Can I Have Your Closet: Ajani Russell

You wouldn't think that chemistry class would be a particularly sartorially inspiring environment. But you would be surprised by what sort of people waltzed in and out of that class on a daily basis, and especially by what they were wearing. One girl in particular caught my eye nearly every day. Yup, you guessed it, it was Ajani. I'd never really spoken to her in chemistry (I'm not the most enthusiastic science student and it was 9th period), but I always admired her fearlessness and originality when it came to her clothing. She would wear crop tops with tight pants and cape-like shawls one day--no matter the weather--and maybe some cool shorts and a t-shirt with her hair in little dumplings another day. And she always had the coolest effing shoes. I'm not too much of a shoe person just because I value comfort over appearance since I'm big on walking places (THE MTA SUCKS), but I can definitely appreciate a sample of ~fine~ footwear, which Ajani was wont to displaying on the daily. I asked her if she would do this interview with me a week before finals, seeing as I figured it was my last chance to feature her before she becomes some sort of fashion-mogul-model. Her and I met last week at a park and she showed up with a backpack containing four outfit changes and two pairs of shoes, equating a grand total of five outfits and three pairs of shoes. So the usual "Just wear whatever you feel like exemplifies your style" turned into a full-on photo shoot. Since Ajani is a natural smizer, we took dozens of wonderful photographs, but sadly I cannot put all of them on this blog so I'm posting the best of the extras on my Tumblr. Another thing I loved about doing this with her is that she gave fantastic answers to my questions. She pulled the "I use fashion to express myself" card a lot, which I totally love because people are usually scared to say that for fear of sounding too cliché, which it's not. It's just the straight up truth, and she was not afraid to deliver it. Get ready to take in the awesomeness that is Ajani. 

Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Ajani: That's a tough one. Mostly I just like to be comfortable. I wear a lot of baggy t-shirts and baggy jeans. I try to wear bright colors but I usually end up wearing a lot of black and gray and white. I don't like to use too many patterns, like I don't like to mix patterns. I collect sneakers, so I usually base my outfits around my sneakers. That's usually where the color will be.

Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?

Ajani: CaraDelevingne, definitely. Well, there's this model named Cassie who's also a singer, but she doesn't sing that well so I just like to say that she's a model. To me, she's the most gorgeous person I've ever seen. Her and this Victoria's Secret model named Lace. I met her the other day.

Odelia: Really? Where did you meet her?

Ajani: She was walking down Broadway and I was like—I almost had a heart attack. I couldn't move for a second! I was like, “Oh my gosh, she's gorgeous!” and then I was like, “Oh my gosh, it's Lace!” I freaked out.

Odelia: You said hi to her?

Ajani: Yeah, I was like, “Hi, I love your work...” She was like, “Thank you!” Oh, she was so nice. Stunning in person. In pictures she's gorgeous, but in person... I think Theophilus London has really cool style. Although sometimes his pants are too tight. The way I dress I feel is pretty basic, and going to our school it's a lot to compete with, so I don't try to compete. I like parts of all different types of styles. I might not like the whole thing, but I can find something that I like about it.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Ajani: I like to go to thrift stores because I'm usually broke. There's some around here [Washington Square Park], there's Search and Destroy, which I like, and Metropolis, Urban [Outfitters], American Apparel, they have really basic things that I can wear every day. I wear a lot of t-shirts, so Karmaloop is a good place to find those, and Nasty Gal. They have a lot of stuff that I like.

Odelia: If you could own one or more items that you don't have, what would it or they be?

Ajani: Well first, there's this pair of Rick Owens sneakers that I'm in love with. They're black suede and they're really tall, they're just regular sneakers, but they're just black, and I love them. And there's these Alexander Wang sandals, and they're white, and they have snake print-style straps on the toes, and a gold—ugh, they're so nice.

Odelia: Are you a shoe person?

Ajani: Yes, I'm a shoe person. I'm definitely a shoe person. Like, I would want the redYeezys of course, that's something I need. Jordans, I love Jordans. There are these Bulgarian camo Vans I wanted but I can't find them anywhere in my size. But clothes-wise, there's a brand of bags called Furla and they have these jelly bags, and they're clear and plastic and shiny and I want one. There's this gradient one, it starts dark green and goes to light green, I love that one.

Odelia: Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Ajani: It is, because I don't do much else. Fashion is a way for me to express myself, and I do that through art, but it's not always enough. I can't always get something right how I want it on paper that I can do in real life, on myself.

Odelia: How would you describe personal style as a concept? Like, what does it mean to you?

