1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info
1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters ALEXANDER’S STYLE I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person. To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s. shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said. did you catch those elbow pads? I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals. the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks. i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s PATRICK’S STYLE Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.) also boots by billy reid… Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have. The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless. I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze. polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time. leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic EVAN’S STYLE  There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack. sweater by impact Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous. Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion. jean by bullhead Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.
Zoom Info

1980’s Prep, French Worker Jackets, and Sexy Sweaters

ALEXANDER’S STYLE

I’ve always felt that I have a highly disproportional amount of stylish friends, most of which actually aren’t involved in fashion. It’s always been a great thing, having a reservoir of steezy people I can feature on my blog. One of my favorite personal styles, as far as friends go, has to be that of self-described prep Alexander Lavelle. I’ve featured him on the site in the past, here and here. I love his style because it’s always a pleasure to see what’s he wearing when I run into him on a daily basis. And that’s one of the true hallmarks of a stylish person.

To an extent, Alex’s style has been definitely been influenced by contemporary European menswear. Just ask the Hermès scarf in his closet. But at his root, he’s an old soul, a traditional prep. Think Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. But you can’t forget about vintage Abercrombie & Fitch or vintage Ralph, and vintage a dozen other long-standing brands you’ve probably never heard of. Much of Alex’s closet is composed of family pieces passed down over time. For the shoot we went through his closet and combined some of his favorite heritage items for a true vintage prep feel: circa late ’80s-mid ’90s.

shirt by jos a banks, pocket square by armani collezioni

Most of the garments in this look are items handed down to Alex from his uncles and father. His blazer and trousers are late ‘80’s era prep, Anderson Little; they’re gifts from two separate uncles. His watch is a vintage Pulsar given to him from his father. It’s one of my favorite pieces in this look. If you need any reminder, refer back to the cover photo of this article. Nothing more needs to be said.

did you catch those elbow pads?

I don’t think it can be questioned though which item I dig most. As we were going through Alex’s closet to prep for the shoot, I ran across this accessory and immediately asked about it. I’m talking about his early 90’s vintage, red Ralph Lauren Polo Bear tie. It’s one of those undeniably cool items, especially since he can say that it came from his dad. This is one of the reasons why family heirlooms are so important. Heritage is the rage in menswear right now. What’s more heritage than the very items that your father and grandfather wore when they were your age? Raid your family attic, and see how much stylish, free clothing you can find. Talk to your dad about his older pieces. Back to the visuals.

the kind of ‘90’s polo bear that would make ghostface killah proud. braces are from jos a banks.

i couldn’t help but feature these vintage ray ban wayfarers passed down from alex’s dad’s high school days in the early ‘80’s

PATRICK’S STYLE

Patrick’s style is smart. Modern, flirts with preppy, and with great attention to fit and tailoring. He has a handful of thrifted items, but only one is featured in this post. It’s a gem though. (Second-hand clothing - thrifted, inherited, or otherwise — doesn’t have to be a thing of extreme habits. Your entire closet doesn’t have to be filled with thrifted goods to utilize their genius. Learn how to integrate them into your existing clothes, and discover some cool gems that’ll give you stories for when you inadvertently show them off.)

also boots by billy reid…

Patrick picked up this vintage French work jacket while in Paris. And when I say vintage, I mean it. Think 1950’s. A quality find like this is as good as one-of-a-kind. And that’s part of the appeal of thrifted/vintage pieces, the personalized feeling finds often have.

The rest of his outfit is not thrifted, but dope nonetheless.

I love the repeated color tones of Patrick’s outfit. It’s very fitting that he complements his vintage French work jacket with red, blue, and white accents on his polo collar, socks, and belt. That’s attention to detail, the kind of thing that can elevate your steeze.

polo by fred perry, belt by timberland, pants by natural selection

Patrick’s always been a master of layering. With weather in a city like Nashville’s you can really never tell what to expect. Winter days can take you from 60 degree highs to freezing very quickly. Tips like smart layering can help anyone survive the unexpectedness of winter chills. Check out the dope black leather jacket and scarf that Patrick threw on to complement his outfit. Raisin’ the stakes, a single layer at a time.

leather jacket by orthodox, scarf by banana republic

EVAN’S STYLE 

There’s an entire Tumblr dedicated to sexy sweaters. It’s pretty cool and has some interesting designs on it, which is great. Internet sweaters are cool and all, but no lifestyle change has brought me across more sexy sweaters than my increased exposure with thrifted and vintage goods. There’s a thrift store in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village (that is sadly going out of business) that always would keep a rack full of sexy sweaters. The sweater Evan wore for the downtown shoot would have fit nicely on the rack.

sweater by impact

Evan’s style is simple and classic. Not very over the top (aside from his sweater arsenal haha) or complicated. It’s very everyday and natural. But he pays enough attention to the basic rules, as well as overall fit to pull off his looks nicely. And as a college student, he also saves a fortune on a collection of sweaters that would make Coogi and Dr. Huxtable jealous.

