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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Aerienne Russell has a cool bike. And cool socks.

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Arienne


When I happen to see Aerienne in passing, I am instantly intrigued by the way she dresses, and moreover the way she carries herself. Much to my delight, when I finally got to speak with Aerienne, her thoughts on style and appearance were similarly interesting.

Aerienne dresses "ten year forward, ten year behind" to create a unique aesthetic that combines elements from the past, mostly thrifted, and anticipates the resurgence of certain trends in the future. It creates a sort of visual puzzle that forces one to think whether something is actually fashionable, or if she's just pulling a fast one on the rest of us and having fun all the while. I feel like she knows something we don't.

She favors old clothing for several reasons, such as the accumulation of character as clothing passes from one owner to the other. Or thrifted clothing as a means of dressing sustainability, cutting down on discarded articles and reusing that which is perfectly usable but often disregarded. And from what I can tell, Aerienne's developed quite a knack for thrifting.

I'm not even going to try to pretend that I know what "look" Aerienne goes for. I find it decidedly unclassifiable - a reflection of her personal tastes that go far into her past, away from "fashion" or whatever. It's fun, incredibly curious, and always something fun to look out for around campus.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Tyriek White - Straight out of Brooklyn

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Tyriek

I'm always curious to see how one's environment plays out in the development of personal style. Tyriek White, a sophomore at Pitzer College, is a great example of the potential of this sort of influence - distinctly urban stylistic choices that are heavy with the personality of his Brooklyn roots. But while he definitely has a city vibe, he's refined the fit of his clothing as well as the pieces themselves to create a wonderful tension between the raw energy of Brooklyn with the more modern sensibilities of Williamsburg. A curious take on a classic varsity jacket, skinny jeans, some good ol' plaid, and some trinkets from Africa. Urban with a twist.

There isn't much of a cohesiveness to the clothing that Tyriek owns, a reflection of his own position in life - everywhere, trying everything. This mix also alludes to his creative side filled with writing and music. And as Tyriek says, he owes it to himself to dress the way he does. It all started as a means of cutting out the negatives aspects of his life; the elevation of his appearance went hand-in-hand with the improvement of his personal life. And now his way of dressing sets him apart, making him a visual standout along with his artistic pursuits.

Speaking of which, check out Tyriek's new mixtape and try it on for size.