Ajani: It just gives you an outlet. I think for everyone it gives them an outlet. For some people it might not mean much, but for others it could be their whole life. Like, they have no other way of expressing themselves, no outlet, 'cause they don't have the resources like I do at school to express myself through art, they might not have that so they have to find other ways, and I think fashion is a big way that they would express themselves.

Odelia: How do you feel that high school has influenced your clothing choices?

Ajani: A lot. Just being at our school, people are always trying to be better than each other in the way they dress, so I stopped trying to be better and bigger and I just started to try to be myself. 'Cause I found that sometimes I would think, “Oh, it's nice how they're wearing that, but it's not something I would wear.” And they do big things, they're really bold, and at one point I found myself trying to try this stuff and I was like, “I don't like that! Why am I doing this?” I think it's [high school] helped me find my own style.  

[Photos by me.]

Look at that hair. Mm.

She's got this awesome athletic-inspired deal going on that I really dig and have actually sort of begun to emulate myself. 

Rings are best when they're simple. 

(This goes on a case by case basis so in essence I am disagreeing with myself)

Peep the third shoe switch.

This might have been my favorite outfit, perhaps merely because of how she modeled it. LOOK AT HER JUST OWNING THE CAMERA.

So much summertime sass. 

Ajani is a really awesome gal with bangin' style and freaking amazing hair. You should join me when we raid her house to try and take her closet, yeah? 

Up next will be my friend Ditiya. She rocks. Case closed.

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter

Can I Have Your Closet: Ramona Petrini

This week's subject is one of my near and dear buddy-pals, Ramona Petrini. We met in ninth grade, but became infinitely better friends when she switched schools this year. She's the Kerouac to my Ginsberg, my literary-and-music-and-film-and-bebopping-around partner in crime, and one of the best writers I've ever met. In addition to all of these wonderful attributes, she's got pretty bangin' personal style. The way she described it in her interview is quite on point, but even from the first day that I saw her in my freshman art class when she was the only soul brave enough to answer the questions our teacher posed about a twig, I thought to myself that she seemed like a really, really cool chick. I also admired her courageousness to wear a sheer black shirt (something I still can't do to this day, even though I've got one hanging pathetically in my closet), and I was immediately intrigued by her very distinctive drawing style, and the way she so expertly employed a fountain pen. All in all, she's a fantastic gal, and I've been meaning to feature her on my blog since the first day we met.

Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Ramona: It would be like a conjoined twin, or triplet, a conjoined twiplet—triplet [laughs] between my mom in the late eighties, early nineties, Françoise Hardy, and what I imagine the women in F. Scott Fitzgerald novels to dress like, except a little bit, I guess—I don't wanna use the word sluttier, but...risqué. [Laughs] Okay there, that's my answer.

Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do admire aesthetically?

Ramona: Again, my mom, late eighties, early nineties. Lee Radziwill, she was a Bouvier sister, she was Jackie O's sister, and her mom was always like, “Oh, you're not beautiful, you're too fat,” when in fact she was really not fat at all. They said, “You're not as pretty as your sister,” and everyone was like, “Jackie O's so beautiful!” But Lee Radziwill, she knew how to dress. I saw all these pictures of her apartment, and she's just an effortlessly glamourous and aesthetically wonderful person. And then also my dad.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Ramona: The first one is my favorite because I don't have to pay money for it, and it is my brother's closet where my mom keeps her old clothes from the late eighties and early nineties! [Laughs] And Beacon's Closet and Salvation Army, and occasionally if you go to Urban Outfitters you can find some pretty weird and cool stuff piled in a pile, in their marked down section.

Odelia: If you could own one or more items right now that you don't have, what would it or they be?

Ramona: I suppose this is kind of corny, but I would very much like to own and never will own, the dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's, the Givenchy one with the long—and how it just sorta bunches at the hips and the waist cinches and it's a really beautiful, well-designed piece of clothing. The other garment would be this pair of socks I saw in a movie. They were just this sheer beautiful black fabric with a little lacy thing at the top and a lavender bow so you can tie it at the calf. It was like, bein'-sexy-around-the-house socks, which are the kind of socks I feel like I really wanna have. Or at least have the kind of lifestyle that would require such socks.

Odelia: Do you remember the movie?

Ramona: No. I don't think it was very good, but the socks were a highlight.

Odelia: Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Ramona: Well, I'd say that style is. And aesthetic. And colors and textures and everything like that, on people especially. I don't know—if “fashion” as a concept of perpetual visual fixation of humans, and people dressing well, and people carrying themselves well, and everything, you know? If that were how fashion were defined, then yes.

Odelia: How would you describe personal style as a concept?

