The Spice Girls

The Spice Girls

From left to right, clockwise: Posh, Sporty, Scary, Baby and Ginger Spice standing in front of a glittery Union Jack flag

On this blog I have published short non-fiction pieces, poetry, blog series (on Ethiopian history and my year abroad in England), and most recently, pop culture reviews of film, television and books. In honor of my third year as Scary Spice aka Mel B for Halloween (my favorite holiday), I am blogging about the mid-to-late 90s pop culture phenomenon known as the Spice Girls.

 A photo of me as Scary Spice aka Mel B for Halloween, featuring dirty blonde curls, a choker and a leopard print catsuit.

The Spice Girls, a 90s British all-woman band, is still considered the most successful girl group of all time (at least in the West). According to Wikipedia, they are credited with the second British invasion of the U.S., the first one being The Beatles (huge deal!). I remember growing up with the Spice Girls in the U.S. and going to day camp where I would talk to other little girls about which Spice Girl was our favorite. That was part of their universal appeal; the women had such different personas, outfits and personalities, that there was virtually someone for everyone. I distinctly remember Baby Spice being the most popular in my circles at the time. Of course, my favorite was and still is Scary Spice, whom I so wanted to be as a little girl. My older brother even got me a red Spice Girls poncho for Christmas one year that I have regrettably lost. But the most magical thing about the Spice Girls is that they were so different from one another, yet they complemented each other perfectly and became friends in real life, coming to embody their group slogan of #GirlPower. Critics have rightly pointed out that the Spice Girls mark the beginning of the commodification of feminism, or the use of feminist slogans, ideals and imagery to make profits. They have also been criticized for simultaneously promoting beauty ideals to girls and women. While there is truth to these statements, the Spice Girls also had a positive impact, preached women's empowerment and came to defy the corporate formula that started it all.

The Spice Girls were initially the brain child of predominately white, male corporate executives attempting to create the next big thing on the music scene. However, the name Spice Girls, their different public personas and memorable outfits were all the creation of the girls. That is a cool thing about the girl group - each member got to dress and act like themselves. This led British gossip magazines to nickname them Scary, Sporty, Baby, Posh and Ginger, which they graciously accepted. Mel C was nicknamed Sporty Spice because she was a tomboy that preferred to wear track suits and trainers (sneakers) during performances, music videos and public outings. Victoria Beckham (honestly, I can't even remember her maiden name) was nicknamed Posh Spice because she liked high fashion and heels and was the only group member from a middle class background. Mel B earned the moniker Scary Spice because she was the loud, punk rock, rebellious one with a boisterous attitude, voluminous afro-curly hair and a tongue piercing. In fact, she might be the first Black punk to break out on the scene in recent history. Her outfits often incorporated leopard print and chokers, including her iconic leopard print catsuit. Emma Bunton earned the nickname Baby Spice because she was the youngest, had a baby face and a preference for wearing baby doll dresses. Geri Halliwell, the oldest and ring leader (when it wasn't Mel B), was nicknamed Ginger Spice for her fiery red hair. She has described her style in clothing as a combination of the other girls, in my opinion, specifically Posh and Baby Spice. Both she and Baby Spice often wore high-top platform boots as part of their ensembles; Ginger wore said boots with her iconic Union Jack dress.

This background is integral to why the Spice Girls were so relatable, inspiring and beloved by women and girls of all ages. They were so vastly different, perceived as having humble beginnings and yet created a perfect sound together. The Spice Girls' music involved the five of them harmonizing to catchy pop tunes that had an R&B vibe and sound to them. Cue global mega superstardom and success culminating in a successful movie called Spice World. The following reasons are why I believe the Spice Girls were such a global hit and how they were good role models: 1. They each got to express their individuality, were loud and outspoken and wore envelope-pushing outfits for the time, leaving a lasting legacy on both fashion and pop music. 2. They truly embodied their slogan #GirlPower by highlighting female friendships on a global stage (though they had their share of disputes) and putting themes of friendship and female empowerment in their music. 3. The Spice Girls were unintentionally representative of the British public: all of the girls were working class except for Posh Spice, Baby Spice had a fuller, curvier figure at a time when thin was becoming the beauty standard, and Scary Spice, the only mixed-race and Black group member, is bisexual (Sporty Spice, rumored to be a lesbian, is actually heterosexual). I wish equal representation were presented without fanfare and beyond tokenism. Can you imagine a world where race, class, sexuality and body shape are accommodated to the point of no longer being issues? That is the kind of world I aspire to build and live in.