VAM STUDIO: Stylist Tiger Lily

Photo and video by VAM Studio

LOVE THIS! Read more about stylist Tiger Lily in the VAM Studio page here.

On ELLE.com: What it really takes to get the perfect street style shot

CRAZY! Read the story and check out videos by photographer Tyler Joe here.

Brooke

Around the way girl

Wishful Thinkin Clothing co-owner Brooke Moss is the picture of effortless late-summer style: cutoff shorts, a roomy plaid shirt, and sporty sneakers. Her high-gloss lipstick, shiny necklaces, and sleek golden-blond pixie cut add just the right amount of glam to the laid-back look.

Originally published in the Chicago Reader.

Mayla

Mayla is wearing a dress purchased at Felt in Logan Square.

Devin

Originally posted in the Chicago Reader.

Kayla

Isabella

Isabella was just photographed at the Logan Square Farmer's Market. Her cool sunnies are a cherished gift from a friend.

Chicago Looks IRL

Remember to get your Chicago Reader this week! Crocs special!

Alanna Picks #19: Lucy

Photos by Alanna Zaritz

Four-year-old Lucy was photographed at Ginza Holiday in Old Town. Her favorite piece is her Hello Kitty bracelet.

Chicago Looks is lucky to count on the sharp eye of Drawn and Coutured's Alanna Zaritz for a very special collab, in which she gets to share all the great style she comes across while hanging out at the coolest places - such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, where she currently works.

Denim Sneakers

Zoe and Liying

Zoe and Liying were photographed at the Millennium Park during the Tortoise + Homme show yesterday, the last concert in the Summer Music Series.

Vesper

Vesper was photographed at the Millennium Park during the Tortoise + Homme show yesterday, the last concert in the Summer Music Series.

Scott

Art director Scott Cruz (scottjohncruz.com - @hashtagoverit) was originally featured in my Chicago Reader column in a ripped denim special. Here's a bit about his style:

"My outfits are inspired by a merging of the past, present, and future; a balance between my favorite periods in history fused with my favorite science fiction films." 

"I paired a super short sleeved striped shirt with white pants and red socks in celebration of Bastille Day. I knew it was going to be incredibly hot that day, so I wanted to wear something loose and bright, but still encompassing the style I adhere to."

"I dyed my hair a bright orange and adopted the bowl cut earlier this spring. I had been wanting to dye my hair orange for some time but my previous haircut just didn't seem right. The bowl cut is inspired by my interest in Precolumbian Mesoamerican styles from the Aztec and Maya. The coloring was taken from Milla Jovovich's character in one of my all time favorite films, "The Fifth Element". Gaultier designed the wardrobe and I'm endlessly inspired by his creations for that film."

"I picked these [jeans] up from the women's department at H&M. I wanted to find a cheap pair of loose fitting, boyfriend-ish styled white jeans that I could wreck without feeling bad about paying a fortune for. I've always had a strong affinity for distressed denim. When they're authentic, they have history and can tell a story. I generally distress my own denim, sometimes intentionally but often just through extensive wear. What attracts me to distressed denim is how it evokes a sense of enigmatic danger about someone's character. The more authentic the distressing, the more I'm raising an eyebrow at what sort of trouble they'd gotten into to cause all of those cuts and discolorations."

"My style philosophy is rather simple: honesty. Trends die as quickly as they're born today. I believe in picking the most appealing attributes of a trend and applying them to your own style ethos to stay true to your own self expression."

"Stop buying fashion in excess. Our throwaway culture is causing enough waste. Own what speaks to you and create an archive for yourself that you'll never question."

Read the whole article here.

Molly

Musician Molly Ryan was originally featured in my Chicago Reader column in a ripped denim special. Here's a bit about her style:

"I believe in the transformative nature of clothing; the ability to transform actively. This is my choice. I am in control of my appearance. I manufacture my own identity. No, I cannot dictate, nor shape, the public reaction to my visual identity. Why is the collective viewpoint that anything visually represented on the body is automatically an appeal to an audience? I would like to eradicate that mindset and build one instead of self-reflection for the sake of internal identity, manifested in the outward appearance."

"I would describe my style as eclectic and boundless. I dress to match my mood on any given day. Mostly, I like to create whimsy when styling myself, drawing from a theatrical costuming background, and myriad other outlets. It's an art of characterization with the vehicle being the clothing. Fashion should be fun, and I believe everyone should wear whatever they feel inclined to wear."

