All we want is to be like Paris
2005-02-11 11:38
It Girls come and go, but every girl wants to be one.
At present, the world's It Girl is Paris Hilton, the heiress to the Hilton Empire and a case study scenario. She has more money than she can count, is blonde, thin, wears blue contacts, and can basically have whatever she wants.
Of course it helps that she's centre of every party and has a sex tape freely available on the internet of her and her ex-boyfriend.
To add to the mix she has her own reality TV show which takes her out of her comfort zone and all she is familiar with, and throws her into a dorp to wreak havoc in simple people's lives. Heaven forbid her actually running her daddy's business!
So, the criteria for an It Girl stands at:
She has money and loads of it.
She has a respectable family history.
She is well known: Firstly by high-flyers who are well connected and who throw the best parties. Secondly to the public who love to know everything about her.
She's travelled the world, or most of it.
She most often has a career in entertainment - an actress, singer, event organiser or model.
It Girls also don't have to be on any guest list, they just simply pitch at the door - they add an instant kind of credibility to the party - depending on what kind of party you are looking for.
Our very own It Girls
Moving to our shores, South Africa's It Girl of the moment is without doubt Minki van der Westhuizen.
The public and media just love her (myself included). She has a career, the boy, and has a good heart with a charity to improve literacy in underprivileged schools. And she's not even 21.
As far as up and coming girls are concerned, Justine Gundelfinger gets full marks on the checklist. I think she's SA's answer to Paris Hilton and what's more, she has the most delicious boyfriend who women drool over from a distance at parties (you just want to touch!).
These girls use their public profiles to further their career. Most of them are blonde and might act like bimbos at times, but I'm not sure I fall for the act.
And I don't think it's as if they surround themselves with George Bush's panel of advisors. They've got the perfect combo in their genes which include brains.
Back to Paris - she acts like a spoilt brat, but looking at her, the girl doesn't need to work, yet she's made enough money independently: the international endorsements (Guess clothing) and the TV show to just name two ventures. And the public just want more.
Nadia Padayachi is a PR Executive for Touchline Media's lifestyle publications.
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