Neutral layers and oversized silhouettes are nothing remotely new or original to fashion this year, but this doesn't make them any worse (in my personal opinion). Paired together some of my most recent pieces into a very Northwest appropriate street-wear look. The best part about this whole outfit is also the price, I found this amazing vest at Nordstrom Rack yesterday for $30, way way less than some of the higher end pieces your favorite Instagram'ers are wearing. Success.
I don't mean cocky in a Scot Disick popping bottles in Miami way, I mean cocky in a Kanye at LAX "Do you see this coat?" kind of way. If there was a scientific way to measure how much better you feel wearing something you love I would do it just to prove this point. Why spend your life dressed in mediocre clothing when you can wear something creative & comfortable that feels a little bit more like you? Money in no way is required to have great style. I've found some of my most loved apparel at thrift shops and run of the mill fast fashion joints. So in the most cheesy and capitalist statement yet: just do it.
Ps. I've been loving mixing casual sportswear garb with more luxurious pieces lately. This black (faux) fur coat and Unif sweatshirt combo feels like the perfect mixture of cool and collected. Nothing outside the box, but still not another t-shirt and bomber jacket...
As the sun withdraws to a lukewarm 70 degrees, the vibe of the city is a little off. Without the sweltering heat and continuous sunshine the City of Angels seems almost normal? Maybe even a little darker.
Rooftops are where I feel most comfortable. Being able to look at all the drama of the city from above makes me somehow feel at ease. Gorgeous views of skyscrapers and busy streets aren't so bad either! These shots are from one of these rooftop excursions a little while ago, this time on the bustling Broadway near the epicenter of downtown.
As for the clothing of choice there's something about this psychedelic print sweater that just feels right. Its a little bit crazy and out there but in the best way possible (not to mention the comfiest fabric ever). Paired with my uber cheap thrift shop pleated skirt and collar I think it turned out pretty cool. So don't trip, its just fashion.
Colors are a powerful thing. In the midst of the concrete jungle of downtown Los Angeles lays a little haven of relaxation. Bold yellow and purple buildings mix with radiant pink flowers to create an unexpected oasis. A definite breath of fresh air in a smoggy world.
Now you might be thinking "How in the world can a giant collection of bright yellow yarn feel iconic?" Well I'll tell you. To me this sweater says I don't care in the best way possible. Yes, you will look at me when I wear it, no, I don't care how you feel about it. Maybe its a little Cobain, maybe its a little Travis Scott in its nonchalance, but nonetheless it feels right.
My dreams are made of sheepskin rugs and candy colored sunsets.
Jacket: Kimchi Blue, Crop Top: Topshop
I wear a variation of the same outfit super frequently. Its not that I'm particularly afraid of changing it up, its just that there's an ease to a crop top and denim combination that is unrivaled by other wardrobe choices. Paired with my new favorite (and over used ) Hype hat, the look ironically screams hypebeast but also works in its simplicity. Success?
PS. Email me at seidi.hakkanen@frontier.com if you're interested in copping a hat as well, you know I can maybe make you one..
PSS. The Fremont Vintage Mall in Seattle is altogether amazing and also the source of the pink sheepskin rug previewed above. But warning, its almost impossible to leave empty handed!
3419 Fremont Pl N, Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 548-9140
Today I spent $11 on a magazine with Young Thug in a dress in it.
What can I say? *I'm a very fiscally responsible young adult. I also can't think of any more clever titles about black and white dressing. But nonetheless, expensive literature and my limited brain are not the real prompts of this blog post, the real prompt is that of streetwear being universal.
Today I headed to Seattle with one of my friends from FIDM and was pleasantly surprised to find we had dressed in a similar aesthetic. Black and white and fairly minimalist. What was even better was that her mesh jersey was from one of my favorite streetwear stores on Fairfax in Los Angeles, appropriately named Dope, and we were heading to one of Seattle's best streetwear shops, Alive & Well. After grabbing a logo t-shirt there for someone back in CA (ahem I hope you read this), I also picked up a Seattle cap and threw it on for the rest of the day.
Maybe its because we had on similar outfits, or because I've attained a new appreciation for smaller shops over the past years, I then had a little realization. No matter what part of the country you live in, streetwear plays a huge part in bringing culture and fashion together in a very wearable and (usually) unpretentious way, and that's truly dope.
Personalized jackets are better than personal issues.
Added a little something to this 5 dollar, denim jacket I bought at Goodwill with a bit of fabric, sewing materials, and a few extra evening hours. Baby Blue because even when the California sun is beaming down you can get the blues (and of course there's that one amazing song).
