"The Way You Are" - Elle Taiwan

the Fashion Spot

These images from the July Elle Taiwan capture gritty California style: acid-washed jeans, lace-up sneakers, itty-bitty hot pants, tousled hair. Mix in the graffiti and skateboards and I'm sold. In general, I root for the sporty-downtown-cool-chick type in magazine spreads and lookbooks versus the pretty-polished-stiletto-wearing-woman. These kinds of styles seem effortless and not overly calculated (I think the model above is even sporting a candy necklace), which is why I love them. 

Then & Now: Platform Shoes

Though I'm most comfortable (and least likely to end up in the ER) in my flats, platforms are hard to avoid. They come on little stilettos, chunky boots, or on sneakers (flatforms, anyone?). I did a brief post (click!) about platform shoes - from their disco origins to now being a Nasty Gal staple - on the Get Stylin' tumblr. 

I Think I Love You

Chambray shirts are a dime a dozen these days and are now considered a wardrobe staple. I like this version from Free People for its woven patches adorning the pockets, sleeves, and back yoke. The casual southwestern-ish style could be played up with shorts and boots in the summer, and this shirt could be layered and worn with pants or a thick maxi skirt in cold weather. This button-down could even be an amazing topper for a feminine dress, acting sort of like a lightweight jacket. This versatility is exactly why chambray shirts are a staple - this one just has extra personality. 

Mash-Up: On Board

last image via Vogue.com

CK1 from RVCA on Vimeo.

For a long time, I've found skate culture to be inspiring. It's a little rebellious, laidback, and a cooler alternative to a bicycle (even with bikes being a legitimate accessory on street style blogs like The Sartorialist). Movies like Lords of Dogtown have motivated dreams of one day living in SoCal, and online skate videos have made me wish I could do some of the crazy tricks the pro skaters do (including gravity-defying moves like riding on walls - no idea how they do it). Even the way skaters fall is impressive - they know exactly how to roll and land to (usually) not break any limbs. With all this skill and swag comes style that fashion can hardly compete with. Sure, your 10 year-old punk neighbor who tries skateboarding around your street may not seem too inspiring, but I still wish to one day live in NYC and pass pedestrians up in my ballet flats... on my board. 

"Apocalypse Dreams" by Tame Impala

Tame Impala just released this track from their upcoming album Lonerism and I'm super excited! Tame Impala is easily my favorite contemporary band - I'm all about their psychedelic layers and poppy hooks. In fact, I'm currently dabbling in jewelry design and am referring to their euphoric sixties style to inspire some of the designs (maybe more on that later?). 

Listen to the track above and download it while it's available. Then, look forward to the release of the album in October (one more reason to anticipate fall. The others being leaving the heat behind and embracing jackets again).