5 Reasons We Salute You, Gwen Stefani

By Candy

[Besides being the month of St. Patrick's Day and CollegeCandy's editor's birthday, March is Women's History Month. Instead of honoring the great women of our past, however, we at CC want to honor the women they inspired and who now inspire us. Every Wednesday this month we are going to highlight a woman who is currently dominating her field and showing us that we can really do anything. Like Chelsea Handler, the woman of late night comedy. Or Kathryn Bigelow, this year's best director. These women are strong, powerful, famous, and doing their thing even better than their male counterparts, so let's give them the attention they deserve!]

I remember lying in my bedroom and listening to No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom” on repeat for days at a time. I remember how excited I was when my dad surprised me with 4 tickets to the show for me and my friends. I remember watching Gwen Stefani rock out on stage in neon pants with suspenders and knowing, at that moment, that I wanted to be just like her. And that was before she became a rock superstar, solo artist, fashion designer and really awesome mom.

Now, 10 years later, I don’t have her voice, her talent, or her ability to wear crop tops (my abs are a little looser than Ms. Stefani’s….yes, even after her two children), but I am even more inspired by this Jack(ie) of all trades. And here are five reasons I salute Ms. Gwen Stefani:

1. She’s Got Staying Power
Gwen Stefani first hit the music scene in No Doubt in 1986 (!!). Together with the band, she’s sold 26 millions albums, won 2 Grammy’s and 5 MTV VMAs. And if that wasn’t enough, she defied the odds and became an instant success as a solo artist (which, as we’ve seen, doesn’t always work – I’m looking at you, Nicole Sherzinger). And 24 years later, she’s still just as popular, relevant, talented and successful as ever.

2. She’s a Savvy Business Woman
These days everyone in Hollywood is trying to start their own clothing line, fragrance line, acting career, etc. But while most fail (remember J-Lo’s designs? No? I prove my point), Gwen Stefani is thriving. She’s got an incredibly successful and respected clothing line (L.A.M.B) that is seen on runways and starlets worldwide and a less expensive but equally successful line of merchandise and perfume (Harajuku Lovers) based on her own style. Oh, and did you know she was nominated for a SAG award for her work in Martin Scorcese’s, The Aviator? Yup, Gwen cannot fail.

3. She’s got a rock solid family.
Even though Gwen Stefani is one busy lady (she’s running multiple empires, after all), she still manages to spend quality time on her family life. She’s been married to uber hottie singer Gavin Rossdale for 8 years, an eternity in the music biz, and is known for putting her kids, Kingston and Zuma, first before anything else.

4. She’s got style.
Gwen Stefani has been setting trends since she rocked the bindi and bikini top in her No Doubt days. And now, a busy mom of two, she’s perfected her rocker-chic personal style and proves that there’s always time to look good. Girlfriend’s got it going on whether she’s performing, working the red carpet or playing at the park with the kiddies. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

5. She’s grounded.
Don’t tell me you wouldn’t want to spend a day hanging out with Gwen Stefani. She’s just such a cool chick. Even after all this time in “the business” and her tremendous success, she’s still just a girl (sorry, had to do it). Stefani has worked hard for everything she’s gotten in life and that simple fact keeps her feet on the ground.