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.