wardrobe_remix(ers) o' the week

back again! enjoy!

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this here is the ORIGINAL and OFFICIAL weekly wardrobe_remix recap of the latest and the greatest from the wardrobe_remix community, from yours truly, the creator of wardrobe_remix!

any wardrobe_remix photos that find themselves here showcase great style + great photography = the two meet and merrily marry to make a perfect expression of YOU and your singular personal style! and i've said it a million times before, it's not what you wear, it's how you wear it...the ticket is the confidence and sureness you exude when you express yourself the way that makes YOU feel most comfortable. that confidence shines through and is captured on film. so whether you're wearing couture clothes from the finest designers, mass market threads, stuff you made yourself, thrifted finds, or even a shirt you stumbled across on the side of the road...rock it! it's ALL GOOD and it's ALL WELCOME in wardrobe_remix!

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fearistheheart:

La Meow:

hansom cab:

supernab:

SQvikSQvik:

No Signposts:

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thanks to everyone who's been posting about wardrobe_remix or featuring fashions and folks from the group in their own blogs or websites. thanks for getting the word out. i am glad that wardrobe_remix inspires you! remember to give credit to the people in the aforementioned photos (if you use them in your blog posts, etc.) and to wardrobe_remix itself. it's good internet/blogging karma! (plus it actually goes with flickr's terms of service and a little thing called copyright!)

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remember: you can click on the photo of any of these terrific wardrobe_remix(ers) to learn more about their photo or outfit, explore their flickr photostream, and beyond. all of the photos are owned by the awesome people who are depicted in them, of course!

join us over at wardrobe_remix and show off your awesome EVERYDAY trendbusting and trend-SETTING personal style!

spread the word!

and see you there!

nnontsikelelo "lolo" veleko: beauty is in the eyes of a beholder

(photos via nnontsikelelo "lolo" veleko and the afronova gallery)

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through the lovely ms. shoo of she breathes i read about a photographer named nnontsikelelo "lolo" veleko, who shoots stunningly beautiful street fashion-style photos in her hometown, johannesburg, south africa. the photos seen above are part of is part of a series that has the very apt title of "beauty is in the eyes of a beholder".
you can see more of nnontsikelelo "lolo" veleko's work here, and can find out more about her artistic motivations and personal history here.

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after taking in the above photos i had the following thoughts:
one: that, in general, style and trends these days are incredibly, almost scarily global. the clothes the folks in the photos are wearing are in many, many ways, similar to those folks are wearing in most major urban areas across the world, and were probably sourced at similar retail outlets. one could perhaps argue that these people could be from anywhere, not specifically africa, if we're just looking at their clothing.
two: one the other hand, even though the clothes the folks are wearing strongly suggest the influence and reach of globalization of goods and culture in our modern times, there is something distinct and beautiful, and dare i say, local/provencial about the style of the people she shoots. i'd argue that special, different factor at play here has something to do with the use of color and pattern: it's fearless, in your face, relentless, idiosyncratic. i don't know a tremendous amount about south african history, but i am wondering if color, or pattern mixing in the way of textiles, in the past or present, has or had a symbolic meaning or history in the local or national culture...and if this influences the way the young people dress there in any way? also...it's not just what they are wearing...it's something about who they are, and how they are wearing it. it's the mix...methinks. there seems to be a local flavor i'm feeling. is it just me? feel free to debate the converse if you so please.

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related notes of interest:
-nnontsikelelo "lolo" veleko's work is part of an exhibit that is currently running at NYU's gray art gallery called the poetics of cloth: african textiles/recent art. if you're lucky enough to be in or around NYC, go see it! (and report back and let me know how it was, if you don't mind!)
-according to south african street style, south africa's version of elle deems the sartorially savvy street-sourced style-mavens of johannesburg (like the ones depicted in veleko's body of work) "'smarteez': brown on the inside, multicoloured on the outside," and suggest that they are the south african version of the seminal young fashion mavericks of harajuku...

lisa anne auerbach: political knit(wear)s

(photo via lisaanneauerbach.com)

check out this timely statement sweater:My Jewish Grandma is Voting for Obama, Is Yours? Chosen People Choose Obama by knitter and artist lisa anne auerbach. (via whip up)
incidentally, auerbach is the artist behind the steal this sweater project, and was featured in the book knit knit: profiles and projects from knitting's new wave.
why not let auerbach's work inspire you to make similar statements with your clothing? as has been discussed ad nauseum here before, clothing can say a lot... about the person who's wearing the threads, as well as the world they live in. said statements can be and often are subtile and subconscious, sure, but are at times more fun when they are completely conscious and sometimes, (more than) a little subversive.

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don't forget to vote on tuesday, november 4th, americans! :)