Personal style doesn’t have to be ostentatious. I played soccer for 10 years growing up. And one pair of shoes that looks just as good on the indoor soccer court as it does on the streets of Pitti Uomo is the Adidas Samba. Sambas are as classic as they get, almost no-brainer stylish. I thought they were dope when I was 8 years old running around scoring goals. Not much has changed about my opinion.

jean by bullhead

Look at those stripes. That’s widespread appeal.

The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
Zoom Info
The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike MICHAEL’S STYLE Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it. Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”. Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill. In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.) For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay. shoes by sperry topsider the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for. When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze. THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks. For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old. And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post. glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen. I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else. Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top. Cheers guys.
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The Accidental Prep and Harris Tweed x Nike

MICHAEL’S STYLE

Michael Yarbrough’s closet is one that just speaks “style with ease”, in the most literal sense. He is one of the most stylish people I know, part of the reason why I’ve never shied away from having him on my blog in the past. But Michael is like one of those guys Mordechai Rubinstein would flip over. He’s has a good sense for clothing, and a refined taste, yet sometimes he’s completely unaware of how stylish he is. Haha. I like to think that he has almost like a serendipitous fashion sense. He’s that guy in the movie that would say, “Oh this? I just put this on when I woke up this morning.” But he’d mean it.

Most of the clothes in Michael’s closet are collected from countless Goodwills, donation bins, and miscellaneous thrift stores. Yet you really couldn’t tell. If you had to peg him, you’d come up with something like “refined and classic; yet preppy with a casual twist”.

Whenever I see a piece on Michael I particularly like, I ask him where he got it from. There’s a phrase Michael has come up with to describe the place from which a significant portion of his clothing originates, the “You know that type of Goodwill. The super cheap, $1.50 kind.” Yes, that vintage J. Crew hat that makes him come off as a dressed down prep on his day off cost him $1.50 at Goodwill.

In fact, most of the items Michael had with him that day were fairly preppy. That’s typical of his closet. A lot of the time, he comes across as an 80’s preppy weekend warrior. (It may not make sense to you, but to me the imagery is spot on haha.)

For part of the day, Michael was sporting a najavo print coat on top of a multi-colored Tommy Hilfiger polo, circa late 80s-mid 90s. The coat is vintage Woolworth from eBay.

shoes by sperry topsider

the dressed down, vintage weekend yuppie look

Michael also had a vintage polo sweater that he put on top his polo later that day. Could this piece also be an item out of a forgotten Tommy Hilfiger fall/winter collection long gone? Nah. He actually got it thrifted. It’s by Knights of the Round Table. Ironically Michael’s polo isn’t the only thing in his closet that appears to be vintage prep, that in reality is a brand you’ve probably never heard of. But it doesn’t matter. Because it might still look better than the new brand name one you paid a lot more for.

When I asked Michael why all his clothes were so preppy, he responded with something about having natural steeze.

THRIFTED BERETS AND PURPLE TWEED NIKES

My closet isn’t quite like Michael’s, when it comes to thrifted items. While a lot of the clothes in my closet are thrifted, I actually don’t shop at Goodwill often. And for me, thrifted/vintage goods don’t serve as the basis for most of my outfits. They’re usually a way to supplement my looks.

For example, only one item I wore for the shoot is actually secondhand. I decided to use my outfit more as an example of how thrifted clothing can enhance any look, without making it look cheap or old.

And could you guess what that item is? Probably not, and that’s part of the point. The $2 beret that I’m rocking on my head looks pretty classic and timeless, and helps enhance my style factor tenfold. You may recognize the beret from my “Black Panther Steeze” post.

glasses by warby parker; beret thrifted; camo jacket by american apparel; shirt by selected/homme; black undershirt by asos black; pants by asos black; shoes by harris tweed x nike

And believe it or not, Michael Yarbrough actually found this beret during the same haul that found him his vintage J. Crew hat. So that’s a classic, black beret and a vintage J. Crew baseball hat for $3.50, and some tax. Most thrifting finds aren’t that cheap, but it goes to show the magic that can happen.

I love all the items I’m rocking in this outfit, but there’s one I can’t help but highlight. Go back up to the top of the photoset and take another look at those Harris Tweed x Nike joints I’m rocking. If you have a keen eye, you may remember that they’ve been on the blog before. I just love them. They’re like a luxe sneaker. I’m by no means a sneakerhead, so I didn’t know about them when they dropped in ‘09. And I actually unknowingly grabbed the women’s colorway when I copped them (the men’s colorway is army green). But that’s the best part. I would have still done it if I knew. The purple tweed is just something else.

Excuse me for a second while I throw up some details of my Selected/Homme club collar shirt and black ASOS top.

Cheers guys.

The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info
The Downtown Thrift Shoot I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet. So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet. Printer’s Alley We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing. diana liu and jenn sun After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza. House of Pizza It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville. We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family. Retired New York Police Officer I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer. He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy. There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself. On Cities New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character. Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city. The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.
Zoom Info

The Downtown Thrift Shoot

I’ve always been interested in the history behind clothing and the different lifestyles and backgrounds that certain thrifted or vintage items can represent. As a regular thrifter and fan of vintage clothing, it always excites me to think about the former lifetimes that certain articles of clothing have had, as well as what their former owners could have been like. There are so many different kinds of secondhand clothing: thrifted goods, vintage items, DIY alterations, and even family heirlooms. And there are countless one-of-a-kind items handed down through families or found in random donation bins nationwide. I have many friends for whom secondhand clothing (thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms, etc) serves as a major part of their closet.

