Glamorama

One of the first persons I intercepted outside the Orpheum was another street style blogger, the Minneapoline. Natch she would never publish a blink photo, but I would because I want you to notice her nice vintage trousers and wonderful lace-up boots. We agreed that opportunities, while not strictly street style in that attendees put a whole lot more thought into their statement than the average outing, came thick and fast. Another consensus was that the level of awareness of fashion, history, trends and workmanship has jumped even since last year at this event. I saw a lot more indie designers represented, vintage put together with current fearlessly and seamlessly, and experimentation with shape and fabric. Overall tight and short ruled the day with vertiginous heels almost universal.
Even more egregious than publishing a blink photo, I am here going to verbally describe my hands-down favorite dress that I missed due to camera failure (I could weep). It was a bit of fairy fancy worn by a tinkerbell who had just returned from an internship with Armani in Florence. Italy. She found the frock in a boutique in that city. The low-backed mini shift had a tulle overlay adorned with 18" ribbons and crystals. the neck and tracing the U-back were encrusted with crystals. The effect was sea nymph-mermaid (without the fins)-fairy of the deep, ethereal and sublime.

Glamorama

Again with the iPhone, ugh. Did you think Rodarte when you saw her legs? I did, and loved it. They're actually tights from Wolford. But she didn't leave it at that-- substantial sandals, a quietly wonderful LBD and chunky gold baubles that just frame her beautiful mind. Clever, off-beat, integrated, this woman has style chops in no uncertain terms. As a PS, take a look through the blur at her friend's (in the white skirt) 24K heels.

Glamorama

I'm going to apologize right up front that I didn't think to change my camera batteries before this event-of-the-year. Result: I borrowed my husband's iPhone because I could not let this beautiful woman and her stunning gown go unrecorded. How well do I know the difficulty women who are, blessedly, not Forever 21 have in looking stylish and, to borrow from our favorite academe Paris Hilton, hot. This woman turned to vintage Lily Pulitzer. It worked.

uptown Minneapolis

Glamorama is here every day my friends. Middle of the day and these two were sauntering down the avenue. Heels are a marvelous thing.

Near the Highline Ballroom

Lookit, an artist amongst the Fritos. Obviously I have beaten The Sartorialist to the punch, or the photo as it were, because this guy, Daniel Barrow, meets or exceeds every requirement of that prestigious post -- somewhat androgynous quality, interesting man bag, ironic mashup of dress shirt + shorts, winsome legs, really fetching Paul Smith socks and some sort of ghillie flap brogues (click on the photo to look at em nice and close). I want to personally thank Daniel for being an artsy man in NYC and not wearing jauntily rolled up pants without socks. Thank you Daniel thank you. If more men had fine hosiery like this, I think we could nip that annoying hipsterism in the bud. If you get the chance, go to Daniel's website, www.DanielBarrow.com. He draws, and not just conclusions.





Tall, thin, Angelina Jolie look-alike -- the heat and humidity were slowing down my processing speeds, so by the time this registered, I had to get someone to hold my place in line for The Moth story slam and run after her. Other than the obvious attributes I've listed, I loved the way she'd wound that long string of wooden beads around and around. It looks kind of tribal. In sharp contrast to the great big baby blue bag and soft white leather jazz shoes which identify her as from that tribe of very good-looking people in Chelsea, sometimes extending into the Meatpacking district. This is why I heart NY.

Louboutins in DUMBO

Truth be told, I followed the iconic red-soled towering heels into Starbucks for the public bathroom and the sweet sweet air conditioning, but even in my damp and depleted condition I recognized an opportunity that no self-respecting street style enthusiast could deny. The peep-toe, ruffled Louboutins (on which she was navigating the tricky cobblestones of Dumbo streets), and the lavishly draped and ruched frock, well it made me just giddy to see this sort of stuff walking around in the daytime, normal as anything, getting coffee. That saying about how the other half lives -- here's the other half. Oh and you can't even see the zipper on the back of the jacket, so edgy. Here's a New York thing -- she gave me her card. I say this is a New York thing because two other people gave me their cards after I took their photo and I feel like people stopping them on the street and asking to take their picture is an everyday occurrence. Anyhoo, you are looking at the CEO of By Kilian, a perfumery. Is that a word? They make perfume. Lovely.

my first day in NYC!

Not-so-fresh off the plane/subway and it was intensely humid. My first purchase in NYC was an umbrella from a charming Canal Street vendor. No sooner bought than the sky opened up. It passed but was still mighty oppressive out when, somewhere in Soho, I ran across this airy woman looking cool and fresh. I love lacey or open-weave stuff. The sweet camisole, Gibson girl up-do and umbrella lend a vintage feel to the whole show.



This woman, near the New York Road Runners' offices on the upper east side, was a study in soft draping. Loved loved her simplified gladiator sandals and the simple draped skirt. How did she manage to make a plain gray t-shirt seem elegant?

West River Road, Minneapolis

We're picnicking, Sylvia called out as I hit 75 mph on my bike going down that big hill to the river flats under the Washington Ave. bridge. Did I just see a very colorful woman blowing bubbles on a wide and people-less swath of grass next to a glassy river, all syrupy in the stillness? If you are me, this is not something to be processed and calmly filed under Stuff I Saw along with trees and asphalt. Eventually I stopped. And came back. Hi, what's your name? I'm Sylvia, and she extended her non-bubble hand. Seconds and many sentences later, she offered her card. When I asked what she did, she said, Arrrrrrrrtist. When I said I liked what she was wearing, she told me it's Liberty of London for Target, x-small, that she got for $1 at a thrift store today because no one can wear that small shit.
Now you are wondering why there's that picture of the red gym shorts up above Sylvia. Those are the shorts I was wearing, that I got at a thrift store for 99 cents. And bless her heart, Sylvia noticed immediately that they are emblazoned with the Nieman Marcus logo, and she got the irony of cotton gym shorts, those most utilitarian of garments, made by Niemans. Be true to your school. Hauter education. Sylvia is the only other person who has noticed this and gotten the irony, and I love her for it. We virtual fist bumped.
She has a vintage Raleigh bike with orange frame and white fenders that used to belong to someone who died of AIDS. It's like the bike died and went to heaven.