Songful Style | “Meet Virginia” by Train & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #674

It is my turn to choose a song for our next Songful Style challenge. For October, I have picked an old favorite of mine, “Meet Virginia” by Train. There are a lot of fun sartorial references in this song and I really can relate to Virginia so I am excited to see what kinds of styles are inspired by a woman who “wears high heels when she exercises”!

About Songful Style

Songful Style is an ageless style challenge series hosted by Suzy of The Grey Brunette, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Marsha of Marsha in the Middle. 

Each month we will share a song with the lyrics and video and we invite you to use whatever aspect of the song that inspires you to create an outfit. 

It is similar to Style Imitating Art where we use artwork to inspire our outfit creations. Except Songful Style gives you lyrics, music, video, and album artwork to inspire your fashion creativity. You may even find inspiration in a memory triggered by the selected song. It is all open to your own personal interpretation and just a fun way to discover new music and get a little bit more creative with your wardrobe.

Anyone is welcome to join us on a permanent basis or you can just play along without any obligation to do anything other than feel inspired. We are flexible and fun and just want to find more ways to play dress up because it’s what we enjoy doing! 

We will be posting on the last Monday of each month and will announce our song choice for the following month at the end of each post. Then about a week or two later, I will share a detailed post like this one about the chosen song.

Video Inspiration

The Lyrics

“Meet Virginia” by Train

She doesn't own a dress
Her hair is always a mess
If you catch her stealin', she won't confess
She's beautiful

Smokes a pack a day
Wait that's me, but anyway
She doesn't care a thing about that, hey
She thinks I'm beautiful
Meet Virginia

She never compromises 
Loves babies and surprises
Wears high heels when she exercises
Ain't that beautiful
Meet Virginia

Well, she wants to be the Queen
Then she thinks about her scene
Pulls her hair back as she screams
"I don't really wanna be the queen"

Her daddy wrestles alligators 
Mama works on carburetors
Her brother is a fine mediator for the President
Well, here she is again on the phone
Just like me hates to be alone
We just like to sit at home and rip on the President
Meet Virginia, alright

Well, she wants to live her life
And she thinks about her life
Pulls her hair back as she screams
"I don't really wanna live this life"

No, no
No, no
No, no
No

She only drinks coffee at midnight
When the moment is not right
When timing is quite unusual
You see her confidence is tragic
But her intuition magic
And the shape of her body unusual

Meet Virginia 
I can't wait to
Meet Virginia
Yeah, yeah, hey, hey, hey

Well, she wants to be the queen
Then she thinks about her scene
Well, she wants to live her life
And she thinks about her life
Pulls her hair back as she screams
"I don't really wanna be the queen"
I, I don't really wanna be the queen
I, I don't really wanna be the queen
I, I don't really wanna live this

About the Artist and the Song

Train is an American pop band formed in 1993 in San Francisco, California, by Pat Monahan, Rob Hotchkiss, Jimmy Stafford, Scott Underwood, and Charlie Colin. The current band line up includes Monahan on lead vocals as the only remaining founding member in addition to Taylor Locke on guitar and vocals, Hector Maldonado on bass and vocals, Jerry Becker on keyboards and guitar, Matt Musty on drums, and Sakai Smith and Nikita Houston on backup vocals.

The band achieved mainstream success with the release of their 1998 self-produced, self-titled debut album, Train. “Meet Virginia” was their debut single released in March of 1998. It took more than a year for the song to gain mainstream popularity, eventually reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 2000, making the song Train’s first top 20 hit.

The band has since released an additional 10 studio albums and earned 8 Grammy nominations with 3 Grammy wins for “Drops of Jupiter” and “Hey, Soul Sister”.

“Meet Virgina” was written and produced by the founding members of Train. When asked if Virginia was a real or imaginary woman, Monahan has stated that she is real parts of real women which makes up a woman he always wanted to meet. The lyric “Wears high heels when she exercises” was inspired by bassist Charlie Colin’s girlfriend, who showed up after a bridal shower wearing a dress and heels and played shortstop in a pickup softball game. The official music video stars Pat Monahan and actress Rebecca Gayheart and was filmed inside the since closed Merritt Bakery and Restaurant in Oakland, California.

While “Meet Virginia” did not receive any awards or nominations for awards, music experts have recognized the song as one of a few songs from the album Train that has “inspired hooks and reflective lyrics” while also being an “ode to a wrong-side-of-the-tracks girl full of quirky contradictions.” (Source) The highest chart position achieved by the song was number 2 on the US Adult Top 40.

Album Covers and Other Photo Inspiration

We know a little bit about what Virginia looks like. She doesn’t own a dress, her hair is always a mess, she wears high heels when she exercises, and her shape is unusual and beautiful. Pat Monahan has a similar style aesthetic as Virginia. His hair is always a mess and he probably doesn’t own a dress. He does occasionally enjoy a dressy hat though. I’m not sure what he wears when he exercises, but I am sure that he is beautiful. Wonder if he’ll Marry Me!

Hopefully, you are inspired to join us with your own outfit inspired by “Meet Virginia”. You are welcome to do your own research if you need more inspiration or if you are interested in learning more. If you want to join us, we will be hosting a link party on Monday, October 30, 2023, where you can share your outfits. We would love to see your Songful Styles. Happy styling, my friends!

Featured Favorites

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.