Ramona: I'd say, first off, that I think it's very important. Not so much that we should put a lot of stock in the way we look, but personal style reflects people. It's corny, but it's true: it's not you wear, but how you wear it. So I'd say that personal style should just be a way of being. So I guess I'd describe it as very...human. And in some instances, very nice.

Odelia: How do you feel that, if at all, high school has influenced your sartorial choices?

Ramona: Whoa. A lot of sartorial choices have been influenced by high school [laughs]. Not totally good influences across the board, I guess at least before I switched high schools. There's this kid at my school, and when I go to school every day, he says, “Hey sexy mama, you look great today.” I think that's been like...well, I wake up every day and I'm like, “If I were that kid, would I call myself a sexy mama and tell myself I look great today?” So I guess that's the most positive and productive sartorial influence that that's had on me [laughs]! 

[Photos by me.]

So smiley and adorable!

She wasn't sure what to do pose-wise, so I told her she could do anything she wanted. So she began an interpretive dance of sorts. 

Gotta love that sweater. 

More dancing. It went on for quite some time.

She's big on satchels and briefcases. At heart, she's a classy business man from the 1950s. 

Hey, notice how she's wearing plaid. Coincidence? I think not.

I mean, also look at her conch necklace.

Also she has some really nice hair. She's got those midi-bangs that I so desperately want in order to fulfill my fantasy of looking like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday.

Just in case the above information didn't capture the essence of Ramona, here is a short video taken while at her house after we finished up the interview and I accidentally turned the camera back on. 

Okay, I'm being very serious now, Ramona, I really would like your closet and would greatly appreciate if you would relinquish it without much of a fight. Please and thank you. 

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter

Can I Have Your Closet: Alina Peña

Alina Peña is a rock and roll fairy. I think that's the most succinct way to describe her. I met her in my gym class, a class notorious for its fashion-diminishing quality. However, Alina is capable of dressing like a cool-as-fuq chick even when we're sweating and awkward in the uncomfortable environment that is a high school physical education course. From the first day I saw her, wearing her over-sized, high-waisted sweatpants, funky t-shirts, and old-skewl sneakers, I knew we had to be friends. And it turns out she's just as awesome as her clothes proclaim her to be. She's a fellow passive aggressive feminist and Rookie lover, as well as having her own unique thangs that she does. She makes zines, terrariums, and pins, and has the most amusing Tumblr I've ever seen. She always has what is seemingly fairy dust sprinkled delicately across her cheekbones. But most importantly, she has her own unique style that is just so Alina, but at the same time so difficult to pin point. Basically, she can rock everything, and totally will if given the chance. Without further ado, I present to you, Miss Alina. 

Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Alina: I knew you were gonna ask this! It's kind of a bit of an adventure 'cause I can't make any decisions whatsoever, it's just kind of an emotional roller coaster when I try and answer that question. But I don't know, it depends on the day. Sometimes I wanna be a go-go girl, sometimes I wanna be a rockabilly rebel, it just depends.

Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?

Alina: Tavi Gevinson and Petra Collins are my queens, but I don't really know people, it's really bad. It's usually just old children's books, art deco children's books that I read, or photos from the sixties that I see on Pinterest and other pretentious things like that that usually are inspiring.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Alina: I was asking myself this the other day, 'cause I have a lot of clothing, and I don't know where it comes from! When it's me, myself, and I, it's usually just thrift stores, and the Salvation Army, and things like that, or vintage shops, but my mom does a lot of shopping for me, 'cause she's really good at that. She gets all these emails with coupons and goes back to stores to see if things are on sale, yeah. And it's all from, like, Century 21, and it all rocks. She does a lot of shopping for me.

Odelia: If you could own one or more items right now that you don't have, what would it or they be?

Alina: Ugh, I feel like I should name drop something! I really want this jacket I saw on Etsy that's red, white, and blue, and it says “Love” on the back, and it's all fringe, and it's really wild with like, hearts on it. I also want some pins. I just wanna be the kind of person that has pins all over their chest, on your butt, like, anywhere. Pins on my face. I just want lots of broaches. It's mostly pins, but then a few bug broaches here and there.

Odelia: Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Alina: Jesus Christ, yeah. It's a problem.

Odelia: How would you describe personal style as a concept?

Alina: Personal style as a concept?

Odelia: Like what does it mean to you.

Alina: I think it's just all of the inspiration that you gobble up and spit up however you like. It can change as much as you want, you don't really have to be pinned down, that's why it's so difficult to talk about, I guess.

Odelia: How do you feel that high school has influenced your sartorial choices?

Alina: I've always cared way too much about how I dress, but have always kind of been on-trend whether I want to or not. But I guess it's kinda pushed me a lot because people are super crazy fashionable in high school, and I'm so defensive about it, I feel like I have to be the best. It's been a good motivator.

