Candy Darling was a famous transgender actress and model from the 60s and 70s.She was one of Andy Warhol's muses, and was a known figure at the "Warhol Factory". She collaborated many times with the artist, starring in movies like "Women In Revolt" (1971), or "Flesh" (1968). Besides, Candy also worked as an actress for Broadway and other indie theatre plays, written and directed by her friend, Jamie Curtis, even working with personalities such as, young Robert De Niro, for the play "Glamour, glory and gold". Miss. Darling was also the inspiration for The Velvet Underground's "Candy Says" and Lou Reed's "Walk on the wild side", where Candy is dedicated a verse on the song.
She was born on the 24th of November, 1944. (Queens. New York City. US). Candy was known for having a passion for old Hollywood cinema, and, throughout her life, was inspired by her icons: Kim Novak and Lana Turner. Her best friend, Jeremiah Newton, said many times, during interviews, that she was a great impersonator for a wide range of scenes from her favourite movies. On her diaries, Candy Darling wrote her favourite scripts and her opinions on the movies and actresses.
She wrote a lot on her diaries, the first registers being from when she was just 13-14 years old. All throughout her life, she kept a space for her thoughts, inspirations, beauty hacks, cooking recipees, drawings...Some of these pages can actually be read on the book "My face for the world to see"
You can actually read the book for free (on "The Internet Archive") by clicking here:
Unfortunately, Candy Darling died at a very young age. At just 29 years old, Candy died of a Lymphoma, a type of cancer that was, probably, caused by the hormone therapy she would use to take. Besides this, she left an indelible impact on culture, fashion, art and queer culture.
That's why I wanted to dedicate this space for her, to show to other curious minds how creative, hard-working, fashionable, inspiring and talented was Candy Darling. To keep her memory alive and, maybe, inspire other young folks like me.
So, I really hope you enjoy this dive into her fashion style, her dreams, her favourite movies and, just her life in general!... "Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side"...
A gallery of my favourite pics of her
Here, I would like to show my favourite outfits by her, 'cause not only she was stunning, but she also was a fashionista with amazing taste.
One of my fav outfits ever. Simple and casual but timeless. A simple black/brown dress with a bolero/scarf on top. Definetly one of my go-to combinations for when I'm on a rush and need to throw something on quickly. For a more "vintage" touch, I like to add big sunglasses. Miss Darling was onto something with this cute style. She was cookingggg
I really love the cream trench coat she's wearing here. Combined with the light pink colour of her scarf, it all creates a very soft-toned outfit perfect for chilly autumn days. I think Candy must have loved neck scarves or bandanas 'cause she's always wearing some piece of fabric as an element to her outfit. And, honestly, that's such a fun idea and it can add a "special" touch to your outfit that can really elevate it.
Another iconic outfit is this kind of "space-age" combo of metallic pants and sparkly t-shirt. This picture, that was taken around 1971 really goes to show the impact sci-fi and the space were having in fashion trends. Besides being. almost 60 years old, I think this outfit would still rock at any party you go to!
Last but not least, this stunning Qipao, a traditional chinese dress, in this bright red colour combined with some pearls around the neck. I personally love this one because its another perfect example of Candy's timeless style and wardrobe. I've worn this combination to a friend's graduation and it surely is a different and "exotic" kind of look, but it is also glamorous and adecuate for formal contexts, in case you need something better than boring grey corporate attire
The silent despair of "Candy says"
These days I find myself listening, on loop, the song by The Velvet Underground, "Candy says". A classic that has been with me for a long time, but that, for some unknown reason, attracts me more than ever now , during this part of my life, and makes me feel despair, sadness, hope all at the same time.
This song, that was, obviously, inspired by Candy Darling was composed by her close friend, Lou Reed. In an attemp to reflect what was going on inside Candy's mind, Reed created a silence that feels to loud, represented a heart and a mind that felt so deep. And that's probably what really amazes me. A song that is not loud and not musically complex but leaves a missing gap on your chest that feels heavy. Reed's monotonous and soft voice acompanies you throughout the song and creates an intimate atmosphere, between the listener and the music, as if Candy was telling you herself.
Maybe, is that same intimacy both, the singer and listener share, what makes the song so devastating. A silence which you have to sit through, a pain and a sadness you cant help but be accomplice. Besides the feelings and thoughts inside Candy's mind being agressive, frustrating, despairing...The song does not transmit that angst. Instead, it just makes you feel helpless, as if Miss.Darling herself knew there's nothing to do to help.
Candy Darling lived in a society that did not understood her, it did not understood her pain, nor her dreams or aspirations. And she constantly felt sad and frustrated over this. Expressing on her diary that she "couldn't go swimming" nor could she get a job because of her being a trasgender woman. She felt trapped and she was scared of not living up to meet her dreams. She was afraid she could never find anybody who could love her for all that she was, expressing this concern many times on her diaries. Sometimes, she felt unloved, scared, desesperate...And all of these thoughts were translated into beautiful prose by Lou Reed on "Candy says".
With the first line being "Candy says I've come to hate my body", it already shows the listener Candy's reality. And as the song progresses, you realize how hard it was for her back then. But I dont want to turn Candy's existence into a tragic movie. And if there's anything else this song can also transmit is hope. I dont want to make Candy Darling a victim of her own condition. Besides living in a world that did not try to understand her, Candy kept being who she was, and she kept living a life she could call her own. Yes, her situation could be described as "tragic", but her life was not. And you only get to understand that by reading into who she was. Miss. Darling could fill entire pages talking about how she felt frustrated or sad or alone, and she could also write pages talking about how excited she was to meet someone, or how euphoric she was to get a play or a script for a movie. And she did not feel pity for herslef, her own words saying "you have to always be yourself, it's the highest form of morality".
So, to conclude this small reflection about "Candy says", I just wanted to say that, sometimes we might not find the answers for our own pain, and sometimes we might feel hopeless. As a queer woman, I have lived situations where I just feel excluded or unseen by the world, and I know how frustrating that is, to feel that no one understands you, and instead, just judges. So, in honour of pride month and all those who came before me, let this be a reminder that we are not tragic stories of frustration and despair, and no matter how hard the silence or the world slaps, one must never stop living their truth.