So I collected a ton of them, and we all headed downtown on a fine, early winter afternoon to shoot some photos and raise some havoc. The purpose of this post (and the future posts that will be part of this blogging series) is to highlight secondhand clothing, and the varied ways they can be used to supplement or enhance a closet.

Printer’s Alley

We headed downtown to the historic Printer’s Alley with a couple cameras, a tripod, and 7 bodies worth of steeze. Some of those bodies have been on the blog before: Michael, Diana, and Alex. Patrick, Evan, and Jenn Sun (of the Sardoreialist), on the other hand, are all new to the site. We arrived at Printer’s Alley in two separate parties, gathered around in a well-dressed circle, and began taking pictures of each other while talking about our clothing.

diana liu and jenn sun

After compiling some preliminary blog fodder, we began to wander the city in search of some food. Nashville is pretty diverse when it comes to cuisine; downtown has many fine offerings. Wandering all throughout the city in the hunt for food eventually led us to a restaurant strip called the Arcade, where we found a mom n’ pop pizzeria called House of Pizza.

House of Pizza

It was pretty dope to see the owner of the store making my pizza in front of me, after I ordered it. That’s not something you necessarily see often in Nashville.

We talked to the owner of the store, whose name I forget. He’s a native of Queens, NY and has been making pizza for the past 35 years, over the last 20 in Nashville. And you could tell when you watched him work. House of Pizza has a familiar, homely feel to it, with dim and charming lighting. The pizza was cheap and made by a pretty pleasant family.

Retired New York Police Officer

I’m not sure how many native New Yorkers currently live in Nashville, but we were just running into them all that day. While sitting around and eating pizza, we ran into a talkative, retired New York City police officer.

He was cool. He spent about 15 minutes telling us about graduating from the police academy and how great the retirement benefits of the force were. And of course, he tried to convince us to ditch our expensive college educations and join the police academy.

There’s just something about New Yorkers and their personalities; they all seem larger than life, kind of like the city itself.

On Cities

New York is a pretty unique city, but in a way all cities are more or less the same. They’re just microcosms of ethnic culture, gentrification, poverty, crime, and innate beauty. I guess what differentiates one city from the other is the unique combination of elements that give it its character.

Nashville is a beautiful city. Just walking around the day of our shoot, we encountered dope street style, Ron Paul protesters, great ethnic food, and some interesting imagery you’d only find downtown in a city.

The Downtown Thrift Shoot will be a multi-part series. I’ll be releasing style profiles in the future of everyone involved in the shoot, as well as other visuals. Everything told, we all had a blast that day. And we captured some pretty beautiful imagery. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. I think you’ll enjoy this.