Odelia: But there's also a lot of people that are really nastily dressed. It's kind of disheartening.

Alina: Yeah, that's true. I don't mind it too much.

Odelia: I'm that person that gets angry.

Alina: I don't know, it depends. It honestly depends. If I really hate it [the outfit], or I have something against the person, then I'll criticize them for it, and if I like them, I'll be like, “She can do whatever she wants, it doesn't matter, don't judge her!” So, I don't know. I don't really mind either way, as long as I feel like I look good! [Laughs]

Odelia: Okay, I'm throwing in a bonus question in reference to your scene days, but not really. Do you feel like your style evolves frequently, or is there a core Alina thing?

Alina: No, it changes all the time. It's so difficult for my mother when she wants to buy me things for Christmas 'cause she doesn't know what I'm into anymore. I mean, I'll get nostalgic for things I had when I was five, but there's not much holding it together other than, I guess, being really quirky. I guess that's a really core part of me. But otherwise I'm all over the goddamn map.

Odelia: Is there anything else you want to say?

Alina: Uh, I wanna be you when I grow up. [Laughs]

Odelia: This is funny, because she's older than me. So it's physically impossible.

Alina: [Makes kissy face at camera]

[Photos by me.]

Look at that magic. She really is shimmering. 

I learned all about the pure genius of layering tights from Alina. 

She and our friend Julianne wear their Growlers pins erryday. They're just big Growlers fans, I guess.  

Her bangs were probably the best decision she's ever made. Not many people can rock the midi-bangs (half way between micro bangs and regular bangs), except maybe Alina, Rooney Mara, and Tavi Gevinson. All of this Googling of bangs has made me really want to get bangs again, but make them midi-length this time. Please do all that is in your power to talk me out of this. I will regret it. So much. 

What even is this pattern??? Pastel fairy vomit??

Whadda shmerp. 

This fancy lady is supercute and quite fashionable. Nothin' you didn't already know. 

There may be a few weeks in between this "Can I Have Your Closet" and the next one, seeing as I don't have any lined up as of this moment. However, I have a few subjects in mind, so don't think this segment is going on a massive hiatus the way it did last time. Also, there will be more Fashion Week coverage coming your way as soon as I can find the time to write things up, plus there's a bunch of fancy projects going on behind da scenes here. Stay tuned! (I never really understood that phrase, because it literally means to adjust to the frequency of a required signal, so it doesn't even make sense in a television or radio context nowadays.) 

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter

Can I Have Your Closet: Taylor Morgan

It's back! The beloved "Can I Have Your Closet" segment has returned, and with a vengeance. I mean, it doesn't have any particularly evil intentions, except to totally bug you out with the two new questions I added to the interview. And the awesome new people I've met and subsequently recruited for the task. Up first, we have Taylor Morgan.

I had seen Taylor meandering through the halls of my school for about a year and a half, secretly admiring her fearlessly imaginative sartorial choices. She is a year older than me, so naturally I assumed that she was a billion times cooler than me. My suspicions were confirmed when, after finally working up the courage to talk to her and ask her to do this with me, we conducted the interview and photoshoot in Lincoln Center during Fashion Week. Taylor gave amazing answers and went off on more than a few tangents, which I sadly could not include in this post due to the fact that the daunting length of the interview would have deemed it unreadable. She was also very honest and open, not shying away from the more invasive questions. Since the question-and-answer portion is so long, I won't say any more about Taylor. Her responses provide you with more information than a silly blurb written by me ever could.

Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Taylor: I'm really interested in Americana and the fifties...Actually, all 20^th century women's fashion. I really love older clothes. It sounds kinda stereotypical, but... Fifties would probably be my favorite. I guess I'd say costume-y is sort of what I go for.

Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?

Taylor: It'll probably be characters from movies, even though it should be like, fashion designers. I like costume designers, like Edith Head, from the sixties, she's really cool. Her style was basic, I guess it was the costumes that she made... David Bowie, for sure. Glam rock is awesome but I can't really pull it off as well as I'd like to. Everybody in Rebel Without a Cause, and all the people in Norman Rockwell paintings.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Taylor: Reminiscence is a thrift store in Chelsea and it's really awesome, because they've been around for years and years, since the seventies, so they're not too full of themselves with all the vintage stuff. Salvation Army... I don't really shop, other than that. I guess for the essentials I'd say Gap.

Odelia: Gap is great. That's where I got this little guy (in reference to denim jacket). If you could own one or more items right now that you don't have, what would it or they be?

Taylor: Platform shoes, for sure. I've been looking for good seventies platform shoes forever, and they're not anywhere to be found.

