Sacramento Stylista:Interview With Brie

It seems like this local interview post is going to be a monthly addition to my blog. There is no shortage of beautiful fashionable people in my town and I am lucky to count many of my friends among them. I love doing this feature as I get to be go to pretty locales and take pictures with my new camera. I've seen Brie's style evolve in the last few years and she is so inspiring. Shortly after the shoot I spotted some killer heels at Thrift Town and just had to have them and we both share a love for vintage dresses. Not only does she have enviable style she is also one of the sweetest people ever.

How long have you lived in Sacramento?
I've lived in Midtown for 3 years now. I grew up in Truckee and went to High School in Roseville.

Favorite local hangouts?
I'd probably say Shady Lady because i like the atmosphere and it's always fun getting dressed up to go there. Other than that i'd say Townhouse and Press Club because that's where the majority of my friends go.

When did you start getting into vintage and fashion?
Definitely when i moved downtown. The girls here are pretty fashionable.

 

What are some of your favorite vintage and thrift stores?

My friend Marley told me about Bows and Arrows when i first moved here and fell in love with it from the second i walked in the door. Trish and Olivia are sweethearts, so it makes me want to shop there even more. I think the majority of my closet is from there and Cuffs. I'm not too picky about where i shop. I shop at thrift stores like Goodwill, Deseret, SPCA Thrift store..I shop at the local vintage stores, and I shop at forever 21 and Nordstrom even.

How would you describe your style?
I wouldn't consider myself to have a specific style. i think it depends on my mood and where i'm going to be going. I think it would be boring to stick to one type of style.

What are your favorite fashion accessories?
I'm not really too big on accessories. I usually buy a few pieces of jewelry and wear them until they break or i lose them.

Who are your style icons?

Besides my Grandma, i wouldn't say i have a specific style icon. I usually get inspiration from people i see around and friends. I think a lot of the girls in Sacramento are very fashionable in their own ways.

What are your other hobbies?
Other than my horrible shopping addiction, anything where i get to spend time with my friends. I like apartment hunting a lot and i think that's why i move so much. I have no intentions of moving, until i see an awesome place, and I'm like, "i have to live there. I've moved 5 times the 3 years I've lived here. I used to ski when i lived in Truckee and i've only snowboarded a couple times but this winter i think i'm going to take it on.

Favorite books, tv, movies, and music?
I can't say I'm much of a reader. I don't have the attention span for it and it always puts me to sleep after reading 2 sentences. I browse blogs online and read articles here and there but i think i spend most my time listening to and searching for new music. I love finding new bands that i haven't heard of before. There's so much music out there, it's overwhelming sometimes. Right now, I'm hooked on FM Belfast, Local Natives, Fever Ray, and Star Slinger. My "favorite" bands constantly change but I think my forever fav is Arcade Fire. As for TV, I don't own a television. I think it's better that way because when i have friends over, instead of turning on the TV and getting sucked into pointless reality shows, we actually sit and talk about our own reality. If i really want to watch a show or movie, i can just watch it on my laptop. I love Californiacation and i think my favorite movie is probably Marie Antoinette. The soundtrack is amazing.

How has your fashion sense changed over time?
Growing up i was self conscious of my size because I've always been taller and bigger than the other girls. I wouldn't wear heels even because i would tower over everyone. Over time I've learned how to dress for my size and say, fuck it, and wear heels anyways. I dress pretty girly. Tights, dresses and skirts. I don't wear jeans because not only are they uncomfortable and feel restricting, i find them unflattering for my body type.

What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet right now?
I have a few dresses in my closet that i bought a long time ago but I'm waiting for the right time to wear them. My grandma gave me this big fur coat when i was in Junior High and i thought to myself, "Thanks Grandma, when and where the hell would i ever wear this?' I went through my old closet at my moms house about a year ago and found it and had a fit of excitement. I'm soooo glad i didn't get rid of it.

What is your favorite season fashion wise?
Fall for sure. i feel like i can wear 2 outfits at once. I can have a coat/jacket and a scarf on then take it off inside and It's almost like a wardrobe change haha.

What is your favorite time period for vintage?
The 50s. I really like the pinup style and dresses like an hourglass. I think their style was very classy looking.

What fashion trends do you wish would never come back?
Guys in girls jeans, Uggs, Crocs, pre-ripped jeans, jerseys, xxl tees on boys that should be wearing a medium, and sweatpants with words on the butt.

What are your tips for finding good vintage and thrift finds?
Patience. I shop with an open mind, never really going into it with a specific item in mind.

More photos from the shoot here.

Sacramento Stylista: Interview with Jordan

 This is the first of a series of interviews and photo shoots I intend to do on the stylish people of my town Sacramento. I had lots of fun doing the photo shoot for my friend Jordan at this beautiful cemetery off broadway. I find them to be so calming and serene. I've always loved  Jordan's style. She manages to look oh so comfortable and effortlessly chic and has such gorgeous vintage pieces. She blogs about her life at Jordan Redskin.

