Yesterday I was invited to a secret preview of the ASOS Fall 2011 collection at the Hotel Sax. I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store with so many amazing pieces at ridiculously affordable price points. I couldn’t help but wonder if London is aware of Chicago’s infatuation with British style. Between the debut of TopShop in a couple weeks and the opening of AllSaints Spitalfields a month ago, the English are certainly aiming to establish their presence in the Windy City. ASOS is an online-only retailer based in the U.K., but their free shipping policies have earned them a solid customer base here in Chicago.
As a street-style photographer, it’s really exciting to see the famously trend-obsessed Brits influencing our style for the better. I have a feeling that the old stereotype of Chicago as a non-fashion city is fast fading. Tastemakers and financiers from across the Atlantic Ocean see Chicago as a rapidly developing fashion market.
Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the presentation.
Keilon is another example of the resurgence of the Gentleman look on the streets of Chicago. This polished aesthetic has become the provenance of either the very young or the much older. Baby boomers, for whom the ability to chair a boardroom meeting in jeans is the ultimate expression of sartorial power, are lost in between. It’s rare to see someone between 45 and 60 years old sporting this look, but I see this – or elements of the Gentlemen – in virtually all fashion-forward young men these days.
Or take my friend Jeff over at
The Midwestyle fashion blog for another example of how young twenty-something males are taking the sort of pride in their appearance that their parents never did. Above is a detail shot of Jeff’s bowtie etched with tiny little skulls. I photographed him for a Refinery29 project that will be released in mid-July, so I am not able to share with you his entire look just yet. I encourage you to stop by
The Midwestyle to see more of Jeff’s personal style and to learn more about men’s fashion. Their blog has been educating me for months on the subtleties of men’s style. I’m sure you’ll discover something new yourself.