(A small interlude during which we discussed how often we say 'um' and 'like.')

Odelia: Do you have a specific style in mind, like the ideal shoe, the one where if you were to find it, you would be like, “Ugh, yes!”

Taylor: There's this one that I saw, it exists somewhere, but in a museum some place. It's like a loafer, but with platforms, and in the center is a star, and then around the star, stripes coming out of it. But it's dark purple and white, so it's not too much. I guess too much would be bright pink.

Odelia: Or crazy metallic neon sparkles.

Taylor: Ugh, I hate neon.

Odelia: Yeah, I can't handle it. When that was a big thing a while ago...

Taylor: But I really like roller disco, which now is thought of as neon, but it wasn't all neon. They had cool stuff going on.

Odelia: Subdued neon.

Taylor: Classier neon. Is that even a thing?

(Another longer interlude during which Taylor related a story about going to a fashion show at ABC Carpet & Home and seeing Ke$ha there, and also being mistaken for Tavi Gevinson at the same event, which then led to a discussion about the tribulations and perks of fashion blogging.)

Odelia: Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Taylor: That is a good question. 'Cause I'm actually asking myself that a lot now. For the longest time, I knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer, and then a costume designer, and now I might not be interested in that anymore.

Odelia: That's what happened to me this year! That's what I wanted to do my whole life, and I was like, “This is like, working up to my dream!” and now it's more, “Wait, what, I don't wanna do this...”

Taylor: I've been told by everybody that I should do illustration. But then the minute I start being into illustration, I come into school wearing this and I get all these compliments, and it's like, “This is awesome! I should do this more!” And they're like, “Wow, you should--” Well, one teacher told me today that I have a 'gift,' and I was like, “Oh my God.” But then I'll sew something and it'll be a bag, and it's supposed to be a dress, and I'm like, “I'm definitely doing illustration.” I think it [fashion] would be a focus, but I'm just not sure how much of a focus I will keep it. Maybe I could illustrate fashion. Ah, that's like the same thing. Fashion designers do illustrate. Who knows.

Odelia: How would you describe personal style?

Taylor: I guess what you feel good in, matched with whether you think good thoughts when you see it. I feel confident when I like what I'm wearing, for sure. Maybe if you would like what you're wearing on someone else.

Odelia: That's interesting, I've never heard that before. How would you feel that high school has influenced your sartorial choices?

Taylor: I decided that I wanted to walk out of my house dressing well in sixth grade, but I guess that was my bad experimental phase. I had some good things, but I'm really glad I didn't have to deal with that in high school. I found myself in middle school so I could start high school already pretty much being set on what I wore and how I was. I guess I'm less prudish now. That would be one thing from high school. It's actually gone the opposite way: I wore lipstick and stuff in eighth grade and freshman year, and then I stopped. And I wore push-up bras, and I stopped. And I wore tons of skirts. In freshman year I had a boyfriend, and suddenly I was super feminine because of that. But now I have a girlfriend, and I've decided that, I don't know, in my head, it's the time to be more masculine, which is really a weird concept I guess. I've been doing a lot of suits. Today is sort of an exception.

Odelia: But there is a tie. That's a really cool tie. Did you buy that or make that?

Taylor: I made it. It's pleather. I tried to make a whole jacket, which kinda worked but not really, so I was like, “Well, I still have the fabric, I'll make a tie.”

Odelia: That's so cool! I have some pleather in my house because in seventh grade we had to do these colonial projects and I was stuck with shoemaking. I had wanted to do clothing, and I was like, “Wow, this sucks,” but then I read about it and it was actually really cool. So I wrote seventeen-page paper on colonial shoemaking. I'm kind of like an expert on colonial shoemaking, so I have a bunch of pleather just lying around my house. At first I thought it was really dorky, but it's actually super helpful. The other day my friend's shoe broke and I was like, “Oh you can just get an awl and whipstitch it,” and she was like, “What the hell are you talking about.” Anyway. Do you have anything else to say?

Taylor: Follow your dreams! [Laughs] No, that's not my last statement. I don't think I have anything else to say. 

[Photos by me.]

The skirt and the tie were made by her. Not only is she really good at dressing herself in clothing designed by other people, she can also create a look that is entirely her own. Ah, the joys of sewing. 

She's only a few garments away from completing her Sandy from Grease look.

It was approximately thirty degrees Farenheit while I was photographing her. I'm not really sure how she managed to stay in one piece without cracking into a billion Taylor-ice-cubes.

I forgot how much fun it is to talk to people about their personal style. People are really interesting and kewl! (Some of them)

Come back next Monday to see and read the pictures and verbal musings of my friend Alina Peña, who's basically the coolest, babeliest, and feminist (heh) chick I know. 