The Internet has become a large and mysterious place, a land where new, would-be MCs and producers are springing up everyday, all aiming to be the next A$AP Rocky or SpaceGhostPurrp. It’s a place that’s rewarded a lot of rappers in hip hop, helping translate traction on Bandcamp and YouTube into multi-million dollar record deals and cult followings. There are forums dedicated to discussing hip hop culture and emerging talent, filled with personalities of different sorts all trying to become the next successful product of this new age of “music industry accessibility” the Internet has ushered us into. There are also entire websites and blogs, all full of people like me, who are discussing the newest events in this online culture and telling our readers about new talent as they emerge out of the unknown depths of the Internet. It’s a system that everyone plays a role in (from the bloggers to the forum personalities to the artists and producers). And this well-oiled machine works, and is quickly redefining music culture for good. But there aren’t enough hours in a day to listen to all of the aspiring internet rappers you’ve never even heard of. It’s a working order that leads to crushed dreams and questions like “If a rapper drops a mixtape on Bandcamp and no one blogs about it, did it really happen?” So considering all this, it’s a special occasion when you run into a new MC that seems like a no-brainer to make it. A MC good enough and memorable enough to make you simply say “duh” when considering their prospects of blowing up. If you don’t mind, I’d like to introduce you to Hassani Kwess. Somebody Who’s About to Be Famous: Hassani Kwess Hassani Kwess is a rapper and producer I first stumbled across in the late winter of last year. An unsuccessful YouTube search led me to this song, a tribute to A Tribe Called Quest’s track of the same name. Hassani’s record is an impressive outing and does ACTQ justice. But it didn’t get him a $3 million record deal or Twitter follows from all of your favorite rappers. And as of now it still only has < 3k views. I tried to find whatever else I could of his on the internet. He didn’t (and still doesn’t) have much of a web presence. He hasn’t put out that much material to date and it’s fairly difficult to find out much about him, outside the fact that he’s from D.C. I didn’t hear anything new on Kwess for almost a year and had all but forgotten about him. Then in December 2011, Asher Roth releases his first single from his new mixtape Pabst and Jazz and it’s featuring none other than Hassani Kwess. A quick Google search brought up another new track by Hassani, this one a Chuck Inglish-produced preview from an upcoming mixtape. The Internet doesn’t know who Hassani Kwess is yet. But he’s already working with Asher Roth and Chuck Inglish, which means clearly somebody put him on. I was able to find an earlier mixtape that appears to have been released in December 2010; and after running through that a couple times as well, one thing seems apparent: Hassani Kwess is about to blow up. Tron, Hassani’s only mixtape so far, is a 17-track offering: contemporary music with a Native Tongues ethos. Hassani raps on “VII Description (Another P.S.A.)”, “Native Tongue, son. I know my roots to the stem.” But he doesn’t have to state anything to make it obvious where his influences come from. Hassani Kwess’ music is riddled with old school hip hop allusions and references. He’s a product of the Native Tongues, most specifically A Tribe Called Quest. And Hassani sounds like he’s making the kind of music they might have made were they starting out today. His beats sound like a combination of Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, and Dilla, in a contemporary context. His lyrics have an old school flow, and everything else on Tron has the same ethos. It says Native Tongues without relying too heavily on replicating their sound. He’s unabashed about his stylistic origins too. The opening track’s beginning is reminiscent of the beginning of “Push It Along” (the opening track on Tribe’s debut album). All his title tracks are riddled with old school imagery and he raps in the same care-free manner of a younger Q-Tip. But he’s versatile too. He shows on “VII O.I. (Arena Light Show)” and “Dreams of Rage” that he can create more divergent sounds, and on “Youthful Lessons 1:21 Years…” that he can make beats you’d mistake for Dilla if you weren’t paying attention. Between Tron and his first preview from his new tape Ruthless, Hassani seems bound to go places. He’s making music with Roth and Inglish, and their backing should help the tape gain hype and traction. On “Kick the Bass, Chuck”, Kwess sounds even more mature and complex. He stated on “II If My Mixtape Weighs a Ton” that “it’s hard to believe I’ll be better on my next tape.” And it sounds like he could be right, if his flow on “Kick the Bass, Chuck” is any indication. Between Kwess’s increasing rap skill, and the presumption that he and Chuck Inglish will combine their production like voltron, Ruthless could turn out to be quite the record. Your best move would probably be digesting Tron and whatever else Hassani Kwess has released so far now. Because once he drops Ruthless, you’ll probably want to focus all your attention on it. *Also, I realize that my fashion posting has been slow around here lately. I’m working hard on a few different things right now that should excite you guys once they drop. It’ll be glorious. #menswear
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The Internet has become a large and mysterious place, a land where new, would-be MCs and producers are springing up everyday, all aiming to be the next A$AP Rocky or SpaceGhostPurrp. It’s a place that’s rewarded a lot of rappers in hip hop, helping translate traction on Bandcamp and YouTube into multi-million dollar record deals and cult followings. There are forums dedicated to discussing hip hop culture and emerging talent, filled with personalities of different sorts all trying to become the next successful product of this new age of “music industry accessibility” the Internet has ushered us into.

There are also entire websites and blogs, all full of people like me, who are discussing the newest events in this online culture and telling our readers about new talent as they emerge out of the unknown depths of the Internet. It’s a system that everyone plays a role in (from the bloggers to the forum personalities to the artists and producers). And this well-oiled machine works, and is quickly redefining music culture for good. But there aren’t enough hours in a day to listen to all of the aspiring internet rappers you’ve never even heard of. It’s a working order that leads to crushed dreams and questions like “If a rapper drops a mixtape on Bandcamp and no one blogs about it, did it really happen?” So considering all this, it’s a special occasion when you run into a new MC that seems like a no-brainer to make it. A MC good enough and memorable enough to make you simply say “duh” when considering their prospects of blowing up. If you don’t mind, I’d like to introduce you to Hassani Kwess.

Somebody Who’s About to Be Famous: Hassani Kwess

Hassani Kwess is a rapper and producer I first stumbled across in the late winter of last year. An unsuccessful YouTube search led me to this song, a tribute to A Tribe Called Quest’s track of the same name. Hassani’s record is an impressive outing and does ACTQ justice. But it didn’t get him a $3 million record deal or Twitter follows from all of your favorite rappers. And as of now it still only has < 3k views. I tried to find whatever else I could of his on the internet. He didn’t (and still doesn’t) have much of a web presence. He hasn’t put out that much material to date and it’s fairly difficult to find out much about him, outside the fact that he’s from D.C. I didn’t hear anything new on Kwess for almost a year and had all but forgotten about him.

Then in December 2011, Asher Roth releases his first single from his new mixtape Pabst and Jazz and it’s featuring none other than Hassani Kwess. A quick Google search brought up another new track by Hassani, this one a Chuck Inglish-produced preview from an upcoming mixtape. The Internet doesn’t know who Hassani Kwess is yet. But he’s already working with Asher Roth and Chuck Inglish, which means clearly somebody put him on. I was able to find an earlier mixtape that appears to have been released in December 2010; and after running through that a couple times as well, one thing seems apparent: Hassani Kwess is about to blow up.

