Style Rider: Charlotte OC Is a Little Bit Goth and Super Glam

If BANKS and Lana del Rey had a lovechild, then, well, she’d be a total babe. And that total babe would probably be a whole lot like Charlotte OC, a 23-year-old who sings moody, haunting must tinged with just enough electro-pop goodness to make it intoxicating and addictive (ironic, given that one of her best tracks is called “Hangover”).

For her latest EP, Strange—which also marked her US debut—she enlisted the help of Tim Anderson, the producer who’s collaborated with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero, Mr. Little Jeans, and, unsurprisingly, BANKS. The Blackburn, England native grew up listening to everyone from Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell to Billie Holiday and Marvin Gaye, and the folk and soul influences come through in tracks like “Strange” and “Colour My Heart,” both excellent singles off her September release.

Her style, like her music, veers towards the gothic. On stage, she’s into black caftans, a commanding piece of clothing that’s perfect for tour, because it looks super chic, makes an enormous statement, and requires zero stress. Besides, when you have that hair—waist-length and effortlessly wavy punctuated with Betty Page bangs—all you really need is a good canvas. Her mother, it turns out, owns a hair salon, which partly explains how her mane looks flawless even when she’s been living out of buses and hotels for months. A swipe of heavy eye liner and dab of red lipstick is all it takes to finish her look, which sure makes packing for tour easy. We stole a minute with Charlotte to find out what she throws into her suitcase when she hits the road (in addition to, most importantly, “pictures of my dog Jack because I miss him”).

VINTAGE CAFTANS AND LOTS OF HEELS

“When performing I like to wear unique pieces with otherworldly magic—vintage caftans from faraway worlds, strong beautiful contemporary statement jewelry, and always heels to walk and dance tall in!”

SENTIMENTAL JEWELRY

“I have worn this cameo ring everyday since I was 15. I’m never without it.”

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“I like having physical copies of a moment, otherwise everything only exists on my phone.”

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“I need my Macbook for watching movies and Skyping home.”

HEADPHONES

“I feel like I’ve lost a limb if I forget my Seinheiser earphones.”