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter

Can I Have Your Closet: Max Piersol

I had my first verbal interaction with Max Piersol merely days before I took his picture for this post. I'd been admiring his style from afar for a while (you'll see why in a minute--this kid is a straight up boss), but put yourself in my shoes. Would you honestly go up to a kid with a pink skateboard and attempt to engage him in conversation? No, he's definitely too cool for you. He wears knee-high socks, guys. Socks up to the knee. I don't remember how it happened exactly, but all I know is that a week and a half ago, I was in the basement of my school (this is not nearly as shady as it sounds) and I was asking Max if he would mind if I took photos of him and interviewed him for this blog. His response was as follows: "Yes please." I knew from that moment on that this was going to be a great experience. 

Since I really just met Max, I don't know much about him. He's an actor and a skater, and as I learned from doing this segment on him he has the potential to model. Max is an adorable human being. Just putting that out there. Even though I'd barely spoken to him before he stepped in front of the camera, he was completely at ease during the interview; before I knew it he was throwing profanities around and making me giggle like the little girl that I am. The thing that I really appreciated about Max is that he was so unapologetic with his answers. Here's a great example: how many teenage boys do you know that would openly admit, knowing full well that his answer was going on the internet, that his mommy buys most of his clothes? I'm going to go ahead and guess not many. I suppose you have to be pretty shameless about that sort of stuff if you can rock a neon pink skateboard, bow tie, flannel shirt, brightly colored socks and a sideways hat...all at once. I know you must be really pumped to read about/see this kid, so without further ado, I give you Max Piersol. 

Note: I don't sensor any of the interviews because I feel that limits the interviewee's freedom of expression. If profanity makes you uncomfortable or something, I understand if you don't want to read this post. It comes up very minimally here but I figured it would be considerate just to let you know. 

Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Max: Okay, a lot of the stuff I wear is like—I don't wear skinny jeans 'cause I have to skate. I wear baggy clothing 'cause it's easier to skate in, but then also, I wear like, my big flannel—my big flah-nell—and also I wear baggy pants, not these ones, but sometimes I do, that's usually my style. It makes me feel like a samurai, and that's really cool. Like, I dig the whole samurai style.

Odelia: That's awesome. Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?

Max: My fashion icons are... [long pause] shit! [Laughter from interviewer] Nora, my friend Chris [Rivera], I'm in a gang with him. Hold on, let me think, I can come up with a good one. Oh, right, yeah, the Doctor, Rory, like everyone from “Doctor Who,” Chris from “Skins,” Alo from the third generation of “Skins...” Yeah.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Max: [Laughs] Okay. I buy my shoes from skate shops, but I always wear Vans, so that doesn't really matter. And then my mommy buys a lot of my clothes.

Odelia: [Laughs] Do you know where she goes?

Max: No. [Laughs] I order my pants online, 'cause they're cooler that way. And then, yeah, skate shops and my mom.

Odelia: Nice. If you could own one item right now that you don't have, what would it be?

Max: Okay, there's like this—Push Culture, this clothing line called Push Culture, and it's like longboard clothing and they have these sick-ass pants that are kind of like my style, except they cost like a hundred bucks, but they're still really cool, and I want them.

Odelia: Awesome. This is the last one: would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Max: Yeah. Maybe I don't think about it like other people that dig the whole fashion scene and everything, but I do like to look at myself in the mirror sometimes and be like, “Today I look pretty cool.”

Photos by me. 

Max Piersol: part model, part skater, part actor, part student, part kewl kat. 

This kid has a freaking neon pink skateboard and coral socks. It doesn't get much better than this. 

Flah-nell: present. Decked out helmet: check. Shoestring (otherwise known as a shoelace, but that word is for n00bs) functioning as a belt: you know it. Makeshift Frankenstein-esque stitches: of course. [Edit: I was informed by several people that these are in fact silence marks, which is in reference to Doctor Who. I apologize for my ignorance.]

I'm not usually a fan of caps, but this one is sick. Max goes hardcore with his skating, and I totally dig it. 

I call this one, "The Thinker." 

Peep the underside of his hat. 

Pulling an Elvis, keepin' it classy. 

Werk. 

This was in reference to something that he has to do in drama class, but I totally did not get it. I appreciate the pose, though. 

Yeah. I'll just let all of that sink in. 

