Archive for February, 2012
I had literally just walked out of Sofia Vintage, where I was taking a break from street-style hunting by hanging out with my pal Penny, when I spotted a stylish woman across the street. From behind I thought she might be an indie rock musician. Hold on, let me re-write that; I feared she might be an indie rock musician.
Once, a long time ago, I spotted a D-list, probably Z-list “indie rock star” in Wicker Park. I didn’t know who the woman was and I spotted her based solely on her cool outfit. She was offended that I didn’t know who she was, instead of being flattered that I had stopped her based only on the look she had put together. When I pressed to tell me her name she and her “entourage” of three friends started saying things like “gee, yeah, who is she? hahaha” and mocking me for not recognizing her. I have a very low tolerance for that level of disrespect so I walked away. It was around Pitchfork so I was able to do some internet sleuthing and identify who she was but I’m not going to namedrop her because I don’t want to give her any press. The moral of the story is that now I’m uncomfortable stopping anyone who looks like they might be an indie musician.
Fast forward to last week. I swallowed my fear and ran down Oak Street to catch up to the woman above, not knowing that she was a reader name Jaclyn who had befriended me on Facebook a while back. Once we started talking a wave of relief flooded over me. Thank god you’re not a pretentious musician, I laughed. What an odd statement! Turns out Jaclyn IS a musician, but she’s a very friendly one. I love meeting my readers on the street, especially passionate ones who tell me about their favorite latest photo on the blog. Nothing makes me happier than spotting one of you on the street without knowing you’re a reader.
Nick is one of the most stylish Chicago men I’ve ever photographed. I believe this is how Mr. Lono Brazil would have dressed if he were a twenty-something in 2012. Correct me if I’m wrong (and I know you will), but I’m finding that the height of men’s fashion in the states is all about classic American basics and heritage brands. That being said, Nick is wearing a Carhartt W.I.P. button-down, Nudie brand jeans, a vintage camo jacket under a Nice Collective olive jacket, and an H&M hat. What would a street-style worthy outfit be without a sweet pair of shoes? His are Alexander McQueen, to be exact. They’re not exactly made-in-USA, but nothing goes better with layers of rugged Americana than a pair of exceptionally well crafted European oxfords.
Last Thursday I met up with Laura from the blog ScoutandLo for pizza at Fred’s. I’d seen her at a few events and we’d always gotten along really well. Over lunch we realized it’s because of our Southern upbringings (I’m from Arkansas and she’s from Mississippi). Notice how I always downplay my Arkansas heritage on this blog… now I’m playing the “Southern” card!
We talked about how there’s a certain… gentility that comes from living in the South. There’s a level of grace observed during social situations that is often missing in the North. Descendents of Southerners who live in Chicago still have this grace, although it’s not just about saying “yes ma’am, no ma’am” as I was taught to do in elementary school. It’s about having respect and being polite. Generally, I think a lot of people could benefit from being more graceful in public. This is very hard to explain with words, but Southerners who’ve visited Northern cities like Chicago or New York know what I’m talking about. Laura and I are both thriving in Chicago, but there’s a certain sensibility that we both understood immediately. It’s funny how instant connections like that are made, and it wasn’t until halfway through the meal that we realized why we’d always gotten along so well!
Check out Laura’s blog, ScoutandLo. She’s going to be revamping it over the next few months so stay tuned. For now, enjoy reading about the things she covets and who she’s inspired by!
