Fun with Tights

As I predicted, it's getting harder to update this thing regularly as the semester progresses.  It's particularly hard to get a critical mass of photos in a short amount of time, meaning that the first person I photograph in a week has to wait several days before seeing their pic online.  I may start using "running posts", uploading photos as I take them.  And/or taking more photos of myself, since it's easier to set up a tripod than to troll the streets, find someone who's dressed cool but not in a hurry, and work up the courage to approach them.

In any case, first up is Alise (pronounced ah-LEES), one of those folks who stands out in the workaday bustle of a public place because her outfit is made of awesome.

Alise says she wears whatever makes her feel good.  I agree--sometimes it's worth foregoing the comfort of jeans for the smartness of a dressy outfit and makeup.

Next up is Quincy, an art student at UI.  Although this particular outfit is as crisp and dramatic as a magazine ad, she gets her chic from the most humble and accessible of sources.  She trolls thrift stores, has clothing swaps with friends, and "dress[es] like the people I love."

Same pose, different expressions.  They were both cute, so I didn't want to choose one over the other.

Quincy and her classmate Jordan have an exhibition called "Intimacy" coming up next month.  It's described as "a collaborative exploration of romance and webspace, exhibition and inhibition, shame and celebration".  The exhibit runs from Nov. 1 to 5 at the Market-Dubuque Display Space (122 E. Market St.), and the reception is 11/4 from 6 to 9.  I'll try to make it if I'm not babysitting!

Finally, I too had fun with tights this week--or, more precisely, leggings.  I've had a couple pairs of leggings around for awhile, but few tunics or skirts to go with them.  So I recently splurged on said tunics and skirts, and spent this past week wearing them aggressively, to convince myself I hadn't wasted my money.  (Funny how buying one article of clothing to match another has a snowball effect . . . that's why I prefer versatile pieces.)  Unfortunately, I photographed only one of the outfits:

Yes, that's a skeleton behind me.  My roommate Rezo uses it for homework for his Drawing class.

Nightmare week over!

Just finished a huge slug o' deadlines, and was finally able to squeak in some fashion photos.

I passed Margaret at the bus stop, and I was struck by how well her haircut framed her face, and how dignified the cut and pattern of her tunic were.

Margaret was happy to pose for me, probably because she's an avid follower of The Sartorialist blog.  She says she's inspired by vintage fashions, particularly from the 1930s.

Come to think of it, although the tunic style, flip-flops, and skinny jeans are very 21st century, the poise conveyed by boat-necked tunic and handbag make me think of a self-assured '30s lady attending the opera.

I'm a sucker for anything reminiscent of the Desert Southwest, so I was coveting her copper bracelets:

As part of my post-deadline decompression, I also treated myself to a fun outfit and a much-needed haircut.  My face is missing in the first picture because it looked ugly.  Looked like I didn't have a chin : /

Most of this outfit is a plug for locally-owned Midwestern boutiques.

Boots: Rockstar and Rogers, Manhattan KS
White tunic: Revival, Iowa City
Vintage belt: White Rabbit, Iowa City
Pink clay pendant: Prairie Pond Studio, Lawrence KS
Blue and brown wooden pendants: Beadology, Iowa City
Silver ring: Rockstar and Rogers

Finally, gotta love the blowout while it lasts.  I sure as hell don't do that to my hair on a regular basis . . . or at all.

I like how this angle and the poofy shirt make my boobs look enormous : )

Critical Mass

My apologies to Rosa, the German exchange student I photographed last Thursday.  It's been a hectic weekend, so I'm just now uploading.

Rosa gets fashion inspiration by watching what people on the street are wearing.  Apparently we're similar in more than just name!

Today I slipped into a classroom about a minute before the session started, and was able to get a quick photo of Nateasa.  The scarf with bright earth colors atop the mustard sweater makes me think of sumac leaves turning red against a tallgrass backdrop.

Nateasa works at RSVP, a stationery shop on Iowa City's Northside.  I'll have to check it out!

Jenny had another very cute ensemble.  She managed to pick several statement pieces and combine them in a way that enhanced, rather than detracted from, each other.  Jenny says she likes to go for a youthful look, but she's pulled it off in a way that it still looks sophisticated.

Finally, a lady at TSpoons Cafe in the mall exemplifies the rustic dignity of a military-inspired look. 

She puts me in mind of a '40s bomber pilot.  Not that I'm a militarist by any stretch, but I can't help my aesthetic attraction to the fashion version of military wear.  I especially love the buttons!