Kevin Dudley

While visiting the new location of the Philly AIDS thrift store, I found Kevin perusing the racks on the upper floor wearing a minimalist ensemble reminiscent of Riccardo Tisci's vision of the Givenchy man (I would later learn it was inspired by listening to Joy Division that morning). Instantly recognizing him as a Temple student and someone I'd been DYING to interview for the longest time, it would have been a crime NOT to ask him at least a few questions about his look and inspirations.



Kevin's interest in fashion began as an obsession with Pharrell Williams' Ice Creams and a Bathing Ape cap, gradually expanding from there. After moving from California, he felt a disconnect from his new classmates. Not only was he the new kid, but the style he had been honing back home didn't exactly mesh with the other members of the student body. After a while, others' opinions became less influential. "I went from self defense to self offense. My desire to fit in turned a desire to 'fit out'." There are still times Kevin gets nervous about wearing his creations out, such a long, sweater-jersey hybrid he made that could easily be mistaken for a skirt. In the end, it is his own opinion which matters most, a mindset more people should take in any chance for creative expression.


Hat and skinny jeans: H&M, Glasses: Vintage from Franklin Square, Shirt: thrifted but tailored by Kevin himself, Shoes: Dr. Martens

Currently drawing influence from designers like Rick Owens, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto, and Thom Browne (known for constantly tweeking with the classic gray suit) Kevin's style icons also include the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and one of my personal heroes, the fairy godmother of punk fashion herself, Vivienne Westwood. Not only does he draw inspiration from high art/fashion's revered gods and goddesses, but the individuals who participate in Japan's eclectic street style scene (he has a folder on his computer dedicated solely to his favorite looks). The technicality and research Kevin puts into each outfit is truly inspiring, even into one as seemingly simple as that pictured, and completely breaks the stereotype of the college male being oblivious to new possibilities in clothing.

Style Icons: Theophilus London

I love Theo. Not only is he innovational when it comes to his music, a chilled-out combination of indie, rap and R&B, but his fashion sense is second-to-none. With his brimmed hats, layering of gold "old lady jewelry" (his own words), colorful 90s prints and fitted blazers, he exudes the swagger of a street-wise urban cowboy without coming off as a novelty act. He is the real deal, and with the upcoming release of his debut album, "Timez Are Weird These Days," you can be in for a summer of great music and an abundance of new inspiration for your wardrobe.






(All photos are from this fantastic blog)

Nick Fiorentino

Mon frere recently purchased this vintage Aloha shirt at the amazing Antiques By... shop located in the town of Waimea, where we are living during our month-long stay in Hawaii. More pictures to come, hopefully of local street (or beach!) style.

Anger

Due to the fact that I am home for the summer, I will be experimenting with new ways to discuss fashion since full-blown sessions may be fewer and further between. I'm hoping they won't be, and will do everything in my power to bring them to you, but for now enjoy this lovely short film by Kenneth Anger. Not only has he worked with designer labels like Missoni to film campaigns, but he certainly knows how to make fabrics look absolutely jewel-like. For the fashion-forward especially, prepare to drool...

Style Icons: Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe

Before she was the Godmother of Punk, and before he shocked the art world with his glamorous photographs of leather boys and underground erotica, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe were just two struggling artists trying to make it in New York City. They met during the Summer of Love, and from that point on they became permanently entwined in each others lives and work. They also, unsurprisingly, had an effect on each other's fashion-sense, which is currently my style inspiration for the summer. I could easily devote a blog entirely to them for so many reasons outside of the way they dress(ed), but for right now let's focus on their early sartorial decisions.







So let's sum up some of the key pieces that make up their look:
-White button-up shirt unbuttoned to the waist (Robert) with the ends tied at the bottom (both)
-Black mesh shirt (Robert)
-Wide headband and rolled-up linen pants (Patti)
-Black skinny jeans and DIY necklaces made with sacred little objects like rabbits' feet, silver skulls and feathers (both)
-Classic combination of a worn, white T-shirt and holey, distressed jeans (both)
-Black shoulder-less t-shirt (Patti)

Recreating this style by adding any of these pieces to your summer wardrobe will give you an androgynous bohemian air, and hopefully inspire the same kind of creativity and youthful indignation which arose from one of rock's greatest love stories (if you want to know exactly what I mean, you should definitely check out Smith's memoir, Just Kids, which documents their lives together before their careers took off).

Tahara Chaplin

We have seen and heard from Tahara before, but after a spontaneous midnight photo session, this particular outfit of hers absolutely HAD to be posted. It would have been a crime not to document those amazing harem pants and staggering black pumps!

Naomi Kauffman

Like the heroine of a John Waters film, Naomi is bold and brash, as glamorous as she is ferocious. Frequently compared to Amy Winehouse for her tattoos and retro look, she jams pin-up campiness with the attitude of a feminist punk rocker, a unique blend of body mods and vintage staples. Personally, I think of her as a modern-day Tura Satana, and if her look doesn't make you want to contact paper your silver bullet trainer leopard-print and watch "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! KIll!," then you need to brush up on your history!










Barrettes: gift from The Punk Rock Flea Market
Earrings: DIY
Blouse: thrifted
Necklace: Tiffany's
Skirt: Urban Outfitters
Flats: Gabriel Brothers
Bra: Calvin Klein
Glasses: Wow Vintage
Sweater: Marshalls (Urban Outfitters)
Jacket: thrifted (Lazer Jean)
Bag- thrifted (Arizona)

When did you first develop an interest in the way you dressed?
Probably freshman year of high school. I started getting into the punk scene, and my friends started looking all rockabilly and shit; we were the punk chicks. I also ran out of money, so I started shopping at thrift stores.

What era inspires your style the most?
The 1940s into the 1950s housewife culture. It was such a unique era because those women were so radically different from the men. I'm also really into the 1990s grunge/riot grrrl shit. It was so trashy and so thrown together that it looked effortless.

Who are some of your biggest style icons?
Dita Von Teese, for her classy clean vintage style. Amy Winehouse because of that trashy jazz, kind of modern pin-up vibe. Brody Dalle, the core of punk rock: tits showing, falling out of her clothes, cut up T-shirts and stretch jeans, and early Gwen Stefani, very 90s, very raunchy girl-next-door.

If you could define your look in one sentence or less, what would it be?
Kitschy retro trash. That's it.