Legendary '60s Model Twiggy Was Influenced By Another Striking Beauty Of The Time

We all know and love iconic '60s muses like Twiggy and Pattie Boyd. So much so that we often wonder what they get up to today (FYI: here's what legendary '60s model Pattie Boyd looks like now). But we also can't forget about another key icon of the decade — Peggy Moffitt. Moffitt was an influential actor and model who, like Twiggy, became one of the most famous muses of the era. Her distinct five-point haircut and bold makeup were recognizable everywhere. She was so beloved, in fact, even Twiggy herself wrote in her book "Twiggy: An Autobiography", "She taught me how much more a model puts into her work than just a pretty face. She consciously controlled the sort of shape she presented to the camera."

Twiggy is another model who perfectly captured the era's vibe, though surprisingly, she's confessed that her signature makeup look was inspired by a rag doll she had. Soon, her exaggerated lashes (three sets of false lashes for her upper lid and drawn-in lashes at the bottom) and dramatic eyeliner became a symbol of the era. Twiggy may have praised Moffitt's modeling talent as a source of inspiration, but we see similarities in their style as well. As you can see in the image above, both loved bold makeup, distinctive geometric haircuts, and cutting-edge fashion — no wonder they were '60s icons. Moffitt and Twiggy loved to think outside of the box when it came to beauty. Little did they know they would create some of the most memorable makeup looks of the decade that we're still copying today.

Peggy Moffitt is inspiring for a lot of reasons

Peggy Moffitt's signature geometric haircut and heavy, over-the-top makeup cemented her as a symbol of newly emerging beauty ideas in the 1960s. She gave others permission to experiment with their look and try something new (she's a great source of ideas for bold graphic eyeliner looks). In an interview with Jeanne Beker (via Vogue), Moffitt even mentioned that her look felt like a natural expression of her personality. "I know it's funny for me to tell you that what my look is is the natural look, but it is for me because it is of my nature ... my soul is Peggy Moffitt — and Peggy Moffitt likes to tinker around and doodle on her face and do graphic things and make strong statements that she believes in," she said. 

While Moffitt offered up plenty of work to take inspiration from, she became infamous for one particular shoot in 1964. Moffitt wore a provocative topless swimsuit designed by Rudi Gernreich, and soon, the image ran worldwide, causing an uproar amongst more conservative institutions like the Vatican. Moffitt, like a true queen, was totally unfazed. She told the Los Angeles Times in 1985, "Rudi did the suit as a social statement. It was an exaggeration that had to do with setting women free. It had nothing to do with display, and the minute someone wears it to show off her body, you've negated the entire principle of the thing."