#tombomb

We'd like to welcome to our writing team, Tom Bombadil (@BombadilFantasy) here is a brief introduction to what he will provide for us.

As my first ever piece for Music City Drive-In, I wanted to take a minute to tell you, the viewer, just a little something about myself and what I hope to bring you.

I’m a simple individual who has been described by many as a ‘Merry Fellow’. I find that title honorable, and I hope that all encounters had with Old Tom produce the same sentiment on behalf of the other party.

A few years back,…

Here's a few inspiring women who embody the tombomb life. 

To quote Ashton Kutcher "The sexiest thing in the world is being really, really smart." Do I feel super smart quoting Ashton Kutcher? I wouldn't have before his uplifting, Steve Jobs-esque acceptance speech. But now? I'm cool with it.  

He's right too. The sexiest thing in the world is being really, really smart. And thoughtful. And generous. 

Smarts make up a major part of the tombomb equation:

smarts + grit + va-va-voom +  strength + grace + sparkle = tombomb

Being sexy means having an adventurous mind and seeking out new knowledge, new perspectives, and new ideas. It's having a fearless mind and braving unorthodox ideas and standing your ground for what you believe. It's having a lovely mind and seeing beauty in the world at the darkest times.  It's having an independent mind, defining yourself instead of being defined.

I aspire to be smart, a.k.a. sexy. But I've had some pretty un-sexy moments in my life - Times when I dimmed my sexiness down.

I love words. I love rolling them around in my mouth. I love linking them together on a page. I love when the sound of them mimics the action or feel of it in real life like the words "incandescent" and "cavalier".  

Sometimes I like to try these words out in everyday conversation. They're not the biggest words. They're not the super secret two-letter Scrabble words. But they're not common...and sometimes I get funny looks. So I defer to my practiced, surfer-influenced diction complete with drawn out vowels and lots of use of the word "gnarly."  (Actually, I do love the word "gnarly" too, for reasons stated above.) 

But words inspire me and if I'm gonna walk the walk, I have to accept my love of Webster's as part of what makes me "sexy."  

The t-shirt, a symbol of Americana for decades, almost never made the climb up the social ladder. In fashion, the t-shirt translates to casual confidence and toughness - James Dean, Joan Jett, Bruce Springsteen, Debbie Harry, Chrissy Hynde.  Funny enough, the trusted tee started out as undies.

The t-shirt came into being as a U.S. Navy issued undergarment. Sailors shirked their coats in warmer climates, wearing only the white t-shirt because it was easy to clean, comfortable, and replaceable. Its name came from the “T" shape created by the sleeves and the midsection. 

When Marlon Brando rocked a white t-shirt for most of the 1951 film, A Streetcar Named Desire, sales for t-shirts skyrocketed. To this day, t-shirts scream cavalier cool on both men and women. 

While we definitely equate a streetwise, devil-may-care attitude to t-shirt wearers, it was French bombshell Brigitte Bardot who brought sensuality to the time-tested staple. In the 1956 film And God Created Woman, Bardot’s wardrobe included various tees. In the famous dance scene, Bardot sports a tight black tee while turning conservative society on its head with her moves. The role may seem demeaning to women of our generation, but Bardot’s portrayal of the controversial juene fille during her time was in itself a bold statement on a “woman’s place."  Bardot in a t-shirt proved a perfect combination of rebellion and sexuality.

Back then, Bardot’s t-shirt clad figure may have made waves, but for our everyday lives, nothing seems more comforting and solid.

For those of us a little hesitant about letting our bombshell selves shine, the T-shirt makes a perfect anchor. I could be in a pair of 6-inch glittery heels, a ballroom tulle skirt billowing around me, and if all my fabulousness was topped off with a simple cut, good quality white tee, I could walk into any room and know exactly who I was.

Here’s a few ways to work the quintessential t-shirt, tombomb style.

Wear a t-shirt, sleeves rolled up a la James Dean with skinny jeans and wedges. Or get literal tombomb - pair a t-shirt with a pink tutu and heels for a whimsical party look. Or follow BB’s lead again and combine girly and tough with a crisp white tee and a polka dot skirt. 

The Tee by tomboybombshell featuring mac cosmetics lipstick

Here’s a few other combos for the future expansion of the humble t-shirt’s coolness;

            T-shirt +

            1)   sequin pencil skirt + oxfords + matte red lips

            2)  cut-offs + high-heeled mary janes + smokey eyes

           3)   circle skirt + riding boots + fresh face