On another note, I wanted to apologize for being absent from this blog for nearly a week. As they say, duty calls, duty here meaning school. Specifically English class. Specifically The Odyssey. Only 38 pages left. I read approximately 200 over the weekend and still managed to go on an adventure in Prospect Park and eat Indian food in Jackson Heights and do yoga in Chelsea. You see now how my choice was between either blogging or sleep--my mind said blogging but my body was like, "Shut up you ho," and in the end my corporeal being had more control over me than my noggin. I hope that not writing often in May doesn't become a tradition (I only wrote eight posts last May, but I had an excuse. I was kind of starring in my school's musical. That sort of thing is a little time consuming.). 

I'm still bummed about missing the Supermoon. Damn you, visible masses of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere! 

Jolly Monday and a wonderful week to you! 

P.S. This may be the last one of this for a few weeks until I find new subjects. Don't fret, I shall have a few more in the near future. I already know who they are, they just don't know yet. 

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter/Lookbook

Can I Have Your Closet: Annabel La Riva

When I first saw Annabel La Riva, I totally thought she was an art major. At my school, there are certain ways that people from specific majors dress; it's just a fact. Then there are people who manage to break the mold and be unpredictable; that would be Annabel. It wasn't until I saw her singing in a concert that I realized she was a vocal major. It was a pretty exciting moment for me. Probably a little too exciting. It probably didn't warrant as much excitement as I gave it. What can I say, I love surprises.

Annabel's style is a conglomeration of several different things, which is great because you never know what she's going to have on. Sometimes she wears ripped tights with high waisted shorts or maybe a velvet dress, or perhaps a button up shirt and jeans. She's the one I got the idea of wearing a choker from. Bringin' back the nineties one girl at a time. Since she's so inconsistent (in a good way) with her clothing, Annabel is always giving me new ideas for what to wear. Some people wear the same thing everyday and I just want to shoot them, so needless to say I do not want to shoot Annabel. A lil' transitive property there, guys. There's an experimental vibe that one gets from her, as well as the fact that she knows what she's doing. That's always a good thing. Ignorance iz st-00pid!

Before I stop speaking English, I'll just cut to the interview. 

Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Annabel: Well, kind of like a jumble of things. It's not really consistent.

Odelia: Are there three styles that you could think of that you combine usually?

Annabel: I guess, [makes air quotes] “sophisticated,” if that's a style, and then it's a little punky, and I guess hipster.

Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?

Annabel: In terms of fashion designers and stuff I really like Chanel, obviously, and I like Elie Saab, and I really like Sky Ferreira, you know, really cool chick right there.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Annabel: I really like American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, thrift stores, and then just a bunch of random places, just a collection of places.

Odelia: If you could own one item right now that you don't have, what would it be?

Annabel: [pauses for a while] Wow, um...

Odelia: It can be a piece of clothing, jewelry, whatever, or like an accessory...

Annabel: This is really weird because I really want a lot, but right now--

Odelia: You just can't think of it.

Annabel: I just can't think of it!

Odelia: This has happened to so many people I've asked that question. Okay, we can go onto the next one and then come back that. Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Annabel: I think so. It's not like I'm planning my outfits everyday but I do try to look fresh.

Odelia: Okay, that was the last question, so if you...maybe not even an item that you want, more just a thing that you have admired from afar.

Annabel: Okay. Oh! I really wanted these short pastel Doc Martens, but then, now they are not online anymore so I can't get them.  

Photos by me. 

The doily socks, the choker--we're two peas in a pod, I'm tellin' ya. 

Doctah Marten iz in da house! 

Just smizing, you know how it iz. #modellife

I totally wish I had a bag like this. I don't really like pink, but pastel is so in for spring. This is so on trend that I can't even complete my sent

Okay, I definitely had this choker as a child. Or an identical one. Why did my mother I get rid of it. 

The white button up shirt adds some classiness and the skirt adds originality. The jacket ties it all together. 

Isn't she lovely? Fer sherr. 

In other news, I have discovered the winner of the giveaway using a random number generator (random.org). It's Sadie Heisler; remember her? Congratulations Sadie! You should get an email really, really soon in case you don't see this. 

If you didn't win this time, don't you worry your little head. I'll be having plenty of giveaways in the future. It's just the first year! The party ain't over yet, y'all! 

Final note of the day: I'm going to a Charlene Kaye concert tomorrow, and I'm mega pumped. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to show for it later. 

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter/Lookbook 

Can I Have Your Closet: Emma Peltzer

Emma Peltzer (rapper name: E$weezii) is a pretty k00l chick. Not gonna lie, I was kind of intimidated by her for quite some time, but once I got to know her in art class I discovered that she's just a hilarious well-dressed munchkin. I feel like a lot of my friends are like that. Despite the fact that Emma was Barbie for Halloween this year, she's nothing like the fake, humanly impossible being that lives in the Dream House with Ken. Nor does she dress as horridly and painfully color coordinated-ly as Barbie does. (So...many...adverbs...) In fact, Emma just kinda does what she wants when it comes to clothing. As you'll see in our interview in just a moment, it's hard to define her style at all. Some days it's a little preppy, some days it's a little punk, other days it's cute and sweet, but it's always original. I always enjoy looking at Emma's clothing and drawing inspiration from her. That's what friends are for, right? (I might be kidding.)