Tron, Hassani’s only mixtape so far, is a 17-track offering: contemporary music with a Native Tongues ethos. Hassani raps on “VII Description (Another P.S.A.)”, “Native Tongue, son. I know my roots to the stem.” But he doesn’t have to state anything to make it obvious where his influences come from. Hassani Kwess’ music is riddled with old school hip hop allusions and references. He’s a product of the Native Tongues, most specifically A Tribe Called Quest. And Hassani sounds like he’s making the kind of music they might have made were they starting out today.

His beats sound like a combination of Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, and Dilla, in a contemporary context. His lyrics have an old school flow, and everything else on Tron has the same ethos. It says Native Tongues without relying too heavily on replicating their sound.

He’s unabashed about his stylistic origins too. The opening track’s beginning is reminiscent of the beginning of “Push It Along” (the opening track on Tribe’s debut album). All his title tracks are riddled with old school imagery and he raps in the same care-free manner of a younger Q-Tip. But he’s versatile too. He shows on “VII O.I. (Arena Light Show)” and “Dreams of Rage” that he can create more divergent sounds, and on “Youthful Lessons 1:21 Years…” that he can make beats you’d mistake for Dilla if you weren’t paying attention.

Between Tron and his first preview from his new tape Ruthless, Hassani seems bound to go places. He’s making music with Roth and Inglish, and their backing should help the tape gain hype and traction. On “Kick the Bass, Chuck”, Kwess sounds even more mature and complex. He stated on “II If My Mixtape Weighs a Ton” that “it’s hard to believe I’ll be better on my next tape.” And it sounds like he could be right, if his flow on “Kick the Bass, Chuck” is any indication. Between Kwess’s increasing rap skill, and the presumption that he and Chuck Inglish will combine their production like voltron, Ruthless could turn out to be quite the record.

Your best move would probably be digesting Tron and whatever else Hassani Kwess has released so far now. Because once he drops Ruthless, you’ll probably want to focus all your attention on it.

*Also, I realize that my fashion posting has been slow around here lately. I’m working hard on a few different things right now that should excite you guys once they drop. It’ll be glorious. #menswear

