Experts Mock Angelina's Take on Shiloh's "Montenegro Style"
Credit: Splash News Online
Montenegro what?
When Angelina Jolie told Vanity Fair that her 4-year-old daughter Shiloh "has Montenegro style," she left everyone -- even fashion insiders -- scratching their heads.
"I don't think anybody knows what that means," TV personality and style expert Robert Verdi tells UsMagazine.com of the globe-trotting star's reference to the European nation, located on the Adriatic coast of the Mediterranean Sea. "I think she was trying to say something intellectual or funny, and it just sounded dumb."
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Says Stacy London, host of TLC's What Not to Wear: "I have absolutely no idea what Angelina meant by the Montenegro comment. It's a beautiful [country] but with no particular known style connotation, I don't think."
"They shot part of the first Daniel Craig Casino Royale Bond movie there, but so what? Shiloh certainly isn't dressing like Vesper Lynd," London quipped to Us, referring to the sexy double agent's love interest, Eva Green, in the 2006 film.
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In Jolie's defense, stylist/designer Phillip Bloch -- who, incidentally, tells Us he's "never heard of" Montenegro style -- points out that Jolie is a "global citizen of the world." For Jolie, Brad Pitt and their six kids, "their points of references are a little bit different. When Angelina says 'Montenegro style,' it's like you or me saying 'Rhinebeck [New York] style."
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Bloch tells Us that Shiloh's bohemian, ecletic mix of bowler hats, vests, and occasional pirate accessories reminds him of "old men in Paris. It's definitely European. There are no rules!"
Even though he doesn't get Jolie's "Montenegro style" comment, Verdi tells Us he applauds Jolie for allowing Shiloh to wear what she wants.
"She is able to share her voice at a young age, which is good." he says. "It empowers her as she moves forward in life."
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Tell Us: Do you know what "Montenegro style" means?
Tell Us What You Think
350Her mom dresses like a woman, her sister dresses like a woman, you think she doesn't know how women dress? I hated girly things and pink things when I was a kid. I had my hair short, heck I have a mohawk right now. I am not nor have I ever been gay. I just prefer not to follow the status quo. Besides, I'm pretty sure Angie is bi, so I don't think she cares what sex her kids will be attracted to.
Shiloh is such a beautiful mix of her parents! I think Montenegro style means just European, I guess.
Shiloh is 4 years old people!! Angelina Jolie is not a cookie cutter type person either so it would seem likely that she wouldn't force her daughter to look like a girl. She's a beautiful little girl, whether she's in a bikini or boys swim trunks. lol She's being allowed to think...which is something we could all learn from.
The response to Angelinas comment regarding montenegro style for women was met with ignorent comments. All one has to do is a web search on the topic to enlighten theirselves. There are traditionally women in Montenegro who dress and live like men and are accepted fully by society. They have done this for centuries. Some do it because there is no male in the family (no brothers and no father) thus someone has to take on the societal role of the man of the family (a very important role in that culture). Others do it to socially reidentify their status for perosnal reasons and to gain the status of a man. This is also accepted. These women are known as "sworn virgins." This is a culturally accepted custom. The rest of the world should take a look at this interesting and useful custom.
As a girl, I was a total tomboy growing up and even would try and dress like my brother. Even in high school I would wear my dad's old clothes and I wasn't weird or looked at strange. People though it was cool and unique and actually started to copy it. As an adult, I love wearing dresses and things that are "girly". I totally grew out of it. And I think there was an entire year that went by when I was 5 that I dressed like a astronaut. Kids are weird, it's fine.
Hello I'm from Europe and I think that montenegro style means that kid can wear clothes s/he like with out caring how it looks, carefree and without fashion panic, like it cant be in U.S. Take a look poor Suri Cruise who cant be a kid but fashion icon, with her high heels and lipstick... Let the kids be kids, without pressure of fashion!
Chasity Bono much?
Ummmmm....Chasity Bono much?
Even the 2 year old daughter is dressing like a boy...somethings wrong with this picture.
If the mother lacks girlfriends and feels a constant competitive challenge towards other women, the odds are good that her daughter's won't be allowed to out shine the mother. It's simple, that's why the daughter's are encouraged to dress like boys. What a bit*h!
hey the truth is, SHUT THE F*** UP! it only takes about 2 min to get on to this sight and if ur complanin about how our kids hate their lives on the INTERNET!!! then i seriously feel bad 4 urs :) cuz u waste ur non deserved time screwin people over.
Dude why is this even news??? I dont get the whole girls have to wear pink and dresses all the time thing, i mean im totally tom boy and wear boys jeans and plad shirts all the time and still get hit on! I say "just let the kid wear what she wants (within reason) besides, I think shes ADORABBLE!!!
They say she dresses like this b/c she liked peter pan... maybe they should take her to see some "Princess" movies. I sincerely hope she outgrows this phase but without their help I doubt it.
I was a Tom Boy, hated dresses, being girly, played with lizards, marbles, hot wheels and wanted to be superman but I never dressed like him. I also always let my daughter put on whatever she wanted but within reason and used persuasion to guide her. I don't know but I think they will confuse the child you can just let your kids raise themselves your job as parents is to guide them gently but guide them. Shouldn't she have outgrown this by now? Its seems they just let their kids run a muck! Is she going to be this open minded when Shilo wants to have her boyfriend move in at a young age too like she did?
I think it is okay to let your child have their own personality, but Shiloh is only 4 and I think they are going to regret not helping her get in touch with her femimine side. They will certainly be in the shoes of the Beattys when she turns 18 and wants to have a sex change...Society will never think that is normal and she will have to leave with that stigma no matter who she is and who her parents are....it really is a disservise to her....so sad!!!
Tell Us: Do you know what "Montenegro style" means? It means the following: Until the 20th century, Montenegro was a VERY patriarchal place, and families without male children were considered cursed. This belief probably had very practical origins: with no male heir, noone can carry on the family name, work with the crops and so on... Thus, if a family had only daughters, one of them was forced to dress, behave, and live like a male... A movie (regionally, a popular one) called Virdzina was shot in 1991, that tells a tale of a girl that was forced to live and dress like a boy for these reasons. Look the movie up on IMDB... Angelina was in Montenegro a few months ago, and she might heard this story from the locals, or even saw a movie. There is absolutely no other explanation, because Montenegrin girls today dress...like girls. Mystery solved...
Jolie already defined what she meant when she said "Montenegro style." She said her daughter likes to wear, among other things, track suits. As someone who lives near the country of Montenegro and has been there twice, I can attest to this description. Track suits are the T-shirt and jeans in this part of the world.
to: July 06, 2010 - 5:41pm darin: OK...forget I said anything about gender identity. My whole point is kids should be off limits when it comes to the awful media spotlight. As you can see from this article alone, people can be so cruel. Why subject an innocent four-year old to that? Again, everything in writing can come back to bite you in arse, even if it is years later.
who cares what rude experts say by mocking the very clientele they would froth at the mouth over. sounds really condesencding and on another note, what her kids like to wear or feel comfortable in is up to them, not anyone in the peanut gallery who doesnt like it.
you people are crazy..who cares if she dresses as a boy. has nothing to do with gender identity. when i was a little girl i was considereda "tom-boy" cause i wanted to hang out with my brother and be like him but as i got older i got girlier. wasnt until i was in high school that i wasn't a complete tom-boy anymore. pretty sure when she gets older what she likes will change!