"My distressed jeans are actually my little brother's from highschool! I'm fairly certain they came pre-distressed from somewhere like Hot Topic years ago. I reap the benefits of his move to Boston and the closet he left behind. We're both musicians so we definitely have a bit of communal edge to our individual styles. We try to convince everyone that we're twins because we are creepy similar in appearance. "

Read the whole article here.

Jessica

Wardrobe stylist Jessica Pimentel (@jxsteeze) was originally featured in my Chicago Reader column in a ripped denim special. Here's a bit about her style:

"My style is very random, it depends on the mood I'm feeling that morning, one day I wanna be a skater girl, the next I wanna be chic" 

"Lauren Elizabeth and Desi Perkins are two big influences. I love them!"

"My outfit was definitely inspired by Lauren Elizabeth. I got a body suit that I love and I paired it with a loose tank, a thick choker necktie, and mule heels. I was going to the Hampton Social that morning for my best friend's birthday dinner, so I wanted to look, cute, chic and casual."

"I've been wanting a pair of boyfriend jeans to pair with body suits and chokers, but I haven't been able to find any that flatter my body shape. So I bought a light wash distressed denim bootcut jean from Hollister, made the holes bigger to make them more distressed, and cuffed the bottoms to make them tighter around the ankle. Definitely one of my favorite jeans for the summer."

"My style philosophy is, if you like it rather it's out of style or out of season, WEAR IT and slay it."

"White jeans never go out of season!"

Read the whole article here.

TOMORROW! Anna Hovet launches HOVET!

So very excited about this event tomorrow! I'm such a fan of Anna Hovet's work - HOVET, her new line, is all made right here in Chicago (see very instructional and touching video above). 

Here's what's going down:

Recession Survivor and Fashion Designer Anna Hovet Still Going Strong 7 Years after Chicago Fashion Incubator Launches new brand HOVET

CHICAGO, IL (August 8, 2016) -- Chicago Fashion Designer Anna Hovet to launch a new apparel brand called “HØVET." After seven years of success with the line “Anna Hovet”, the brand seeks to reinvent itself with a fresh new look and will continue to manufacture its garments in Chicago. The launch party will be held at HØVET Design Studio (2000 W Carroll Ave #302, Chicago, IL 60612) on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 from 6 to 9 PM. HØVET will be available in six Chicago retailers and on online at www.shophovet.com.

Anna Hovet began her company in 2009 during the glory days of the Chicago Fashion Incubator with press events featuring Mayor Richard Daley and Tommy Hilfiger, but the Chicago fashion industry has since all but disappeared. In January 2016, the City of Chicago slashed all fashion funding, eliminating (DCASE), Chicago Fashion Week and Fashion Focus. Even with minimal support from the city, the economic recession, and a lack of manufacturing infrastructure in the city, Hovet maintained a successful fashion line by partnering with local boutiques.

The HØVET Fall 2016 Collection features a new, more modern, mature, and sophisticated aesthetic. The line includes high-quality super soft bamboo fleece sweatshirts and sweatpants with Hovet’s signature draping. All garments are manufactured in Chicago.

“This new brand represents our personal growth, while retaining our core values of high quality, comfort, and domestic manufacturing,” said Anna Hovet, lead designer and owner.

Hovet continues to be a leader in the Chicago fashion scene. Her work has been featured in numerous publications including Lucky Magazine, and worn by Jennifer Hudson, Hannibal Burress, Chance the Rapper, and NBA star Evan Turner. Hovet is an alum of SAIC and the Chicago Fashion Incubator. In 2011 she was a contestant on the Kenmore Reality Web Series "So You Wanna Be A Designer” and was named one of Refinery29's "30 Under 30" in 2012. In 2015 Anna Hovet was awarded "Chicago's Best Local Clothing Designer" by the Chicago Reader. Hovet's TEDx Talk, “The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs” has also been viewed by thousands.

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HØVET Rebrand Party
HØVET Design Studio
2000 W. Carroll Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
Tuesday August 23, 2016
6:00 - 9:00 pm 

HØVET Fall 2016 Collection Release Details 
Available: 08/23/2016
Online Shop: www.shophovet.com 

Chicago Retailers
Florodora
330 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60604


Milk Handmade
5137 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

Jugrnaut
427 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605

Squasht
2556 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Wolfbait & B-Girls
3131 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647

YES YES YAAAASSSS!!!! See Facebook invite here.