Linda Ramone at home by Christina Gandalfo – cgandalfo.com

I gabba-gabbed with the glamorous vintage goddess and rock ‘n’ roll widow Linda Ramone for Los Angeles Magazine‘s December 2013 issue. Below are some outtakes from our talk about her inspirations, her favorite pieces and designers, and the monotony of today’s red carpet.

When did you start wearing vintage?

I started wearing vintage before it was called vintage. When I grew up in New York you could walk down 8^th street and find something on a blanket. I was buying furs and sharkskin suits and cool-looking stuff back then. Now it’s called “vintage” and everything that anybody has is vintage. I have Biba, Rudi Gernreich, Courreges, Pucci; to me that’s what vintage is.

What are the steps you take to preserve the pieces you find?

I tailor everything I buy, every single thing. Rarely do I put on anything that fits. I even take in my boots. I know everybody stores their furs but I never do because I never know when I want to wear something. I constantly keep wearing what I have. I wear my furs year round. The seasons in LA are strange; it gets cool at night no matter what. If it smells a little strange I’ll dry clean it.

Are there any items that you don’t buy vintage?

Pocketbooks I buy new. I love patent leather and it cracks. Almost all my bags are Saint Laurent. I have bought some cool hats on ebay but the problem is they come stained. I just got a couple new Gucci hats. That’s the great thing about now: everybody’s liking the floppy hats and the feathers, which I love.

What do you think about contemporary red carpet fashion?

In today’s society I don’t really fit in. I don’t like clutch bags, I don’t like sandals and I don’t like strapless gowns, and that’s what everybody wears when they go out. Everybody has to look picture perfect because they don’t want to get picked on. People on the internet are so vicious. You go out in something cool and different and they insult you because they don’t understand it. Nobody’s a leader anymore; they’re all followers. Then everybody gets insecure and starts wearing what the stylists wear. Doesn’t anybody dress themselves? If they don’t like the way I look they shouldn’t look. I stay true to me.

What are your personal style touchstones?

I like ‘60s and ‘70s, I go between mod and punk. I don’t really dabble into the ‘80s because I don’t like the shoulder pad look. I love looking at pictures of Ann Margret, Priscilla Presley, Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull. If I have a hat and a fur coat, I think, this looks cool, this looks like a Brian Jones outfit. I wake up every day and get dressed up. I look forward to getting dressed up!