A. Sauvage Spring/Summer 2012 Collection Anyone who&#8217;s been following TheCreativeRoutine for awhile should know of my affinity for British-Ghanaian fashion designer and filmmaker Adrien Sauvage. Personal stylist turned fashion designer/filmmaker/photographer, A. Sauvage is a creative polymath who had the internet going crazy last year when he released the initial collection for his eponymous line, along with the short film/lookbook and numerous photo series that accompanied. His lookbook, &#8220;This is Not a Suit&#8221;, showed at Sundance and had everyone from GQ to Vogue singing his praises. Sauvage is hitting 2012 head first, having released his Spring/Summer collection on New Year&#8217;s Day. It&#8217;s a striking offering: a collection of white and camel tones, double-breasted tuxedo blazers, and placket pockets. Sauvage&#8217;s new collection combines modern, minimalistic design with traditional African prints and imagery. All the pieces are beautifully crafted, that&#8217;s a given for him. What&#8217;s most impressive for me is the way he gracefully incorporates different elements of West African culture and style into a traditional Western silhouette. His kente cloth designs are great. Utilizing the traditionial Ghanaian fabric, he spawns gold, square-end silk ties and impressive black-on-black tuxedos. Not to mention that several of his shirts even have kente placket detailing. Along with the black, kente DB tuxedo, my favorite look would have to be the short sleeve ensemble. Part of the brilliance of this collection is the subtleties Sauvage throws in there. His short sleeve look is immediately reminiscent of all the iconic photos of West African college students in the 1970s that I grew up seeing. I&#8217;d wager that the family photo albums of countless first generation Nigerian-Americans and Ghanaian-Americans are peppered with similar imagery. (via street etiquette) You can check out his latest interview with Milan Vukmirovic in Issue 01 of Fashion for Men Magazine.
Zoom Info
A. Sauvage Spring/Summer 2012 Collection Anyone who&#8217;s been following TheCreativeRoutine for awhile should know of my affinity for British-Ghanaian fashion designer and filmmaker Adrien Sauvage. Personal stylist turned fashion designer/filmmaker/photographer, A. Sauvage is a creative polymath who had the internet going crazy last year when he released the initial collection for his eponymous line, along with the short film/lookbook and numerous photo series that accompanied. His lookbook, &#8220;This is Not a Suit&#8221;, showed at Sundance and had everyone from GQ to Vogue singing his praises. Sauvage is hitting 2012 head first, having released his Spring/Summer collection on New Year&#8217;s Day. It&#8217;s a striking offering: a collection of white and camel tones, double-breasted tuxedo blazers, and placket pockets. Sauvage&#8217;s new collection combines modern, minimalistic design with traditional African prints and imagery. All the pieces are beautifully crafted, that&#8217;s a given for him. What&#8217;s most impressive for me is the way he gracefully incorporates different elements of West African culture and style into a traditional Western silhouette. His kente cloth designs are great. Utilizing the traditionial Ghanaian fabric, he spawns gold, square-end silk ties and impressive black-on-black tuxedos. Not to mention that several of his shirts even have kente placket detailing. Along with the black, kente DB tuxedo, my favorite look would have to be the short sleeve ensemble. Part of the brilliance of this collection is the subtleties Sauvage throws in there. His short sleeve look is immediately reminiscent of all the iconic photos of West African college students in the 1970s that I grew up seeing. I&#8217;d wager that the family photo albums of countless first generation Nigerian-Americans and Ghanaian-Americans are peppered with similar imagery. (via street etiquette) You can check out his latest interview with Milan Vukmirovic in Issue 01 of Fashion for Men Magazine.
Zoom Info
A. Sauvage Spring/Summer 2012 Collection Anyone who&#8217;s been following TheCreativeRoutine for awhile should know of my affinity for British-Ghanaian fashion designer and filmmaker Adrien Sauvage. Personal stylist turned fashion designer/filmmaker/photographer, A. Sauvage is a creative polymath who had the internet going crazy last year when he released the initial collection for his eponymous line, along with the short film/lookbook and numerous photo series that accompanied. His lookbook, &#8220;This is Not a Suit&#8221;, showed at Sundance and had everyone from GQ to Vogue singing his praises. Sauvage is hitting 2012 head first, having released his Spring/Summer collection on New Year&#8217;s Day. It&#8217;s a striking offering: a collection of white and camel tones, double-breasted tuxedo blazers, and placket pockets. Sauvage&#8217;s new collection combines modern, minimalistic design with traditional African prints and imagery. All the pieces are beautifully crafted, that&#8217;s a given for him. What&#8217;s most impressive for me is the way he gracefully incorporates different elements of West African culture and style into a traditional Western silhouette. His kente cloth designs are great. Utilizing the traditionial Ghanaian fabric, he spawns gold, square-end silk ties and impressive black-on-black tuxedos. Not to mention that several of his shirts even have kente placket detailing. Along with the black, kente DB tuxedo, my favorite look would have to be the short sleeve ensemble. Part of the brilliance of this collection is the subtleties Sauvage throws in there. His short sleeve look is immediately reminiscent of all the iconic photos of West African college students in the 1970s that I grew up seeing. I&#8217;d wager that the family photo albums of countless first generation Nigerian-Americans and Ghanaian-Americans are peppered with similar imagery. (via street etiquette) You can check out his latest interview with Milan Vukmirovic in Issue 01 of Fashion for Men Magazine.
Zoom Info
A. Sauvage Spring/Summer 2012 Collection Anyone who&#8217;s been following TheCreativeRoutine for awhile should know of my affinity for British-Ghanaian fashion designer and filmmaker Adrien Sauvage. Personal stylist turned fashion designer/filmmaker/photographer, A. Sauvage is a creative polymath who had the internet going crazy last year when he released the initial collection for his eponymous line, along with the short film/lookbook and numerous photo series that accompanied. His lookbook, &#8220;This is Not a Suit&#8221;, showed at Sundance and had everyone from GQ to Vogue singing his praises. Sauvage is hitting 2012 head first, having released his Spring/Summer collection on New Year&#8217;s Day. It&#8217;s a striking offering: a collection of white and camel tones, double-breasted tuxedo blazers, and placket pockets. Sauvage&#8217;s new collection combines modern, minimalistic design with traditional African prints and imagery. All the pieces are beautifully crafted, that&#8217;s a given for him. What&#8217;s most impressive for me is the way he gracefully incorporates different elements of West African culture and style into a traditional Western silhouette. His kente cloth designs are great. Utilizing the traditionial Ghanaian fabric, he spawns gold, square-end silk ties and impressive black-on-black tuxedos. Not to mention that several of his shirts even have kente placket detailing. Along with the black, kente DB tuxedo, my favorite look would have to be the short sleeve ensemble. Part of the brilliance of this collection is the subtleties Sauvage throws in there. His short sleeve look is immediately reminiscent of all the iconic photos of West African college students in the 1970s that I grew up seeing. I&#8217;d wager that the family photo albums of countless first generation Nigerian-Americans and Ghanaian-Americans are peppered with similar imagery. (via street etiquette) You can check out his latest interview with Milan Vukmirovic in Issue 01 of Fashion for Men Magazine.
Zoom Info

A. Sauvage Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

Anyone who’s been following TheCreativeRoutine for awhile should know of my affinity for British-Ghanaian fashion designer and filmmaker Adrien Sauvage. Personal stylist turned fashion designer/filmmaker/photographer, A. Sauvage is a creative polymath who had the internet going crazy last year when he released the initial collection for his eponymous line, along with the short film/lookbook and numerous photo series that accompanied. His lookbook, “This is Not a Suit”, showed at Sundance and had everyone from GQ to Vogue singing his praises.

Sauvage is hitting 2012 head first, having released his Spring/Summer collection on New Year’s Day. It’s a striking offering: a collection of white and camel tones, double-breasted tuxedo blazers, and placket pockets. Sauvage’s new collection combines modern, minimalistic design with traditional African prints and imagery.

All the pieces are beautifully crafted, that’s a given for him. What’s most impressive for me is the way he gracefully incorporates different elements of West African culture and style into a traditional Western silhouette. His kente cloth designs are great. Utilizing the traditionial Ghanaian fabric, he spawns gold, square-end silk ties and impressive black-on-black tuxedos. Not to mention that several of his shirts even have kente placket detailing.