Another thing that really excites me about Emma (besides her incredible artistic skill--art majors represent!) is that she reminds me a lot of Yvonne Strahovski, a.k.a. Sarah from "Chuck," a.k.a. my favorite television show. Not in the super spy way, but more in physical appearance. And Sarah is a total babe, so...connect the dots, guys. Without further ado, I give you--Emma Peltzer!...z interview with me.


Odelia: How would you describe your style?

Emma: I mean honestly, I've never tried to label myself. I know that sounds bad, but...I mean, I've always liked—you know, I've seen people on the street and been like, “Wow, that looks really cool,” or “I really like that.” But I've never been like, “Oh yeah, I wanna look like so-and-so,” or “I really like that designer, or this kind of clothing.” I just kind of—whenever I see something I like, I just kind of put it on.

Odelia: Who are your fashion icons and who do you admire aesthetically?

Emma: Oooh...okay. I mean I'm not very...I don't know how to say it. I'm not—I don't think I can really say that I know a lot of designers. Whenever I—always as this joke I'm like, “If I was a millionaire I'd shop at Prada.” But I've always loved the high fashion aspect of Prada and all of that kind of stuff.

Odelia: Are there certain celebrities or just people you know that you...

Emma: Actually, at the Oscars, I did have a favorite dress, which was the Alexander McQueen dress that—oh, gosh, I forget her name, but she was in “The Help,” she had orange-y hair, Jessica something...

Odelia: Oh yeah! I know who you're talking about! Yeah, whatever. [EDIT: It was Jessica Chastain.]

Emma: Whatever, yeah. But I thought her dress was so cool and she looked great.

Odelia: Where are your favorite places to shop?

Emma: I mean, I love Free People, I love just kind of whatever. I mean, yet again I don't—I'm not very...[Laughs] I don't know, I'm just not—I mean, I have places I like to go, but I don't really think that I have one store specifically that I like to shop at.

Odelia: Do you shop often or whenever you want to get something?

Emma: It's really just if I need something, or like, birthday, Christmas, that kind of thing.

Odelia: If you could own one item right now that you don't have, what would it be?

Emma: Oh! Actually, I've been sort of brainstorming. There's this one pair of pants that I want that I haven't been able to find anywhere and they're just like khaki army green skinny pants that go right above the ankle with pockets on the side of the leg and a small zipper that goes on the ankle.

Odelia: Would you say that fashion is a big focus in your life?

Emma: Definitely. I mean, I'm never the kind of person that would walk out in sweatpants and Uggs. For me, even going to school I need to feel confident and feel like my outfit is sufficient [giggles]. I've always been the one to dress up, not down.  

Photos by me.

J-chillin' in the 8th floor hallway. You know. 

Something about this reminds me of "Alice in Wonderland," and I can't figure out why. I feel like the Cheshire Cat has something to do with that, that rascal. 

You can tell we're art students because we know that yellow and purple are complementary colors. 

INTENSE. That's the vibe I was going for. 

I'm pretty sure Emma has three layers on top. That's something I would do. Great minds think alike, they always say. 

She's gonna be a model for American Apparel someday, I can feel it. 

Walking into the distance--got dem dramatic photos up in here, am I right? 

Hooray! It's Emma! E$weezii! Yeah!

In other news: I got a haircut this weekend (as in Olive cut it in my bathtub) and a cartilage piercing tonight. I totally had a rocker chick revelation and I'm completely digging the vibe. I even wore my sassy t-shirt today, the one that says, "YOU'RE SO VAIN" on it. Badass right here. Don't mess. I've got a metal rod through my ear and minimal amounts of hair (this could also be the start to one of those guess-what-I-am games, where the answer is a rat in prison).

Also, I'm going to a party hosted by Nicole Richie at the H&M 5th avenue flagship store tomorrow night. It should be pretty rad.

That's all for tonight, except...

Enter the giveaway! I'm giving away a free dress that you should try to win because you will lose nothing from doing so. 
Just follow my blog (and my Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and/or Bloglovin' for extra entries) and leave a comment below with your name, email and a list of the places you're following me et voilà! You're entered. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! 


A Merry Monday to you all.

Follow this blog

Chictopia/Huffington Post/Facebook/Bloglovin/Twitter/Lookbook