The cutesy yé-yé pop wave that swept Europe in the ’60s might be largely forgotten, but aside from it leaving behind piles of classic schlock, it also birthed some of pop culture’s great personalities such a Serge Gainsbourg. It may also have been the precursor to J-pop.

But more importantly than anything else, the musical youth craze also gave the world the adorable Italian singing sensation Rita Pavone, who may have been the precursor to pigs wearing rainboots. At the age of 17 in the early ’60s, Pavone blasted into stardom as a freckle-faced, singing tomboy with a repertoire of lovelorn ballads and moddish rock tunes. It was the cutest thing that had ever happened in pop culture.

She grew up to be a hot, blond actress, who followed-up her cute teenage antics with some seriously sultry singles as a grown-up bombshell. All that aside, we still like to remember her as a yé-yé girl rocking suspenders. (She wore them a lot.)