There's something about bright turquoise hair that just makes you take everything a little less seriously (in the best way possible). My hair is more colorful than ever and I think it adds a touch of nonchalant attitude to my daily outfits. Or maybe I just feel like I look cooler than I actually am, and if I can look a little cool then maybe I can eventually be half as cool as Rihanna,.
Even though the Fourth of July is seemingly the one national holiday where almost everyone in the country gets very festive with their clothing choices, I decided to just wear something that made me happy. Then again, isn't a neon band tee and cut off shorts pretty American? Nonetheless, this was my look of choice for an adventurous Saturday that included a stop at Randy's Donuts in Inglewood for some nostalgia and delicious carbs, and a pretty solid chunk of walking around Manhattan and Hermosa beach for people watching and fireworks. 10/10 would recommend both of the activities mentioned for good summer vibes.
PS. Inglewood (California) is also the setting of the movie Dope that I would definitely suggest seeing for an entertaining comedy that has one of the best sound tracks of the year, not to mention A$AP Rocky's beautiful face. Coincidentally, Vince Staples, one of the rappers that makes a brief appearance in the film, also recently put out an album entitled Summertime '06 that is in my opinion a great collection of music that should be looked at, a dark piece of work but certainly very listenable.
Ripped knees & t-shirts are the uniform of youth for the weekend. It's even better if the t-shirt has a bluntly stated Urban Dictionary vibe to it courtesy of some very cool Los Angeles designers (who you might have even seen in my last post getting tattooed).
Hey, its not bad to be young, and young at heart is even better.
Overalls: Red Light Vintage, Sneakers: Steve Madden
https://soundcloud.com/waylivecartel/doublecupped
Money is the Anthem?
Somewhere in the smoggy hills of LA's Griffith Park lays an abandoned zoo that used to house everything from lions to monkeys. Call it what you want in its current state, it now features a visual wonderland of graffiti and decaying structures that are equal parts cool and spooky. You can even make your way into some of the old cages and buildings by holes created in the fence, what's adventure without a little bit of danger? Though the only danger in this case might be getting a cut from the jagged iron edges. Nonetheless, this is certainly a cool location for a day time trip, or to take some out of town visitors for a "weird Los Angeles" experience. And hey, you could also bring some spray paint to test your artistic talent...
A cashier at Target recognized Schoolboy owns this hat, small world.
You know this is my favorite necklace...
New addition to the apartment, a project I did for my Color & Design Theory class
Layers.
Knee rips might be the new distressed.
Don't take me too seriously.
Some days are for bright, happy colors, some days are for dark clothes that might bluntly state, "Ok, I go to fashion school." But regardless of the palette, I like to mix up my looks to create my personal style. There are times when I feel like dressing a little more feminine in a shorter dress and heels, and others when there's nothing I'd rather do than cover my body in black leather and quickly walk down the street blasting Travis Scott.
The first look was just something I put together on a normal school day about a week ago (though a little brighter than usual for my painting class), but the look above is what I wore yesterday to go see the Los Angeles Collections runway shows for LA Fashion Week. Since I intern for Style Smith who organized the event, I got the lucky chance to get a glimpse of what some new designers are putting out to the world (a much better post class activity than usual). Because I managed to get some pictures and video I will be putting together a little review of tidbits of the two days that you should be on the look out for in the near future! I also have some creative ideas brewing in my head that I'll be working on during my upcoming spring break and will certainly post more to let you a little more into my head.
Even though I tried, I could not escape the constant talk of Valentine's Day (or the floral arrangements on every street corner in this city). So to be at least somewhat festive/sociable for this "holiday" I decided to bring out my furry and (very) pink purse. Bam. A touch of color added to my all white Saturday afternoon outfit. Simple but still with a hint of fun.
My good friend (and puppy owner) Caroline decided to take another route completely and rock a very badass, black look for the day; watch out boys...
PS. If you see a group of girls talking loudly at Roscoes tonight it might be us.
Once in a lifetime you find a shirt so dope that you justify spending 79 dollars for a simply cut and sewn piece of fabric. Then again this isn't really just a t-shirt, it has the pretty mother#%$@! himself and the (formerly) blonde pop goddess Sky Ferreira (along with a menage of Tumblr photos) . So really it was an investment of pop culture glory.
This triumph of an item was found at Dope, a street-wear store in LA's Fairfax shopping area. I visited this stylish street post volunteering at The Grove, knowing very well I would probably spend some cash I don't have/shouldn't use. If I somehow ended up dating Drake in my later years (ahem or Rocky) the first thing I would do after having him sing for me would be to take me on a Fairfax shopping spree, its a heaven of printed tops and leather sneakers! But lets be real any place where the rap is blasting and the men are well dressed is quite okay with me.
In case you need to get your boyfriend, girlfriend, or self some Christmas gifts:
