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.

Magali Roman

Magali will be the first to admit she can be a little obsessive, especially when it comes to style. After watching Pirates of the Caribbean, all she wants to wear are pirate boots. After watching Pride and Prejudice, she can't stop thinking about empire waists! But as much as her tastes can change, there are certain looks she will always adore. A true anglophile, her love of the mod aesthetic tinged with British rock vibes comes through particularly in this ensemble. "The kind of things I want to wear are what I want my future boyfriend to wear," she told me, musing skinny jeans and ankle boots, and with an attitude like that, these future beaus better get their acts together!











Blouse: Urban Outfitters
Pants: H&M
Coat: H&M
Headband: vintage
Flats: from a store in Buenos Aires
Sunglasses: H&M
Bag: gift from Buenos Aires
Rings: Charlotte Russe (left) and a flea market in Buenos Aires (right)

When did you first become interested in fashion?
I guess I've always been interested in fashion. As a kid I threw together these outfits and would take a really long time putting them together, but I seriously started studying fashion when I began reading Teen Vogue, to which I'm hopelessly addicted. My grandmother also inspired my love of clothes because she's a really stylish lady.

Who are some of your biggest style icons?
I am in love with Alexa Chung! Everything she does is so perfect. Also, Keira Knightly and Erin Wasson, who has that whole hippy androgynous vibe down. But I'm kind of a seasonal person. In the fall, I like to dress Iike Alexa and Erin, and in the summer I like to dress like Zooey Deschanel. I also love men's rock style, especially Julian Casablancas, Keith Richards...

What era best defines your style?
The 60s and 50s too. English mod.

If you could pick your three favorite pieces in your closet right know, what would they be?
- I really like my leather shorts, I think they are so cool. They are kind of high-waisted, and one of those pieces I needed in my life. I love the contradiction of them, and I love wearing them with black tights, a baggy sweater and my coat.
- My boy's blazer. It's big and baggy, and makes anything look cool. It's navy with gold buttons, and looks amazing with dresses.
- My grandma's handbag. It's a brown doctor's bag satchel thing. It's got metal handles and two leather buckles. It's light brown leather, and smells amazing. It snaps shut and has brass clasps. When I saw it I kind of died. I fangirled over it so much that my grandma had to give it to me. I'll use it forever, and its so classic it will never go out of style.

Where do you shop?
I'm addicted to H&M. I love Buffalo Exchange- so cool, with such amazing people. I really love Madewell, even though its pretty expensive, but its my style in a store: preppy blazers, silk shirts. Its not preppy in a Lily Pulitzer way, with colors and prints you wouldn't expect. And Anthropologie! I go to look, but never buy. If I was a teacher I would get everything from there, because it is as professional as it is fun.

If you could describe your style in one sentence or less, what would it be?
If I was in the 50s or 60s, I would want to be the girl who dresses like a guy, but do it in a feminine sort of way.

Annie Nardolilli

With a penchant for the past, Annie's interpretation of 1940s style is a refreshing detour from some of the more mainstream trends in fashion at the moment. Her utilization of different materials such as silk, wool and velvet, as well as her revival of the classical war-time silhouette, harken back to a time of impeccable tailoring and the heyday of designers like Coco Chanel and Edith Head.










Oxford: Unique
Scarf: from a friend's closet
Skirt: Anthropologie
Tights: Nordstrom
Shoes: Public Shoe House
Jacket: thrifted
Bag: thrifted
Rings: thrifted

What started your interest in fashion?
I decided I didn't want to wear pants anymore. It's hard not to take an interest in fashion when all you wear are skirts and dresses.

Who are some of your biggest style icons?
I really liked what Harper Lee was wearing in the movie "Capote." I also really like Amelia Earhart's style, not that I can really fly a plane!

What era most inspires your style the most?
1940s and kind of 50s.

What are your three favorite pieces in your closet right now?
-I have this dark purple dress I got at a flea market in New York. It's corduroy, slightly below the knee. It has an oxford collar and flairs at the bottom. It's beautiful.
-I have quite the collection of vests. My favorite is hippie-ish, stolen from my high school's theatre department.
-My gray pea coat, It always has the ability to pull together any look and make me feel like a grown-up.

Where do you shop?
I tend to shop at thrift stores. I also shop at Anthropologie when I can afford it. And my brother's closet, if that counts.

If you could describe your personal style in one sentence or less, what would it be?
1940s Polynesian housewife. The style's refined, but influenced by the native people.

Tahara Chaplin

For me, there is only one word to describe Tahara Chaplin: fresh. Fresh-faced with the freshest Jordans I have ever seen, Tahara knows what suits her small frame, mixing preppy elements with unique prints and playful accessories.









Bow: DIY
Cardigan: Forever 21
Shirt: Target
Jeans: Target
Sunglasses: Forever 21
Sneakers: Converse

When did you first become interested in fashion?
It probably started in 12th grade. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but that year I became more confident in myself and wanted to present that in the way I dressed. I was such a different person, and it was going to be a new beginning, a new world, so why not?

Who are some of your style icons?
I can't really think of any. I'm inspired by the people on lookbook.nu. I'm definitely more inspired by regular people and not celebrities. Celebrities have stylists who are basically just regular people.

What era inspires your style the most?
The late 80s. The clothing, the hair, the makeup: everything was just more "BAM!" in your face.

Does music have an effect on your style?
I always blast music when I'm getting ready to go out, especially when I am going to a party, so indirectly it has an effect on the way I dress, I guess. I actually have a "Getting Ready" playlist. Don't judge me!

Who are the three main artists featured on the playlist?
Definitely Rihanna, go-go music (it originated in DC, most don't like it and just think it's noise), usually Reaction, and Wale.

What are your three favorite pieces in your closet right now?
-My blue-and-white-striped blazer. It is probably the flashiest thing I own, and it kind of looks like the one from that Rihanna video ["What's My Name" featuring Drake]. I always get compliments on it, and of course I eat that shit up. You can wear it with just about everything.
-My boots. They're brown leather, but not real leather, and go mid-calf. I probably wear them the most often because 1) they're comfortable and 2) they go with everything: pants, shorts, skirts.
-My navy trouser pants. They just make an outfit pop, and an outfit wouldn't be as nice if I was just wearing regular blue pants.

If you could describe your style in one sentence or less, what would it be?
I honestly do not know. When I get dressed, I tell myself "I want to dress like Tahara today. What is that going to be?" But the thing is, even I don't know who she is yet.