Along with the black, kente DB tuxedo, my favorite look would have to be the short sleeve ensemble. Part of the brilliance of this collection is the subtleties Sauvage throws in there. His short sleeve look is immediately reminiscent of all the iconic photos of West African college students in the 1970s that I grew up seeing. I’d wager that the family photo albums of countless first generation Nigerian-Americans and Ghanaian-Americans are peppered with similar imagery.

(via street etiquette)

You can check out his latest interview with Milan Vukmirovic in Issue 01 of Fashion for Men Magazine.

Q:I just read your article on Basquiat's aesthetic and its influence on this generation. Though well written I find some fundamental flaws in your line of thinking. I'll argue that there is nothing truly novel about Basquiat's aesthetic to a non-western audience. You are aware that within Western society there is a very myopic , stiffling view of "blackness". This is a bitter legacy of a cruel era. Not sure where you're from but in that piece you take an outsider's view of "black" culture.

Anonymous

At first I was confused by what you meant when you said I took an outsider’s view to black culture. But I see where you’re coming from now, I think. Yes, the article is not necessarily pro-black in it’s approach. Basquiat is my favorite artist, and I am a self-described afrocentric, but I tried to approach the piece as one based upon observation of a cultural phenomena and a resulting commentary.

I agree that Basquiat’s aesthetic is not necessarily novel to a non-western audience. But you seem to make that statement with a dualist worldview - the “western audience” and the “non-western audience”. Countless cultures that are not western would still perceive Basquiat’s aesthetic as novel.

My article was written within the context of the western world and it’s tradition, it’s the world that Basquiat, myself, and most of my readers exist within.

I’m Nigerian by birth. But I moved to Bahamas at 3 and America at 8, so I’ve lived among and interacted with three, distinct black cultures. Hence, I don’t really see myself as distinctly Nigerian, Bahamian, or African-American.

Q:i enjoyed reading your piece on the new inquiry, and it made me think: given the slightly broader context of malcolm x and his appraisal of the conk as a hairstyle of submission, does the enduring legacy of basquiat's hair not create a similar requisite of coiffed conformity to signal allegiance to worlds-apart values? and, do we really base trust on how one styles their hair?

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First off, thank you. Your question is an interesting one, but I think the dynamics are a bit different in each case. Malcolm X is one of my personal heroes, but one could say that he was being a bit nitpicky and unnecessary (I can’t think of the actual word I’m looking for) when it came to the amount of rebuke he threw on the conk. You have to really have a sense of understanding about how different of a role the conk served in black culture at the time to get his dislike.

The conk was a move towards “white-ification”, if you will. It became popular as an attempt to straighten kinky hair to become more like that of whites. For Malcolm X, it symbolized the crippling of a strong black youth identity, since teenagers and young men were reduced to appropriating whatever they could from white society in order to be en vogue or hip. It represented an infiltration of the black society by “superior” white values. Basically, X didn’t want whites deciding (indirectly or not) the values of black aesthetic and culture.

The cultural lineage of the dreadlock (and similar hairstyles) is radically different. It appropriates a style popular in numerous black cultures past (as well as other global cultures). And unlike the conk, which was just as ubiquitous in the 50’s for blacks as the afro was in the 70’s, the legacy of Basquiat’s locks is one that has been picked up by a select few in contemporary society. It’s not the kind of mindless, mainstream attempt to fit in that Malcolm would have rebuked.

Basquiat’s art and persona was one steeped in the imagery of Africa and the West Indies, as well as urban black America. He styled his hair as he did very consciously. Those that appropriate those same values after him do the same for a reason.

And no, trust can’t be based solely on hair styles. But in these cases, we find the hair styles congruent with the other parts of their persona they’ve made public.

Not to mention that perming of hair is physically painful and much more debilitating long-term to black hair than dreading is. They call it natural hair for a reason.

Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
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Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
Zoom Info
Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
Zoom Info
Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
Zoom Info
Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
Zoom Info
Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
Zoom Info
Street Style - 12.20.11 Back to the bloggin&#8217;. I&#8217;ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven&#8217;t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year. See you on the flip side?
Zoom Info

Street Style - 12.20.11

Back to the bloggin’. I’ve been shooting a little street style lately, here and there. With finals and the many other hazards of life, I haven’t had the time to drop hot content like my name was Snoop Dogg, but I did want to leave you guys with some parting gifts before the new year.

See you on the flip side?

TheCreativeRoutine Meets The New Inquiry For some reason, the good folks over at The New Inquiry saw it fit to let me start publishing my essays on their website. For those who don&#8217;t know TNI, they&#8217;re a cultural wrecking ball of criticism and theory. I&#8217;ve always tried to dissect cultural phenomenona on TheCreativeRoutine, so having the opportunity to really ham things up at TNI on the regular is a dream come true. It&#8217;s actually the first street fashion related post on The New Inquiry.  You can check out my first article with The New Inquiry over on their homepage; I go on about what cultural movers like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Street Etiquette, Kadeem Johnson, and that steezy model from Très Bien all have in common. In honor of my first article, the background of the day has been swagged out accordingly. Leave a comment and let me know what you think about the piece. I&#8217;d love to respond. Also, be sure to check out the feature The New York Times did on The New Inquiry a few days ago. It&#8217;s a pretty dope read. (They refrained from calling us post-modern hipsters, the entire feature.)
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TheCreativeRoutine Meets The New Inquiry

For some reason, the good folks over at The New Inquiry saw it fit to let me start publishing my essays on their website. For those who don’t know TNI, they’re a cultural wrecking ball of criticism and theory. I’ve always tried to dissect cultural phenomenona on TheCreativeRoutine, so having the opportunity to really ham things up at TNI on the regular is a dream come true.

