What's a gamine?

Search: gamines

Why: In the article "Clinton Kelly of 'What Not to Wear' Shares the Top 10 Mistakes We Make" on Lemondrop:

1. The "I Give Up" Dress: Shudder. And yet, every once in a while we're struck by that delusional belief that we, too, can wear some shapeless, gamines-only garment not even Chloe Sevigny could pull off.

Answer: Well,

1. An often homeless girl who roams about the streets; an urchin
2. A girl or woman of impish appeal
3. A slim and boyish girl or young woman; an elfish tomboy

It's French, the feminine form of gamin, originally meaning urchin, waif or playful, naughty child.

The word was used in English from about the mid-19th century (for example, by William Makepeace Thackeray in 1840 in one of his Parisian sketches), but, in the 20th century, came to be applied in its more modern sense of a slim, often boyish, wide-eyed young woman who is, or is perceived to be, mischievous, teasing or sexually appealing.

And there's a picture of old whatsherface:

Source: The Free Dictionary, Wikipedia

The More You Know: Did you ever see Kids? That was Chloe Sevigny's first role (she was 19), and she showed her vag in it. I remember watching it on the TV when I was in middle school. It was a real bummer.