstage is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen."

Perhaps unexpectedly, one of the inspirations for her album comes from a non-musical source altogether—though equally brimming with the angst and forbidden love. “Luca Guadagnino is such a phenomenal director,” she says. “'Call Me by Your Name' was the first movie I saw of his, and it really affected me because I just wanted to live in that movie."

Perhaps unexpectedly, one of the inspirations for her album comes from a non-musical source altogether—though equally brimming with the angst and forbidden love. “Luca Guadagnino is such a phenomenal director,” she says. “'Call Me by Your Name' was the first movie I saw of his, and it really affected me because I just wanted to live in that movie."

Credits:

Photographer: Lauren Leekley
Production & Talent Bookings: Gillian Stern
Social Creative Lead: Natasha Sheridan
Editor-in-Chief: Faith Xue