It’s actually the first street fashion related post on The New Inquiry. 

You can check out my first article with The New Inquiry over on their homepage; I go on about what cultural movers like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Street Etiquette, Kadeem Johnson, and that steezy model from Très Bien all have in common.

In honor of my first article, the background of the day has been swagged out accordingly. Leave a comment and let me know what you think about the piece. I’d love to respond.

Also, be sure to check out the feature The New York Times did on The New Inquiry a few days ago. It’s a pretty dope read. (They refrained from calling us post-modern hipsters, the entire feature.)

Artist Andrew V Kennedy Andrew V. Kennedy is a 30-something, Brooklyn artist of African American and Irish descent. I honestly can&#8217;t say that I recall how I came across his work; my guess is the venerable Bomb Magazine. If not that, then through some other serendipitous Internet musing. In any case, Kennedy&#8217;s work is the painting that now serves as my banner. I promised to tell you about him last Friday, but time got away, as it often does. Tuesday it is then! Better late than never. andrew v kennedy One might almost get tempted to call Kennedy&#8217;s work conceptual art, because just as much thought goes into the concept behind each piece as does into the visuals. AVK&#8217;s mission statement is not one, but four, fairly long essays on different, contemporary American political issues. On his website, essays range from topics about Middle Eastern politics, American military alliances, economic failure, racism, and Obama. And you see the result of this commentary in his 6 foot paintings and graphite drawings. 2008, 2010, oil on canvas, 54 x 33; about obama&#8217;s rise. 9-11 Name Location, 2004, charcoal and watercolor on paper, 44 x 30; on sept. 11 terrorist attacks Kennedy&#8217;s large works carry the weight of his messages. They&#8217;re intimate portraits of Americans, and humans in general, often weighed down by somber expressions. The way his brush strokes and heavy graphite lines contour the shapes of his subjects echo the important messages they accompany: &#8220;I AM Human&#8221; and &#8220;I Want Work NOW!!&#8221;. These reflections of the &#8220;average American&#8221; cry are then presented to echo the aesthetic of political propaganda and civil rights campaign posters, populous rallying banners. It&#8217;s smart art too. For Kennedy to deliberately choose each portion of the package that composes his art as he does: the political and socially conscious theories, the heavy graphite and somber brush strokes, and the propaganda-like imagery is nothing short of genius. Kennedy grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. It says on his site that he &#8220;has always maintained a steady interest in history, politics, and sociological issues.&#8221; He graduated from RISD in 2002 and is currently getting his MFA at Brooklyn College. You can check out his art here. veteran of the bulge, 2001, oil on canvas, 72 x 44; on military politics and veteran affairs
Pop-upView Separately

Artist Andrew V Kennedy

Andrew V. Kennedy is a 30-something, Brooklyn artist of African American and Irish descent. I honestly can’t say that I recall how I came across his work; my guess is the venerable Bomb Magazine. If not that, then through some other serendipitous Internet musing.

In any case, Kennedy’s work is the painting that now serves as my banner. I promised to tell you about him last Friday, but time got away, as it often does. Tuesday it is then! Better late than never.

andrew v kennedy

One might almost get tempted to call Kennedy’s work conceptual art, because just as much thought goes into the concept behind each piece as does into the visuals. AVK’s mission statement is not one, but four, fairly long essays on different, contemporary American political issues. On his website, essays range from topics about Middle Eastern politics, American military alliances, economic failure, racism, and Obama. And you see the result of this commentary in his 6 foot paintings and graphite drawings.

2008, 2010, oil on canvas, 54 x 33; about obama’s rise.
9-11 Name Location, 2004, charcoal and watercolor on paper, 44 x 30; on sept. 11 terrorist attacks
Kennedy’s large works carry the weight of his messages. They’re intimate portraits of Americans, and humans in general, often weighed down by somber expressions. The way his brush strokes and heavy graphite lines contour the shapes of his subjects echo the important messages they accompany: “I AM Human” and “I Want Work NOW!!”. These reflections of the “average American” cry are then presented to echo the aesthetic of political propaganda and civil rights campaign posters, populous rallying banners.
It’s smart art too. For Kennedy to deliberately choose each portion of the package that composes his art as he does: the political and socially conscious theories, the heavy graphite and somber brush strokes, and the propaganda-like imagery is nothing short of genius.
Kennedy grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. It says on his site that he “has always maintained a steady interest in history, politics, and sociological issues.” He graduated from RISD in 2002 and is currently getting his MFA at Brooklyn College. You can check out his art here.

veteran of the bulge, 2001, oil on canvas, 72 x 44; on military politics and veteran affairs