Last week, we lost an icon. And today, we say goodbye. In so many ways, Joan Rivers was a trailblazer for women – in fashion, in comedy, and in philosophy. And whether you agreed with her beauty methods (or not), she knew an universal truth that so many of us feel at all times: In order to feel at your best, you have to look your best. And no one can disagree that Joan expected everyone to live by her credo.
For a long time, I’ve thought about Joan Rivers as a kind of guilty pleasure – her jokes were always on the left side of politically correct, her fashion criticism vulgar enough to need a censor on family friendly television, but she always made me laugh. Sometimes embarrassingly loud, wondering if I was “naughty” for laughing despite the knowledge that her delivery was far less than appropriate.
We will miss Joan’s jokes, her unique way of looking at fashion on the runways on Fashion Police, and her outlook on life. As we say goodbye to this larger-than-life force that changed the world of both comedy and fashion, paving the way for the great funnies like Sarah Silverman and Margaret Cho that came after her, we must remember this unique personality that took every stage and microphone by storm.
Joan Rivers was the type of woman that could criticize your outfit and attitude in one fell swoop, while making you feel warm and fuzzy inside and smothering you with love – that is evident from the outpouring of admiring from celebrities across the spectrum, some of whom were just judged harshly for their looks as recently as last week’s VMAs and Emmy’s. It makes you understand a little bit about her extremely special relationship with her children, her costars, and every other celebrity that was lucky to get to know her.
Joan Rivers taught us that a woman should always look like a proper lady — and that if you look good enough, you don’t always have to act like one. We’ll take that lesson and internalize it, and most of all, we’ll use it to make others laugh, continuing the legacy that Rivers left behind. Today, we say goodbye to a world that had a little more comedy in it, and in turn, we’ll look forward, remembering the laughter that she left behind, which still echoes on every red carpet.
Until next time,
Pearl & Clasp