Profile - Dirty Looks October 16 2003

If you’re a good Christian trying to lead a Christ-like life, you must ask yourself, “What would Jesus wear?” Granted, the desert chic so hip in the Bronze Age just wouldn’t be practical on Backstreet’s dancefloor. But one modern religious icon and guest celebrity in this week’s installment has a track record for breaking new ground in both religion and fashion.

Former first lady of international televangelism and current gay icon Tammy Faye stunned her worshippers at Outwrite Books in this striking red pantsuit with those matching pointy Oompa-Loompa shoes the ladies love these days. And she wouldn’t be Tammy Faye without her trademark caked-on eye makeup and a do that sticks to the motto, “the higher the hair, the closer to God.”

The badge looks rather official, but the bleachy spiked hair suggests something wild lurks behind that buttoned-down look. The Reaction (by Kenneth Cole) belt looks like something a superhero would wear in his off time. It blends fashion with function while answering the question, “What would Jesus not wear?”

Thoughtful, subtle and intellectual, the silky black blouse is a must for gaining entrance into red-wine-and-coffee poetry circles. It shows that you think, but you’re not some dowdy ol’ recluse like Virginia Wolfe making suicide threats.

These shades are so little-kid-at-the-beach chic. And the lei — aside from leaving her open to a barrage of crappy double-entendre jokes from drunken frat boys — brings out a carefree, fun and tropical side of an Atlanta bar scene that smells of cigarettes, not of coconut oil.