05 June 2011

Zach and Michael

Friends told me to check out "The Golden Doodle" at the Fireproof Storage Building on the cusp of the Old City. (You may know it as the building visible from Hall of Fame Blvd. with the brightly colored mural spanning the side.) The show is immense, literally covering the walls and floor, and features the work of eight artists.

Below are two of the artists, Zach and Michael, posing in a corner of the show and their brief take on fashion influences.



Zach: My work is very colorful and busy so I tend to wear pretty neutral stuff. My house is the same way: very minimal.

Michael: Of course you want to take my picture when I'm wearing something conservative. Thanks.

01 May 2011

Progressive Student Alliance

I'm glad to see UT's Progressive Student Alliance is so active. Contrast is good for the city and we need someone to show the world that not everyone from East Tennessee is an ignorant homophobe. Below are some standout Knox Looks from a recent fundraising event. The performers were in drag and I think the audience (with the stylish exception of Stacy below) missed an opportunity to transgress some cultural norms.

I knew already knew Joseph as a talented musician, but last night he revealed he has lovely legs too.


Stacy's style is inspired by Dr. Who and her ever-present moustache tattoo. I think suspenders and a bowtie are a winning combination for any gender.

Astrid listed "new wave love" as her style influence. I think that's maybe what could help the aforementioned ignorant state representatives: more new wave love.

27 April 2011

Claire and Helen

These girls get it. Both welcomed spring in printed cotton dresses. Claire cited Keira Knightley as a style influence and said she was looking for something light and springy for Easter.

I'm not normally a flip flop fan, but Helen makes me want to go get a pair of simple gold ones. I recommend the Marshall's on Clinton Highway and/or AmVets on Magnolia Ave. Where do you think is the best place in Knoxville for shoes?

Bonus points if you can name the location framing these two women.

10 April 2011

Carlos


It was really warm today. Hot, really. A reminder that when summer comes to East Tennessee, there will be lots and lots of sweating. It's hard to keep it together sartorially when the humidity and heat creep up. Carlos has it down.

The man is prepared for heat and remains suave. Dapper hat. Crisp blue shirt. All American jean shorts. Brazilian flip flops.  Shucking oysters like he does it all the time. Let's all take note and aspire to such casually bespoke weekend looks.

30 March 2011

Dale

Put a bird in it!

I ran into two women last week who had feather extensions in their hair. The latter of the two, Dale Mackey, got hers installed at the Chop Shop Hair Studio on North Central. When asked about the appeal of permanent plumage, Ms. Mackey said, "I can curl it. I can wash it. I can style it. And I got it because I succumb to peer pressure easily. It's a fact."

16 March 2011

One Bling to Rule Them All

Remember the multi-jointed semi-goth silver ring thing Angelina Jolie's character wore in the movie Hackers? No, well it was thrilling, but a little too Ren Fair for most Knoxvillians. This ring from the Black Market on Market Square is a nice compromise. Aggressive, but dressier.

01 January 2011

2011 and Tara

Good-bye months-long blog hiatus. Hello new year. Hello Tara and her sculptural skirt. Her look was inspired by rummaging through her closet to see what she had available. She got the dress from Ross about six months ago for $19. Shoes she's had for years and are from K-Mart. The vest was a gift from a couple of Christmases ago. Here's to 2011!

12 September 2010

State of Fashion Blogging

Almira & John Deitz (LOC)


I've been thinking lately that it might be time for KNOXLOOKS to bite the dust. Better to cut it off than have it continue to limp along, right? Or better to pass it on to someone who goes out more often than I do. Could it be you? No really, think about it.

In contrast to the thin trickle at this site, Kate Furst's column, The Casual Observer, in the Metropulse is a great example of the quality and quantity of Knoxville-fashion-blogging that I aspire to match (although no one, in my opinion, can measure up to prolific posting and creative fashion documented by Hel-looks, the blog which this one imitates). I especially like that Ms. Furst finds stylish people who are over 30 years old. Forget Forever21.

The Sartorialist is another fine blog documenting street fashion in sexy cities like Paris, Milan, and New York. One might think that finding fashionable people in cities like this would be like shooting fish in a barrel, but you still have to get the shot and Scott Schuman does. It helps also if you work in fashion.

Our bigger sister city, Nashville, has the aptly named Nashville Fashion Blog, although it is more concerned with fashion and retail culture than it is documenting random folks on the street. Nashville also seems to have a more active (or at least more visible) scene of local designers. Enough to stock an entire store of locally designed clothing, Local Honey. Knoxville briefly had the ill-fated Indigo (in what is now Räla -- hooray for Räla) on Union Ave., but most of its product lacked the wit and charm of the stuff you'll find at Local Honey (when you travel to Nashville for your next shopping trip, of course).

I hope for Knoxville's fashion design culture to grow...or to emerge, maybe I'm just not aware of what already exists. While I'm wishing for things, I would also like a team of sassy young interns who scour the city looking for distinctive style, photographing those folks, and posting the results here. I would also like a pony and quality health care.

05 September 2010

Kennith























Kennith made his necklace out of napkin rings found at a craft store. "I'd originally wanted to make a necklace with a bunch of crosses, but I found these. I'd still like to do one with crosses."

Lauren and Tomi























Both women described their fashion this evening as inspired by a last chance to dress summery.