How long have you lived in Sacramento and where did you live before?

Except for a two year period as a toddler in which my parents were attending school in Texas, I grew up here. I moved to San Francisco for some college, then to Berlin for a year. I’ve been living back here since July 2009.

How did you start getting into vintage and thrifting?
My mom. She was always dragging me to thrift and antique stores as a wee one, and I always hated it. I don’t know when the turning point was, but apparently there was one.

What are some of your favorite vintage and thrift stores?
In Sacramento, I love the two sketchier Thrift Towns. Also, Deseret off of I-80 is gigantic and incredibly cheap -- I scored a pair of two dollar kilty/tassel loafers there less than a week ago. The owner of Bows and Arrows once called me “a regular”, so I guess I go in there a lot too. Online, I love Twitch Vintage (and I read Robyn’s blog), and Etsy in general. I guess this doesn’t count as thrift or vintage, but I do love the site achachliebling.com for jewelry -- it’s all handmade in the bay area.

 

How would you describe your style?
Oh god, I’m not sure. I think my style is just really easy. I don’t consider myself a great stylist, so I usually just try to buy pieces which by themselves are cool; that way, I don’t have to do any work. I do prefer to look a little bit fallen apart rather than completely put together, which makes job interviews a struggle. I love imperfection in style. I find it very inspiring.

What are some of your favorite style blogs?
I read yours, as you’ve probably realized. I began getting really into street style blogs before personal style blogs, and the one that really sparked my obsession was Hel Looks. I also love Another Day to Dress Up, Calivintage, the SF Style, and the not-too-oft updated blog Captain Darjeeling, the writer of which is a good friend of mine from San Francisco (now based in New Mexico). There are so many more that I hate to leave out, but it would just take up too much space.

Who are your style icons?
My friends, mostly. And anyone who makes head-to-toe black look interesting.

What are your other hobbies?

I love journaling, thrifting, sewing, and trying to teach myself how to do different crafts (like upholstering). I like reading, but have no patience for books that don’t grab me with a chokehold within the first few chapters. I also get really into TV shows, and spend a lot of time speculating about them and telling people to watch them. So those of you who haven’t seen Party Down or Arrested Development, make it happen! Oh, and I love cooking. I somehow made myself into a good cook in less than a year, and now I’m having a great time with vegan recipes. I also ride my bike a lot, but that’s more out of necessity.

Favorite food and drink?
I absolutely love Indian food, but can never make it very well. I’m just crazy about fruit (nectarines, blueberries, and cardamom together make the best dessert), and regularly eat spinach sautéed with Tofurky Italian sausages. My favorite beverages are home made iced tea/lemonade, and a good hefeweizen. Germany made me into a beer snob (sometimes).

Favorite books, tv, movies, and music?
Black Hole by Charles Burns is a comic, but a favorite nonetheless. I also really enjoy Roald Dahl, whose kids stories were a big part of my childhood, and whose stories written for adults are wonderfully twisted. My favorite TV shows are Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks, and Party Down (all canceled, by the way. My entertainment is their bad luck). Hedwig and the Angry Inch has been my favorite movie since it came out. I don’t get all that creative when it comes to my music taste, but a few of my favorite artists are Apples in Stereo, the Pixies, Wire, and Buddy Holly. Oh, and David Bowie. I should stop before I get too into listing bands for the necessary street cred.

 

How has your fashion sense changed over time?
I didn’t start wearing dresses or skirts until my junior year of high school. For a while in college, all of my vintage pieces were polyester. I think I’m feeling more comfortable in simpler outfits, instead of trying to alter and accessorize so much that it hides the piece I loved to begin with.

What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet right now?
I’ve always loved that blue and white dress with the attached necktie. It’s been my favorite for four years or so. I have a gorgeous pair of lace-up kilty boots that I’m excited to wear again in the fall, which are like Doc Martens with a narrower toe. I wore Docs a lot in Germany, because winter shoes are a big ol’ deal there. Wearing something like Chucks in the winter, you will get stared at like a rambling lunatic, even if it’s not snowing. California did not supply me with those instincts, but now I have them forever.

What is your favorite season fashion wise?
Fall. I love tights, and they’re really practical for bike riding.

What is your favorite time period for vintage?
I love mod style, which is funny, because I don’t have many mod pieces in my wardrobe. I like the simple patterns and bold colors. That’s probably also where my obsession with loafers comes from.

What fashion trends do you wish would never come back?
I really don’t like the look of those over-styled, over make-upped scene kids. It’s something I was into when I was much younger, so maybe that hatred is fed by embarrassment. I think that I’m automatically turned off when someone’s look appears to have taken a lot of effort.


What are your tips for finding good thrift finds?
Learn to sew, and find your way (using elbows, if necessary) to a sewing machine! It opens up lots of options for altering clothing that would otherwise be unattractive, particularly if you have specific taste in hemlines like I do.