Songful Style: Tell Me Baby by Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Welcome to January’s edition of Songful Style! Hosted by myself, Shelbee (Shelbee on the Edge), Marsha (Marsha in the Middle) and Michelle (Funky Fashion Style), Songful Style is a collaboration featuring outfits inspired by songs. We’re also inviting anyone who would like to join us, to post their own outfits in the link-up below. It doesn’t matter from what angle the song inspires the outfit, it can be from the lyrics, the title, the tune itself, the album cover, music video, etc. Last month our song was Here to Forever by Death Cab for Cutie and was chosen by Marsha. This month, our Songful Style song was chosen by Michelle and is Tell Me Baby by Red Hot Red Chilli Peppers (scroll down for lyrics).

There have been a few hits by Red Hot Chilli Peppers that have been catchy, but they’re not a band that I’m particularly mad about though. As for styling an outfit based on Tell Me Baby, it took me a little while to come up with something. To be honest, I’d hoped for a more exciting look but after watching the video several times, the thing that stood out the most was the fact that many of the people wore shirts over a long sleeved tee, and jeans. It’s not the most creative of outfits, but when I was dressed, I was really getting that Red Hot Chilli Peppers vibe.

I wanted to take the photos somewhere a bit more interesting than the garden so we headed to Lagos, a nearby seaside town and took these shots on the cliffside. It’s a beautiful spot, but boy was it cold! Especially with my midriff-exposing top. But we were done in five minutes, so my scarf and long coat went straight back on lol!

As for the look, I chose a timeless plaid shirt in red and navy (new from H&M) and wore a slightly faded long-sleeved grey tee beneath it, so that the grey sleeves poked out the end. Tell Me Baby was released in the early 2000s when low slung jeans and crop tops were in fashion. I don’t do low slung jeans (I always hated them), so I opted for my wide-leg jeans (H&M) instead and decided to show a little skin with a shorter tee than usual as an ode to that time period. Chunky boots (Stradivarius) seemed like the perfect choice and a few silver necklaces to give a bit of a rock-chick feel. All in all, I quite like the look, I just wish it had been a bit warmer brrrrrr.

How would you have styled Tell Me Baby by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers? Link up your Songful Style posts below… Oh, almost forgot to tell you what next month’s song is going to be. It was my turn to choose, and I’ve gone for an old favourite by Kylie Minogue, Love at First Sight. Enjoy!

Lyrics, Tell Me Baby by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers

They come from every state to find
Some dreams were meant to be declined
Tell the man what did you have in mind
What have you come to do?

No turning water into wine
No learning while you’re in the line
I’ll take you to the broken sign
You see these lights are blue

Come and get it
Lost it at the city limit
Say goodbye
‘Cause they will find a way to trim it
Everybody
Lookin’ for a silly gimmick
Gotta get away
Can’t take it for another minute

This town is made of many things
Just look at what the current brings
So high, it’s only promising
This place was made on you

Tell me, baby, what’s your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what’s your story
Where do you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You’re so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind

Some claim to have the fortitude
Too shrewd to blow the interlude
Sustaining pain to set a mood
Step out to be renewed

I’ll move you like a baritone
Jungle brothers on the microphone
Getting over with an undertone
It’s time to turn to stone

Chitty chitty, baby
When your nose is in the nitty gritty
Life could be a little sweet
But life could be a little shitty
What a pity
Boston and a Kansas city
Looking for a hundred
But you only ever found a fitty

Three fingers in the honeycomb
You ring just like a xylophone
Devoted to the chromosome
The day that you left home

Tell me, baby, what’s your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what’s your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You’re so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind

Tell me, baby, what’s your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what’s your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You’re so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind