THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ERS) BEING REVEALED:

name: Patrick Barber & Holly McGuire
flickr handle: hen power (which [they] share with each other)
age: PB: 39 / HM: 40
location: Portland OR USA
websites or blogs:

work: mcguirebarber.com
blog: henwaller.com

flickr groups Patrick administers which are relevant to w_r:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/velocouture/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/knickerbockers/

other important basic details about [yourselves] that you’d like to reveal?

Holly: I like doing things for myself, like cooking, getting around by bicycle,
participating in food production. Oddly, I don’t much like sewing
clothes–I’ve not gotten the hang of it, but I do sew quilts, and practical
items, like fabric produce bags. This tendency influences most things about
my daily life, like the fact that I work for myself, wear practical clothes,
and don’t watch TV.

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

We run a small graphic design company from a home office. We mostly design and produce publications, and most of those publications are books. We’re on the verge of needing employees which is intimidating.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

Patrick: Urban agriculture and our relationship to our foodways. Right now we are starting up a volunteer-run egg farm on a small historic farm located in the city of Portland. Learning about our past agricultural heritage, and seeking ways to integrate it into urban lives in the present and future, is my passion/obsession/aspiration. In fact, those three words are perfect descriptors for how I feel about this part of my life.

I also like to draw, knit, cook, and to work on our bicycles. I love building bicycle wheels.

Holly: -Having one or two children.

-Participating as deeply as possible in local food production, meaning getting to know and supporting the farmers who grow and raise the plants and animals that feed me; actually helping to grow and raise those plants and animals whenever possible; teaching others about their connection to this critical and too often ignored piece of our world.

-Simple, well-made clothing that lives well on my body, on my bike, at my desk, and on the farm. Comfortable shoes that last more than a year, and look nice too.

what inspires you?

Patrick: I find our church, First Unitarian here in Portland, to be a great source of inspiration. I also find inspiration in the egg farm we have started, and the people we are working with because of that. It’s a positive feedback loop. I go to church and am inspired and engaged by the sermons and the music, and then I feel inspired to do my urban agriculture work. And then I feel like that work is recognized by the ministers at church. The church thing is new to me — I’ve never gone to church until about two years ago. I’m really enjoying it all.

Holly: Beauty and color.
People who dive in and help out.
The patterns and cycles of nature and life.
Church (First Unitarian)–both the sermons and the choirs.

how do you define “style”?

Patrick: When a writer or a jazz singer has style, that means, in some sense, that the artist has developed her own way of interpreting the language she is speaking. When you’re a writer starting out, you imitate. You find writing you love, and copy it. If you keep at it and stay conscious with your work, you develop your own voice. In jazz singing, of course, that “voice” is literal. You stop sounding like Billie Holiday and start sounding like Madeleine Peyroux.
Though the term “style” is used more broadly when it comes to fashion, I like to think of sartorial style in the same terms as I do with regard to writing, singing, or other arts. The remixers and style icons who I admire truly do have their own voice, and they’ve built it from layers of imitations, quotes, and knockoffs and grown the whole thing into something coherent.

Holly: Well, my anthropology/academic background is raising its head on this one. My first thought is that lots of stuff has “style” and I don’t like all of it. So that leads me to say that style is what marks something as of a certain aesthetic movement or moment. This is why it is often controversial–it’s connected to culture, it is a veneer that serves to mark something or someone as participating in a social group or movement. Something has style (of whatever sort, e.g. modernist or gothic or techno or suburban) if it is conceived and executed well and with a certain consistency of design, congruent with what it is associated with. At the same time, shifts in styles can actually be markers of a change in society or the end of a movement. I definitely connect “style” more with design, and less with function. But certain movements, like modernism, were highly invested in function in a way that influenced the styles that came out of them. And functionality can define a style, as did the simplicity of Shaker furniture.

how would you describe your personal style?

Patrick: Highly functional and ever so slightly feminine with a vague military bent. Chromatically, mostly soft-toned with occasional sharp edges.

Holly: Modernist quaker. And yes, that is a contradiction in terms, something that
I have to negotiate in myself all the time!

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture, nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if at all?

Patrick: My mom ran a vintage clothing shop when I was in high school. I learned a lot from that, probably more than I know.
In my teens and 20s I was really into fashion, sometimes at odds with functionality. Later on I became more interested in clothes as function, and, in tandem with some other things going on in my life, I lost a lot of interest in how I looked.
In 2003 Holly and I declared a Buy Nothing Year. I learned a lot about what I had in my closet, and by the end of the year I had a very good idea of what worked and what didn’t. After that, I became more interested in dressing simply, frugally, and well. For example, I started always wearing a clean collared shirt — no more t-shirts in public.
It was like starting anew — instead of demanding that my clothes were chic and fabulous, I demanded that they work well first and foremost, and that secondly they look clean and halfway decent.
From there it’s a pretty straight line to the present. When I found wardrobe_remix in 2006, it was simply a challenge: Can I take my current collection of clothing chosen for function, and make it into something fancy and fun? It’s a worthy challenge.

choose one item in your closet that you feel competely expresses your personal style and/or aesthetic. describe it. what is it and why is it “you”?

Patrick: My green eight-panel Shaun Deller hat embodies everything I would like to seek out in clothing. It is:

–fashionable yet functional
–versatile
–tough
–comfortable across a wide range of temperatures
–water-resistant
–made of wool
–great for cycling (designed for it, in fact)
–and best of all it was made by hand, from recycled fabric, by a local designer who I know and whose work and business ethics I respect and admire…

here’s what it looks like!

Holly: I don’t think I can do one item. If I picked an outfit it would be my Chromes, my dark grey (Rivendell) wool t-shirt, and grey wool cardie. The shoes I can’t say, though this winter it would have been my keens. They are on the way out right now, though, so I’m not sure about that piece. Patrick’s gotta have a pic of that combo. Modernist quaker, down to the grey. Simple, (almost) no labels, goes anywhere. The only problem is my cardie is wearing out. Anyone got a good source for a new one?

do you collect anything? if so, what?

Patrick: bicycles. hats. LPs/cds/78s. paper ephemera and photographs. books.

Holly: People who barely know us will say that we must be collectors when they spend a few minutes in our living room. We collect: type (as in lead type, wood type; letraset; pictures of cool type); vintage typewriters; 78s; art; wool shirts; interesting old things like glass insulators and matchboxes; old photos; cooking paper (recipe booklets that manufactureres of kitchen applicances and food products used to send out to people from the early nineteen hundreds to the late sixties–they still make them but that’s pretty much our cut-off date); books books books; rocks; shells; there’s probably more but that’s a few of the things.

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are these places favorites of yours?

Patrick: My favorite way to “shop” is to get things from local or independent designers, like the hats from Shaun Deller and the beautiful wool gabardine cycling knickers from Rick Risemberg’s Bicycle Fixation line. It’s great to get to talk to the designers/craftsmen about the garments, and to suggest changes and watch their skills develop and blossom. that’s my favorite way of doing business: person to person.
Locally we’re blessed with some great vintage shops. I’m not much of a shopper lately so I’m no authority on Portland vintage, but a couple of our favorites are Lived-in Lover and Lounge Lizard, both in SE. Also, eBay is a good source for vintage wool such as knickers, pants, and shirts.
That said, the bulk of my wardrobe comes from REI — lightweight clothing that can withstand a lot of activity (ie cycling). A few years ago, this was anything but fashion-related. but nowadays there are some nice options that are both stylish and functional, from REI themselves as well as Prana, North Face, and so on.
My approach is to plan a lot, buy as little as possible, and buy as high quality as we can afford.

Holly: I used to like thrifting, but now I’d rather go to a vintage store where someone has already done the work of sorting through the bins. PDX has a good vintage scene, with people buying things I like. The mark-up is worth it to me. I get one heck of a lot of my clothes at REI–they are getting better and better and making good looking practical clothes. However, I mostly buy from the men’s section. Pants for women are 95% useless in my opinion. They bind and pinch and wear out too fast. I started wearing men’s pants when I was just shy of thirty and have pretty much stayed with them. A shout out to an old friend, Elise, who first suggested it when I was complaining about not being able to find comfortable good looking pants. She dragged me to Abercombie & Fitch and I bought a pair of wide-wale cords that I still have and wear. Men’s clothes are so much better made (though even men’s stuff has been getting cheaper over the years). I occasionally will buy women’s pants or skirts because I see something that catches my eye, but they usually end up sitting in my drawer and closet and only coming out when I am playing dress up for a fancy occasion. I also buy a lot of stuff at one of the bigger bike stores in town, River City, cause they carry good short pants for cycling.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in what ways? describe what your city or area is like with regard to fashion.

Patrick: I love how Portland is such a comfortable yet fashionable place. People dress all kinds of ways and there seems to be a place for everyone. There’s plenty of room to get creative and stylish, yet it’s definitely OK to put comfort and function first, too. It makes for some neat combinations. Nubby Twiglet also nailed one of my favorite things about this place– it’s great for light layering!
I just came back from Seattle and was surprised at how different it felt with regard to clothing. Everyone in Seattle seemed just a bit more clean-cut and put together than Portland. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what the difference was, but it was interesting and very easy to notice. It made me appreciate the special style that Portland has.

Holly: Yeah, both in terms of fashion and climate, being in Portland influences my style. The wool thing is just necessary as far as I am concerned. And the hipster contingent here is intense, in a good way. There’s a really great sort of frumpy, yet put together, seventies thing going on, which I enjoy seeing, even when it makes me cringe. Great color sense in this town, too.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool and popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

Patrick: I love seeing people who wear work clothing with style. By “work clothing” I mean clothing appropriate for physical work, not office work. I’ve been seeing a bit of it around Portland. This will “come back” out of necessity as more of us see the need to get our hands dirty in the world. Muck boots!
I also like all the homemade, hand-altered, and repurposed clothing I’m seeing. Handknits, home-sewn projects, or just using sleeves of old sweaters for legwarmers.

Holly: Well, it’s not under the radar here, but the huge seventies glasses are on
the rise, and I imagine are just showing up elsewhere. I’m a terrible
predictor or trends, though, since I’m too old to follow them anyymore!

you two are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or innovative way.

Wear what you feel good in. People always look wrong when they are trying to
look like someone else. I have had many phases in my life where I just
didn’t know how I was supposed to look and you could tell. Everything I did
looked “put on”, not worn. As a packrat, I advise saving stuff that’s good
and that you like. You are going to pull it out later and love it again.

style icons: do you have any?

Patrick: –bjork. she drives me crazy sometimes but I always admire and envy the clothing she wears
–isabella rossalini
–david lynch’s movies and twin peaks
–50s jazz, like the fabulous bert stern film “jazz on a summer’s day”– what style!
–Mirabella magazine in its first couple of years. God, what a great “fashion” book. In style and presentation, they presaged a lot of what we’re seeing now in the DIY fashion magazines and, in fact, on flickr.

Holly: Europeans.

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

Patrick: I found w_r through flickr, though I don’t remember exactly how. When I found the group, I immediately searched through my photostream and found a photo that would fit in to the group. It was this one.

What I like about it: I treasure being able to chat with people about this kind of thing, and I enjoy the positive vibe of w_r, which is so hard to find on the internet nowadays. I’ve always enjoyed talking about outfits, fashion, etc, but historically I have not known too many people who were as interested in it as I was.


Positive things: I’ve met some great folks, in person! I have been inspired to start things like the Velocouture group, which has been fertile ground for serious thinking about where style and function intersect.

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

Patrick: I’m tempted to avoid playing favorites. Let me just say that every time I check the w_r, I find a new person I’ve never seen before who really impresses me. But I definitely have my favorite folks.

aprilsaurus: the way she repurposes things, makes her own clothes, and can bring together different patterns and cultural signifiers so well. But my favorite thing about April is that she teaches young women how to make their own clothes, too, as part of her work!
midoritsuru: She can look like 100 different people. she takes on so many different styles effortlessly. One of my first favorites on the remix. I remember how I had to keep checking to make sure she was the same person, because she always looked so distinctive and so different from her last shot.
mavenhaven: She brings a great attitude to whatever she is wearing, and she always makes me smile.
duckrabbit: A master of color. She inspires me in so many ways. I end up relating her color sensibility to bikes, graphic design, and other things in my daily life.
hogan wren: her clothes are smart, utilitarian, and friendly, and she always looks comfortable in them. I also like how she wears a lot of hand-me-downs.
only sleeping: The vintage-clothing fan in me absolutely adores Amelia’s style and grace.
snoof: I love how Charlise just doesn’t hold anything back. She is willing to push the limits of sensibility and coherence in her fashion, yet she nearly always ties it together well. Also I am continually amazed by how much mileage she gets out of those platform maryjanes of hers. I wouldn’t think they’d be good for more than one or two outfits but she makes ‘em work with everything.

anything else you’d like to say?

Holly: Well, since you ask… I wish women would ditch the high heels. I think they’re kind of regressive. They aren’t safe, both on a twisting/spraining your ankle level, but also because, bluntly, you can’t safely move fast in them. You’re kind of helpless, which if everything goes well is fine, I guess. But things can’t be counted on always to go well, and high heels put you in the position of counting on a savior. Great in Batman movies, but not so great in the real world. They also damage your feet. Yes, I’ve worn them, and yes, I’m sure they helped me get laid a time or two. But I snagged the love of my life without ‘em, and things have been great, in bed and out, for the last 10 years.

Patrick: It’s hard for me to express just how gratifying, hilarious, and bizarre it is for me, at this point in my life, to be receiving attention like this about the way I dress. Thanks, y’all.

thanks for your patience and participation, holly and patrick!

i am thinking of resuming the remix(ers)_revealed interview series (but posting it less frequently, say, 2x a month), and i am asking for your help!

i’d like you to suggest:

-any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) answer, with regard to fashion, style, culture, or the arts!

-a super stylish wardrobe_remix(er) you’d like to see interviewed for remix(ers)_revealed (even yourself)! (take a look at who has already been interviewed first, by perusing the remix(ers)_revealed archive)

comment here if you wish, or email me with your suggestions. cheers!

-wanna do it yourself, make something out of nothing, and look au courrant to the utmost? check out this miu-miu-esque shoe re-do by morgan (of DC street fashion blog, pandahead, fame) featuring some fresh ruffles (on brightest young things), or this hooded tunic dress/sweatshirt redux by of-the-moment designers mike & chris, in the LA times.

-of all the european cities, amsterdam is the one that’s most familiar to me. i’ve been there three times, and i’m probably going back for a forth visit this coming april. would live there if i could! i just found out this morning that there’s an amsterdam street fashion blog, dam style, and it is good.

-fashion is spinach posted this exceedingly lovely and riotously colorful batch of photos from vogue girl (out of s. korea), and i am in adoration. so much better and more creative than the yawn-inducing blahness of any similar vogue from the west. someone was thinking outside of the box for sure. if i could, i hang those on my wall. *wishes she had a nice color printer in her possession*

-i love blogs that are very personal and design driven. ones wherein the author or creator is a creator of things and has a singular, idiosyncratic vision. examples of such would be: the brash bold graphic goodness that is the work of graphic designer nubby twiglet (whom i also interviewed earlier this year for the remix(ers)_revealed series) and the girly, often fashiony little drawer-ings of kate, the illustrator behind little doodles.

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: M.
flickr handle: memepunk
age: Thirties
location: San Francisco Bay area

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

I’m a writer and independent filmmaker. There’s not much of a living in it yet, but it makes me way happier than my former tech drone job.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

My parents are both artists–Dad a painter; Mom an illustrator and graphic designer–so I’ve always had a great love of visual arts, whether by nature or nurture. I’m a film geek, with a special interest in film noir, the Nouvelle Vague, and Hollywood auteur films of the seventies. I’m making short films right now, but my ultimate career goal is to produce and direct features, with as much self-financing as possible. My other loves are family, friends, and food. And books…lots of books.

Fashion-wise, I aspire to make/customize/reconstruct a lot more of what I wear. It takes me forever to sew anything, though, because I’m not very good at it, so finding sufficient time is often a problem.

what inspires you?

Everything! A song I heard in the market. The novel I’m reading. Someone I saw on the street in London in 1992. That sculpture. That cat. The headlines in the paper this morning. Architecture. Other people’s creativity. (My secret’s out: I’m actually a sponge cleverly disguised as a human being.)

how do you define “style”?

In terms of fashion, I think it’s the union of someone’s personality and the items they wear to express that personality. Attitude + apparel = style.

how would you describe your personal style?

Playful, eclectic. I never take anything too seriously–especially myself–and I think my sense of humor probably shows in what I wear.

how has your style evolved or matured over time?

I’ve always been shy, and dressing in a way that I thought might attract attention, even favorable attention, was pretty daunting when I was younger. That’s lessened over time, and I’m more self-confident now, so I make bolder choices than I used to.

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

My parents are two of the most uniquely stylish people I know, and I’m sure that had a lot to do with my feeling free to experiment with different looks from an early age. During college, I worked on a lot of theatrical productions, including doing costume design, and a think there’s a bit of theatre in my wardrobe choices from time to time. Other than that, I’m pretty tabula rasa about clothing–culture and nationality and all that stuff don’t much enter into it.

My mom has collected scarves since before I was born, and she wore one nearly every day when she dressed for work. When I was a kid, I’d look through her scarf drawer with a sort of wistful envy. They seemed so glamorous and cool, like her. Over the last fifteen years or so, she’s gradually adopted a more casual style of dress and wasn’t wearing her scarves much. A year or two ago, she floored me by giving me most of them! I love that I’m wearing things that have been in my family for two or more generations, and I love that her signature article of clothing has now become mine, too.

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

I’ve found some very cool things on eBay. Goodwill, Salvation Army stores, and Value Village/Savers are always tempting. I like the sensation that I’m getting something unique, rather than an item, however lovely it may be, plucked off a rack of identical items. For tights and leggings, which I’m crazy about, fellow remixer vasiliisa introduced me to welovecolors.com. They have the best range of colors in opaque hosiery I’ve ever seen. The other garments I’ve bought new are from such a wide range of sources–and acquired over such a broad span of time–that I can’t really name a favorite place.

if you’re into thrifting/secondhand shopping, share with us a great tip for thrifting, a fun thrifting story, or tell us about something great you found!

This is probably obvious, but I’ll say it anyway. Secondhand shopping works best when you don’t go looking for anything too specific. That way you can’t be disappointed if you don’t find it, and your mind will be open to the amazing, unlooked-for treasures that serendipity brings your way. Oh, and take your time. A perfect thing is probably there waiting for you, but it may take a while to locate.

The most cherished thing I’ve ever gotten secondhand is a vintage brown Glen plaid waistcoat that was part of a boy’s suit, which I found at a Goodwill store during my sophomore year at college. (I was at the store looking for costume items for a production of Ionesco’s THE BALD SOPRANO. Didn’t find any.) I would have bought the whole suit, only it didn’t fit. It was hard to convince the woman who ran the store to break up the suit, but, after some haggling, she agreed.

many fashion-lovers and wardrobe_remix(ers) are concerned with ethics, sustainability, and green fashion these days. if you consider yourself to be one of those folks, how do you go about looking and feeling good while resisting the urge to always have something new to wear?

Since I almost never get rid of anything (I still have some clothes I wore when I was 12), it’s pretty easy for me to find “new” things just by poking around in my closet and storage boxes. I try not to buy anything unless I’m sure I like it enough to wear it until it wears out, which means a very long time, as I take quite good care of my clothes.

I’m also a cheapskate, which is good because it means I love secondhand/thrift shopping but bad because I do sometimes indulge in cheap junk clothing that was probably not ethically produced. I’m trying to curtail the latter.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in what ways? describe what your city or area is like with regard to fashion.

San Francisco and the Bay area in general seem very supportive of individuality. I feel like I can wear pretty much whatever I want, which is a welcome change from the more conservative places I’ve lived.

The weather is capricious. When I lived on the east coast, I had seasonal clothes, and I’d pack away whatever seasons I wasn’t using. In the Bay area, it can be blazing hot one day and cold and gloomy the next–or both in the same day! Layering is as much a necessity as a style choice around
here, which suits me fine.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool and popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

The whole “everything old will be new again” outlook is more applicable to fashion than anything else, isn’t it? I’d really like to see something completely out of left field, something you couldn’t possibly predict by extrapolating cycles of trends in the latter half of the twentieth century or by gauging the influence current mass entertainments (movies, TV, music scenes) will have on designers and fashion pundits. I want to see people wearing space helmets for fun! And dresses made of woven side-emitting optic fibers that pulsate different colors of light as you walk down the
street!

On a more realistic level, I’d love to see more people wearing hats. And not baseball caps! More men in fedoras and boaters. Also, I’ve seen a few people sporting umbrellas in fine weather over the last few years. I think this will become more widespread and habitual as people grow more and more concerned about sun-induced health problems, both cosmetic and otherwise.

And I just KNOW there’s an Invasion of the Shoulder Pads lurking, waiting to spring. Soon. Watch the skies. Perhaps this time around they’ll be a bit more delicate and angular–not like in the mid-late eighties, when everyone looked like a quarterback.

what does the future hold for fashion? what do you think fashion will be like in 20 years?

Actually, I think the future is being shaped by sites like wardrobe_remix. I gobbled fashion magazines from childhood into my early twenties. Then I got into street style, which I thought was great because it presented a more realistic, approachable look at fashion than print magazines did. Now I think DIY sites are where it’s at because they provide a completely unmediated experience. No one edits, no one reviews submissions to say
“this one’s worthy, but this one isn’t,” so the only person who has any say over the viewing experience is the viewer. And everyone is his or her own designer. I think the more people twig that concept, the more open and experimental they’ll become.

The nature of fashion trends will gradually shift from big fads engineered by entities in a position to make money off them to lightspeed ripples of mini-fads that get started because someone sees a picture on the web of some other real, everyday person doing something cool and emulates it, often without having to go buy something in order to do so. And these mini-trends will evolve so rapidly–as every participant adds his or her own twist–that manufacturers won’t be able to keep up. This phenomenon won’t eclipse big fashion–the trickle-down from haute couture to the high street–but I hope it will rein it in sufficiently that, in 20 years, the term “sweatshop” will be so antiquated that kids will have to look it up in the dictionary.

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

I think the biggest thing that keeps people from dressing as creatively as they want to is fear. Don’t wear anything that really makes you uncomfortable, because physical or emotional discomfort caused by what you’re wearing is the antithesis of style. On the other hand, don’t be afraid to push your personal boundaries a bit. They’re probably more flexible than you think, and so are other people’s attitudes.

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

I found it accidentally through someone’s Flickr photostream. I was stuck in a years-long rut of grabbing a pair of jeans and a bland shirt every morning. I don’t know how I got into that habit, but I was really bored with it and feeling guilty about all the nifty clothes I owned but never wore. The group inspired me to break out of that cycle.

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

I tend to have favorite postings rather than favorite remix(ers). When I look through the wardrobe_remix pool, I never know who’s going to catch my eye with something spectacular. Of course, some people get my attention more
regularly than others, but really I’m just grabbed by anyone looking creative and happy in what they’re wearing.

suggest an interesting or intelligent question to ask of
other remix(ers) for the remix(ers)_revealed feature!

This is a pretty darned good set of questions as it is. I can’t think of
anything to add.

anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks, Tricia, for founding the community and also for this opportunity to really analyze and try to articulate some of my attitudes towards fashion. And big thanks to my fellow remix(ers) for all the inspiration and camaraderie!

thanks M.!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: Jodine
flickr handle: graygoosie (named after our little gray cat Josie, the original graygoosie!)
age: It’s a fabulous time to be me!
location: South Orange County, California
website: I want to blog, but don’t have the time. However, I do elaborate at times on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/graygoosie/

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

I can’t keep all the clothing and jewelry that I make or lovely vintage things I find to myself so I opened a little online shop at etsy called LulaGirl.

Married to an entrepreneur, I am the cofounder of a functional juice company. We manufacture exotic juices such as noni, goji, acia, mangosteen and pomegranate as dietary supplements. Also, I’m cofounder of a first aid company with an emphasis on sting medications.

And for fun I administrate the Apron Outfits! group on flickr.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

I’m passionate about being a wife! I love being married and recently celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. (I was VERY young when we married!)

I’m obsessed with my 4 awesome cats, flickr, vintage buttons, aprons, flea marketing shopping and recently photography…..and did I say flickr!

I aspire to exercise more, keep my motives in check and to always be kinder than necessary.

My goals are to achieve success with my LulaGirl line (working on that now), live part time in Costa Rica and have a long healthy life with my mister.

what inspires you?

Since joining flickr I’ve been inspired to actually do things that I once only dream of. For that I am very grateful. Other things that inspire me are meeting people, traveling, vintage fabrics, button and beads, flea markets, and the ocean. And of course wardrobe_remix, it’s inspiration at our fingertips!

how do you define “style”?

Style is definitely personal but for me mostly about combining prints, colors and layers. Style isn’t about going to the mall and buying an outfit. It’s about acquiring something, anything from an item of clothing, jewelry or an accessory and finding a way to put it together with what I already have. Or better yet, I just remix an outfit by opening the door to my closet!

how would you describe your personal style?

I would have to say that my hairdo defines much of my style, so….. funky? Fashion wise I’m taking myself less seriously lately and mixin’ it up more. Basically, I’m flexible and don’t get into a set pattern, anything goes, really. Life is too short to wear a “signature piece” every day! There is way too much inside my head for that. When we travel I adapt immediately to where I am. In Costa Rica for instance, I become very bohemian and beachy. Off with the make up and on comes the sarong and flowers in my hair. In Mexico City I like to dress up with a more sophisticated tailored look. I know one thing for sure, you will rarely see me in neutrals.

how has your style evolved or matured over time?

I’m becoming much more eclectic and daring with combinations. I’m at a place in my life that I don’t base things on what others might think. I just go for it, and I have a husband that loves me to “peacock” a little. Sometimes I surprise myself with an outfit and I love that feeling!

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

Well…..I’ve been thrifting since I was a little girl. So, I don’t get squeamish about vintage clothing and actually prefer to combine vintage with new. So, I have many years of thrifting, yard “sailing” and flea marketing under my belt.

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

First of all, I LOVE to shop! Anywhere, anyplace and at the drop of a hat, I’m out the door (or online) to SHOP! But, I’m a smart and thrifty shopper too. I love to hit all the thrift stores and even include them in our travel plans. I get in moods to shop the off price stores, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Loehmanns. But my favorite place locally is the Long Beach Flea Market, in Long Beach, California. But, honestly I get so excited taking pictures that sometimes I forget to buy things….. Oh, and I love eBay!

if you’re into thrifting/secondhand shopping, share with us a great tip for thrifting, a fun thrifting story, or tell us about something great you found!

I joke sometimes that I have “secondhand blood” because I’ve been thrilled with the hunt since childhood. Our family would go to Denver almost every Christmas and I couldn’t wait to go thrifting with my aunt and cousins. I still remember the giant thrift store and the vastness of the place. I was always looking at coats. I guess I was cold! I think I still have a bracelet I bought there (with my allowance!)

Nowadays, living in South Orange County, Ca the vintage selection and prices aren’t what they used to be growing up in the San Gabriel Valley, but I still go to the Goodwill at least once a week. I head straight to the skirts, then the pants, (I tend to buy tops new). Then off to the housewares.

My tip for great thrifting is this: Go with an open mind, Shop at about 11:00 A.M. if possible and tell yourself that there is something great inside and then go find it. Fleamarkets: Go early, take cash, dress cute, take pictures and share on flickr!

many fashion-lovers and wardrobe_remix(ers) are concerned with ethics, sustainability, and green fashion these days. if you consider yourself to be one of those folks, how do you go about looking and feeling good while resisting the urge to always have something new to wear?

This question is very timely for me. I’ve actually considered not shopping for new clothes for 12 months. After September 11, 2001 I didn’t buy anything but food for a long time, it was my way of mourning. So I know I can do it, but do I WANT to? We’ll see and probably not. I think the way I shop is somewhat “green”, after all it’s about 50% vintage or secondhand. Another way to get around the “guilt of consumption” is to buy from designers who only use recycled materials, like lorimarsha on etsy.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in what ways? describe what your city or area is like with regard to fashion.

We live near the beach in South California, so my relaxed and casual style fits right in. In Laguna Beach for instance, you get all kinds. The darling girls in expensive outfits from South Coast Plaza, surfers, business people, the very rich and the starving artists. As for affecting my style? It’s an artist colony, so anything goes and I love that.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool and popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

I have no idea what is next, but I hope clothing continues to be as cute and colorful with lots of mixed up patterns, details and trimmings (like Anthropologie) for years to come. The grunge era just about killed me, I really didn’t like that. No gray for the graygoosie!

what does the future hold for fashion? what do you think fashion will be like in 20 years?

I’d love to see less synthetic fabrics, have you noticed how much polyester type fabrics are in the stores? I like a bit of lycra in my jeans, but all the stretchy tops have got to go. And I want to see a little more coverage. I think clothes have gotten way too skimpy!

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

Oh, I have an answer for this! Just add a cool vintage apron to any outfit and you are instantly unique and different. I think aprons are way too cute to only be worn in the hot kitchen! I’ve seen the cutest halter aprons that are adorable as jumpers, half aprons with jeans and even smock aprons at tops.

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

I remember the day my life changed like it was yesterday! A photo of cupcakes lured me from the Yahoo homepage onto to flickr. Then I saw wardrobe_remix in the “Groups We’ve Noticed” section. WOW! I thought. I clicked and saw mavenhaven! I can feel the excitement just thinking about that day. I thought “this is for me”! It wasn’t long after that I posted my first photo (which made Explore!) in the wardrobe_remix group. That day I started making friends around the world and how could that of ever happened without flickr?

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

mavenhaven – I’ve never seen someone wear retro better than her!
snoof – She is over the top cuteness and her style is unsurpassed. She gives me courage to mix it up more and more.
vasiliisa – I love her unique color combinations and outdoor settings in her photographs.

suggest an interesting or intelligent question to ask of
other remix(ers) for the remix(ers)_revealed feature!

I would like to know how life has changed for members since posting in wardrobe_remix.

anything else you’d like to say?

Under my desk pad are these quotes:

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men (or women) to do nothing.”

“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”

“Be the change that you want to see in the world.”

“In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, hated and scorned. When his caused succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”

Thanks Tricia for giving me this opportunity to share with others. I had a lot of fun with this interview and look forward to many more wardrobe_remix(es) to come. I think I speak for a lot of us when I say thanks for the group. You did a great thing when you started it!

thanks Jodine!

to address the question you posed concerning how life has changed for other remix(ers), check out the previous remix(ers)_revealed posts!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: Katherine
flickr handle: one daaaangerous easter egg
age: 26
location: LA
website: I don’t have one yet but I plan on opening up an etsy store very soon.

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

I’m currently working a 9-5 job but I plan on returning to school very soon to get my Masters in some area of Psychology. I haven’t quite figured out which one yet.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

In terms of fashion, I’m obsessed with sewing! I’ve been doing nothing lately but looking for vintage fabric on ebay. I’m drawn to anything colorful with a great pattern. As far as everything else goes, there’s just too many things to name. But another huge hobby of mine is reading. I can’t get enough! I try to read every free minute I have, and usually it’s true crime.

what inspires you?

Anything that has ever inspired me has its roots in my mom. She taught me how to sew, crochet and knit at a very young age. I was exposed to such great pop culture
like I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show and That Girl and groups like The Supremes and The Shirelles. These images are now embedded in my mind. I really loved the style of the 50s and early 60s because it’s so womanly and feminine, and the whole bombshell, pinup girl style is especially appealing to me.

how do you define “style”?

I think style is knowing how to create the best version of yourself. It’s knowing what looks good on you and playing up the things that make you unique. But it’s also about how you carry yourself, and how you present yourself. The best part of clothing is how it makes you feel, and that comes through in your body language.

how would you describe your personal style?

I would say it’s fun, feminine, and colorful, but also simple and ladylike.

how has your style evolved or matured over time?

It’s evolved quite a bit over the past few years. I went through a long phase of being a jeans and t-shirt girl, but I would always have a hard time finding pants that fit right because of my shape. So I started wearing dresses all the time because they fit me so much better. When I found that really cool dresses weren’t always available, I started making my own. I also started wearing brighter clothes
because I work in an office, and most of the time people are wearing neutral colors.

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

My background definitely influences the way that I dress. I’m Filipino, and I have a huge family with a ton of aunts. I grew up with all these women that were always
dressed up, always had their hair done, always had the best makeup on, and always were ultra womanly. I’ve always just thought, “This is how women look.”

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

I don’t really have a favorite place because I’ll pretty much shop anywhere. For vintage clothing there are a few thrift stores and flea markets that I go to a lot. In terms of retail, I like H&M, Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters, although I haven’t really been shopping there much lately because it’s too expensive. And of course, ebay’s a great source for everything! I’ve found some of my favorite pairs of shoes there.

if you’re into thrifting/secondhand shopping, share with us a great tip for thrifting, a fun thrifting story, or tell us about something great you found!

I found this incredibly cute navy and white polka dot dress a couple of weeks ago. It has white rick rack detailing at the neckline and the best shape ever. I didn’t think it would fit but I brought it into the dressing room anyway. I was pretty surprised when it zipped all the way up, and then when I checked it out in the mirror I nearly screamed because it was absolutely the most perfect fit! I haven’t worn it yet because it’s been a little too hot for it (the fabric’s pretty thick.) But once it gets a little cooler, that baby’s coming out of my closet!

many fashion-lovers and wardrobe_remix(ers) are concerned with ethics, sustainability, and green fashion these days. if you consider yourself to be one of those folks, how do you go about looking and feeling good while resisting the urge to always have something new to wear?

Lately when I’ve wanted a new dress to wear I just make it. I do like to buy clothes and I enjoy shopping a great deal, so this is my way of making it up to the environment. I have to say though that since joining wardrobe_remix, I’ve been shopping retail less and less and buying vintage more and more.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in what ways? describe what your city or area is like with regard to fashion.

I live in Los Angeles, where you can pretty much be whatever you want to be. This makes it easy to be experimental with style. If you’re dressed a little different or downright crazy, chances are there’s someone even crazier just down the block. And the weather is a huge factor in the way I dress. I can’t always get away with wearing a lot of layers since it’s usually pretty warm, so I have to get creative in other ways. But I gotta say that I do thoroughly enjoy the few months out of the year when I can wear scarves and tights all the time.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool and popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

You know, it’s really hard for me to say. It seems like anything that comes into
style only remains there for about 3 months. A while back I thought that the early 90s were coming back, but that went out the door before it even came back. So who knows? But I would like to see more of everything, meaning that I’d like to see people trying everything out, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.

what does the future hold for fashion? what do you think fashion will be like in 20 years?

Hopefully there will be a revitalized interest in handmade goods. It’s discouraging that most independent fabric stores are no longer in existence, but I’m hoping that will change eventually. In my ideal world fashion will be created and influenced by everyday, talented people, not gigantic corporations. It is encouraging, however, that there are groups like wardrobe_remix where real people can get together and appreciate fashion outside of the realm of celebrity.

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

My advice is to experiment! You never know how something is going to look until you try it out. And I’ve always believed that you can tell everything about a person’s
style from their shoes, so if you’ve got a so-so outfit, put on some great shoes and everything will be all better.

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

I have another flickr account that I use for personal photos and when I’d look around I kept seeing tags for wardrobe_remix. So I finally checked it out and after lurking for a while I finally joined. It’s such a great place for anyone that’s into fashion. Everyone’s very supportive and sweet and welcoming. One of the best things that has come from my joining is that I’ve had way more inspiration for my sewing projects. Thanks girls! And thanks to everyone’s nice feedback I finally feel ready to take my hobby to the next level.

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

It’s really hard to pick because everyone is so amazing and creative. And it seems like there are new fascinating people popping up everyday. But I have to say that vasiliisa is definitely one of my all-time faves. She has the best prints and colors in her wardrobe. I also love warholuva because she has this really effortless, clean style that I really admire. And just jenny is the cutest girl in the whole world!

suggest an interesting or intelligent question to ask of
other remix(ers) for the remix(ers)_revealed feature!

How far is too far? Is there anything that you wouldn’t wear or do for fashion? What’s crossing the line?

anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks to Tricia for this opportunity and thanks to all the rest of the remix(ers) for being such great inspiration!

thanks Katherine!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: V-STAR (haha)
flickr handle: I change it frequently. Right now it’s he looks at my
dick and then he says goddamn.
age: 12.24.1983
location: I live in a village in WI USA right now.

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

I’m an industrial designer working at a design consultancy. Current projects I’m working on include footwear and medical equipment. As far as personal work, I’m gestating a project dealing with casual interaction of people with objects where the experience of the interaction accidentally becomes design process.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

People watching. Questioning everything. Becoming a better person.

what inspires you?

Everything.
Usually, exuberant charismatic people, politics, history, behavioral patterns, patterns in general, genetic mutations, cultures different from my own.

how do you define “style”?

Clothing is merely one of the communication tools of personal expression, and ”style” is the pattern of how one chooses (through time) to articulate, construct, accent within the structure/system that is created with this particular tool.

how would you describe your personal style?

It’s flexible. Mercurial. Guarded.

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

On object level, since I grew up in Russia in Uzbekistan, I tend to own/appreciate clothing items from those cultures. Slightly gender confused, I’m enamored by androgyny and try to include it subtly in my outfits.

choose one item in your closet that you feel completely expresses
your personal style and/or aesthetic. describe it. what is it and
why is it “you”?

It probably would have to be my thrifted red/blue sweater:

Its vibrant colors, its pixelated pixilated (hehe) look, its comfy bagginess summarize what I generally want out of my clothing: colorful, tech-y, whimsical, not accentuating my body. Too bad it got a bleach stain on it. I might have to make a blanket out of it.

do you collect anything? if so, what?

Junk and memories.

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

I am dealing with an internal battle. I do realize the cyclical nature of fashion and am angry at manufacturers/businesses for creating hype over “what’s in? what’s out?” to drive up sales of flimsy clothes manufactured by underpaid workers in countries w/ sub par working conditions and barely existent environment protection systems. Yet, as an industrial designer I’m fascinated by fads, especially fashion fads, since clothing/accessories have such a quick turn around production (the only quicker produced forms of mass expression are print/video/music, really) they are the most direct visual object-based manifestation of what a society is going through right now. I am both repulsed by mass-produced clothing and am craving items that would allow me to participate in current culture…a guilt ridden mix of cheap new, expensive new, cheap thrifted used, expensive vintage used bought on-line, local goodwill, given for free by a friend. I make some of my clothing myself, mainly knit.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something
that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool an
popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more
of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

Sustainability and “green” hopefully will become more than buzz words abused by the media and the western society would be able to gain a deeper understanding of how their purchasing actions affect the world.

I think, the escapism that brought us neo-baroque, current gothic revival, everything romantic/nostalgic, fascination with cute/child-like will fade away as people are now more then in the previous years are ready to face the issues they’ve been hiding from. The fade of the escapism, I think, might show itself in more unisex approach to
clothing. Not a “traditional” bland, uniform like unisex, though…more ornate, flamboyant, drag like.

Becoming more accepting of different cultures and lifestyles, I think, people would allow themselves and others follow their inner fashion sense. US-wise, increased
immigration in next 20-30 years, might present some interesting examples of how other cultures’ interpretations of American subcultures juxtapose with the actual subcultures. Gosh, that was a mouthful, but I’m not sure how to say it differently.

Personally, I would like to see a move away from traditionally “sexy” female clothes, unless we start objectifying a male body in mainstream culture in the similar manner, but since when objectification is a good thing? It still won’t make it acceptable in my mind… I just, personally, would like to live in a place where women don’t feel pressured to dress “sexy” at all times, dressed not in what they themselves find sexy, but rather what they are told is “sexy”.

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

When you see an item or an outfit you have a strong opinion (positive or negative) ask yourself “why?” Deconstruct your opinion, see what underlying reasons are…once you break it all down, you’d be surprised how much it will help you crystallize what is “you”.

style icons: do you have any?

Not rly. I’m mainly inspired by men’s wear, any stylish male that would fit the description of kinda dior homme kinda on acid w/ a folk flair of sorts.

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

I think I started participating in W_R at the end of 2005 after you, bits and bobbins, started experimenting with it on your LJ…it was a fun thing to do. Has anything positive come out of it? Gosh…lots of new on-line friends, being featured in Adorn and LetGo magazines.

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

I mainly check out what guys are wearing. My favorites are usually lewis.samuel,
fixes, hunn. (I wish fixes and hunn posted more…but those few outfits they did contribute to W_R, I totally love them). As far as gals, sjwhidden and hogan wren (I often feel that there’s something in their attitude similar to mine).

anything else you’d like to say?

Well, first of all, thanks for giving me a chance to blab
about clothes in self-indulgent manner!

And, this is my favorite quote LIKE EVER by Iona Opie…

“A child who does not feel wonder is but an inlet
for apple pie.”

Have passions, ask questions, be amazed.

thanks v.!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: Gala Darling
flickr handle: galadarling
age: 23!
location: Melbourne, Australia, though originally from Wellington, New Zealand.
website: http://www.galadarling.com

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

I’m a writer. I have my own website, iCiNG, where I write about fashion, aesthetics & living a better life. We have a thriving community & to me, writing & communicating with people who understand me is pretty much the best “job” in the world! I also recently started writing a fashion column for Australian Cosmopolitan magazine which is SUPER-exciting!

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

I am passionate about big shoes, big hair, candy-coloured anything, glitter & sequins & intelligence as an essential element of style. I obsess over new things every week, I am the queen of fleeting infatuation! I like to jump from thing to thing. …& my aspirations are too grand to admit in public!

what inspires you?

Girls getting dressed up in their bedrooms every day, making the effort. Foreign fashion magazines. Mind-altering interior design. Baked goods. Music. Communication. This internet thing!

how do you define “style”?

Knowing who you are & dressing to enhance that. Allowing your look to evolve. Taking risks, & not slavishly following trends! There’s nothing wrong with picking & choosing a few things from each season to try out, but you’ll never learn anything if all you do is go out & buy an outfit from a magazine.

how would you describe your personal style?

Playful, eccentric, eye-catching. I love to use colour & texture in interesting & unpredictable ways, whether that’s mixing metallics with wool, soft cotton t-shirts with ripped stockings & big boots, or wearing a silk scarf over my head & a fake fur coat. I also like to shake up the idea of “occasion”, like that antiquated notion that some dresses should ONLY be worn for such&such an event etc., which is I think is rubbish. Life is an occasion in & of itself, & we should attire ourselves accordingly!

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

My mother owned a clothing boutique for a long time — she sold it this year. After school, I used to hang out in the back room, eating ice cream & reading books & listening to the conversations going on inside. I think I picked up a lot of knowledge by osmosis, just because of the constant proximity to my mother. (I also gained a deep appreciation for Frank Sinatra.) Another part of my history is that the times I bonded most with my mother were when we would go shopping — it’s something we still do & I love it, but obviously this reinforces my good feelings about buying clothes, putting together new outfits, etc. My mother checks my website all the time to see what I’m wearing & then we talk about it on the phone. I love her! Argh!

choose one item in your closet that you feel completely expresses
your personal style and/or aesthetic. describe it. what is it and
why is it “you”?

I refuse to define my personal style in such limited terms! Haha.

do you collect anything? if so, what?

Vintage typewriters, teeth (I have a jar), headscarves. & shoes. Do shoes count? (Silly question…)

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

I love the Patricia Field store in Soho, NYC. Last time I was there I bought two pairs of heels in the same style but different colours, pink & blue. I like to wear one of each. I also bought diamante-encrusted knuckledusters but when I tried to bring them into Australia they CONFISCATED them & interviewed me on camera & told me I might get a criminal record. All that in the name of fashion. Tragic. Other than that, I love Starfish, a boutique in Wellington, New Zealand, & of course, Ebay.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in
what ways? describe what your city is like in regard to fashion.

Not really, except as concerns amount of warmth required. I haven’t done much local shopping, & I’ve been here since October last year. I just haven’t really gotten around to it, & I tend to spend my money online.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something
that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool an
popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more
of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

More headscarves for everyone & big bangles!

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

See my website for ideas, wink wink!

style icons: do you have any?

Diana Vreeland, Little Edie (of Grey Gardens fame), Mary-Kate Olsen & my mother!

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

I really don’t remember, I have been posting there for a pretty long time. I love the feedback from the community & seeing what other people have put together, it’s always interesting! & I was featured in Adorn magazine thanks to wardrobe_remix & you, dear Tricia!

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

Your style is great, very bright & lively. I also love Nubby Twiglet, boboniaa, liebemarlene & Geliebt. (I have a big crush on Geliebt actually.)

anything else you’d like to say?

“Never fear being vulgar, just boring.” — Diana Vreeland.

thanks gala!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: Sara Lucas
flickr handle: swissarmyknife
age: 29 going on 30
location: Lisbon, Portugal
website: swissarmyknife.livejournal.com

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living?

I work as a colourist for comic books, for American publishers and also for storyboards for Portuguese advertising companies.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

My obsessions are kitties and shoes. I have two cats, and they’re the sunshine of my life (after the boyfriend). As for the latter, I never seem to have enough of them.

what inspires you?

Life does, I guess.

how do you define “style”?

It’s all about fun.

how would you describe your personal style?

Eclectic and sometimes a bit schizophrenic, it depends so much on the mood.

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

I think that the fact that I always liked unusual clothes must come from the fact that I have always been connected to art. I feel that elaborating one’s outfit for the day is an interesting creative process, and also a way of incorporating your creativity into daily life, as a reflection of personality. Here in Lisbon almost everyone is a bit conservative when it comes to clothes(fortunately that is changing a bit), and I have always been stared at on the street, and that has stopped me a few times from being bolder when I was younger. Now I’m a lot more confident and don’t really care about all the stares, I end up waving back sometimes, hehe.

choose one item in your closet that you feel completely expresses
your personal style and/or aesthetic. describe it. what is it and
why is it “you”?

That is a hard question, but I’d say it is a silk and knit dress I got from Cacharel: the shape looks antique sort of a flapper thing more or less, but then it has this cute animal print: the mix between classic, feminine, and playful.

do you collect anything? if so, what?

I am a packrat. I have been trying to get rid of a lot of things lately, as I have no more space left, as I tend to collect a lot of different things. But now I am learning and I have been trying to just get specific things: cat related things, deer related, swiss minature cuckoo clocks, books and of course, shoes.

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

The high street shops where I shop are mostly H&M and Zara. I also like to visit the local outlets, where one can get things from past collections at a very nice price, and also from the flea market, to feed my vintage cravings. I have made a decision lately, that is to never pay full price for anything. Of course a few exceptions can be made if it’s something one really really fancies, but so far it has been working and I’ve been able to get almost everything I had my eye on when it goes on sale. I end up not saving money, but I do get double the amount of things, hehe.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in
what ways? describe what your city is like in regard to fashion.

[My location] does affect my style especially when it comes to footwear. The streets of Lisbon are paved with cobblestones and they’re terrible for high heels. The heels either get stuck between the stones or totally ruined after one day of being worn, not to mention that there are a lot of hills as well. (I get really mad when something bad happens to the more expensive pairs I own). Because of that I have been refraining from buying more high heels, as I can only wear them for special occasions, like going to a party by car or something, because for daily life, it’s a
nightmare.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something
that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool an
popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more
of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

I have no idea. Honestly. I started picking up on the vintage trend before it was fashionable like it is today, so I guess that was the only time I was ahead of time (hehehe), as it’s too much part of my personal tastes and style. I used to like a lot of punk rocky stuff but with age I came to appreciate more and more feminine styles and clothes from the first 6 decades of the 20th century have got to be favourites for me. It seems that a lot of people are picking up on that as well lately, and I suppose that will still go on for a long time.

One thing that I think is still going to be around for some time (at least magazines are totally pushing it forward) is the sports chic. I absolutely hate it.
Oh and don’t forget that the 90’s revival is still yet to be!

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

Read magazines just for fun, not as bibles. Following trends too much is a recipe for looking like you ‘fit [in]‘, but it also makes you like you have a lack of personality too.

style icons: do you have any?

I like Dita Von Teese. Compared to other celebrities I see on the red carpet she’s the one who I never have anything to say about what she is wearing. (At least what I’ve seen so far.)

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

Someone on my friends list on livejournal was participating in it and I thought it was funny and decided I should do it too. The main reason, and I am not too ashamed of admitting it is of course, vanity, hehe (I guess that everyone that posts there has to be proud of what they like to wear and really wants to show it off). I really like dressing up and as much as I like to see other people with fun clothes, I like to show off mine as well. Plus it is sort of fun to keep a log of how one’s style keeps evolving through time. I’ve been doing it for more than a year and it’s fun to look back. Some combinations i’d never do now LOL. The most positive thing about posting there has to be of course the oportunity to also see other people. It’s
always so inspiring!

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

I have a few of them: persephassa, because she has wonderful taste and great garments too, vasiliisa because she always has the cutest prints, lebonbonmulticolore - she always looks cute, marquise, lilyofthevalley and only-sleeping because of their great collection of vintage items, marcine because she has this really cute girlie style. Oh well there are a few more, but I forget the usernames (sorry guys).

anything else you’d like to say?

The only thing I can say as a finishing note is: Have fun!

thanks sara!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

***

have you been liking the feature so far? let me know what you think, if you haven’t already!

***

also:

do you LOVE wardrobe_remix? do you know of anyone who you’d love to learn more about (girls OR guys) who posts regularly on wardrobe_remix?

well then, help me out!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!

THE WARDROBE_REMIX(ER) BEING REVEALED:

name: Nubby
flickr handle: Nubby Twiglet
age: 25
location: Portland, OR
website: http://nubbytwiglet.com/
other important basic details about yourself that you’d like to
reveal, if any: I’m short, a Virgo, extremely driven, and my favorite thing to eat is Pad Thai.

DEEP(ER) QUESTIONS:

what do you do for a living? or, if you are a student, what are you studying?

I’m back in school for graphic design (I previously earned a degree in Business/ Marketing) and I do freelance design as well as art shows around the world.

what are your passions/obsessions/hobbies/aspirations?

My passion is anything design related; I’m a bit of a typography freak. I also love fashion magazines like V and Elle. Making art in some form every day keeps me grounded.

what inspires you?

Vintage signs, hearts, unearthing treasures at thrift stores, the symbolism of the red cross, people watching, New York City, modern design, and a good magazine full of fashion and design images.

how do you define “style”?

Style is about feeling good in your own skin and dressing accordingly.
Style is something that can’t be bought or sold and it is sometimes impossible to define.
It constantly evolves, morphs, ebbs, and flows.

how would you describe your personal style?

If I had to sum up my style, I would say it is equal parts whimsical and modern.
I tend to wear a combination red and green clothing even in the dead of Summer.
Schoolgirl-style dresses and jumpers, nurse uniforms, pointy toed shoes, a ton of stripes, and designer purses are some of my other staples.

how does your background (personal history, passions, culture,
nationality, etc.) come through in the clothes you like and wear, if
at all?

My childhood took place in Portland in the 80s and I was surrounded by my dad and uncles in Levi’s 501 jeans, white tennis shoes, bad tattoos, loud motorcycles, and cheap beer.
My mom was a classic beauty who wore silk dresses and spike heels from Nordstrom and dressed me in a lot of red, which must’ve influenced my style in some way.
She also went to Jazzercise and worked out to Michael Jackson. I tend to resemble my parents in many ways, but stylistically, they’ve been much more traditional with their clothing.
I’m more artistic and not as afraid to take chances, which has definitely embarrassed them many times over the years. ; )

choose one item in your closet that you feel completely expresses
your personal style and/or aesthetic. describe it. what is it and
why is it “you”?

One of my favorite items are my white John Fluevog boots- they’re flat enough that I can walk miles in them, the leather is thick and durable, and they have a mod, space-age quality when paired with 60s dresses.
I wear them with nearly everything.

do you collect anything? if so, what?

I collect vintage metal letters, uniforms, vintage mugs and dishes, design books, and records.

what are some of your favorite places to shop when you want to add
to your wardrobe? online? locally? anywhere in the world? why are
these places favorites of yours?

Ebay is always a favorite.
Forever21 is always affordable, the fashion is up to date, and the clothing comes in my size.
Thrift stores in Portland have an abundance of inexpensive, cool vintage clothing.

does your location (where you live) affect your style? if so, in
what ways? describe what your city is like in regard to fashion.

In Portland, the weather is pretty mild year round. It doesn’t get super cold or hot for very long.
It’s true that it rains here a lot, but it’s often more of a drizzle. People here mostly don’t even bother carrying an umbrella. Style here is REALLY relaxed, and ANYTHING goes!
Rent is comparatively cheap for the West Coast, so people have more time and money to spend on clothes. I love the weather here- it’s perfect for light layering.

what do you think is next in terms of fashion? perhaps something
that is currently flying under the radar, but could be really cool an
popular later, or perhaps something amazing you’d like to see more
of that needs to come back or be the new thing?

I’m sad that skinny jeans are starting to fade away, but I’m excited that mod 60s styles are hanging on.
I would like to see more A-line jumpers and dresses paired with thick tights or leggings and lace-up spectator-style heels!

you are super creative with your clothes! share a creative tip or
idea about a way people can remix/style their clothing in a fun or
innovative way.

I think that accessories are key; add a necklace, some earrings, colorful shoes and you can dress anything up.
Clothing in basic shapes and fabrics never go out of style.
Also, I tend to buy one nicely made designer purse- it’s always good to invest in quality for something you use every day and cheat on the rest.

style icons: do you have any?

My main style icon is Michael Jackson- I like a flash of red clothing, skinny silhouettes, and blazers.
I also admire Bjork for her love of avant garde designers.
Another favorite is Steve Perry in his early Journey days, with a coat and tails, Levi’s and Nike sneakers.
Others include Andy Warhol, Nick Rhodes, Bianca Jagger, 60s model Twiggy, and Mickey Mouse.

how did you come across wardrobe_remix? why do you post there? What do you like about it? has anything positive come about for you as a result of posting to the community?

I don’t recall exactly but I think I found out about the community through a link on a friend’s photos.
I think of clothing as art and I’m always curious as to how people put things together- you could give a room full of remix(ers) a clothing rack of 10 items and each would put an outfit together in a distinctly different way!
I’ve discovered so many fascinating people and I would love to have a meet-up someday!

other favorite wardrobe_remix(ers)? who, and why?

My two favorite wardrobe_remix(ers) are lebonbonmulticolore and verhext because they consistently mix vintage finds into their wardrobes so effortlessly.

anything else you’d like to say?

“The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned
to a dead channel….The Sprawl was a long strange
way home over the Pacific now, and he was no console
man, no cyberspace cowboy.”

-William Gibson, Neuromancer, 1984

thanks nubby!

if you have any intelligent questions you’d like to hear wardrobe_remix(ers) expound upon or wardrobe_remix(ers) who you’d like to see revealed, feel free to send those suggestions my way! thanks!