So last week, on this so-called “island” of Manhattan, it was a cool ten degrees above freezing. Now, being that it was TWENTY DEGREES outside, I gave myself a strict two exits per day max. As it turns out, street style is hard to capture when your university’s entire student body has devolved into temporary hibernation. Luckily, on my second allotted venture into the snow, I ran into this fearless Fashionista who was not only brave enough to venture into the frigid abyss that is Morningside Heights, but managed to look good while doing it. Comfortably nestled somewhere between Jack White and Patti Smith on the style spectrum, this expert accessorizer demonstrates an unparalleled mastery of that slightly unkempt but entirely attractive model-off-duty look that we all say we’re “going for” on those days when we’ve forgotten to wash our hair. A die-hard Alexander Wang fan (and one time intern of the brand), this Fashionista has a collection of Rocco bags that will blow your mind, including the embossed black suede version pictured below, and slightly slouchier black leather. However, in this particular ensemble, it wasn’t just her studded leather carryall that caught my eye, but rather her awesomely weathered pair of ankle boots from the designer’s fall 2010 collection. Appropriately deemed the Beatle Boot, this “business in the front, party in the back” shoe adds a rock and roll twist to the classic Chelsea shape with a laser-cut, metal-plated heel. This Fashionista admits that after seasons of wear and tear her perfectly weathered boots are comfortable enough to trudge through the snow and versatile enough to throw on with anything. Now, we should all know by now how I feel about snow, but I can’t even blame her. I’d willingly walk anywhere (and by anywhere I mean a maximum of three blocks and under the protection of several parkas and/or foil blankets) in those bad boys.
So how can you get this look? As it turns out that “can’t quite put your finger on it” effortlessness is a lot less calculated than one might think. In fact, this Fashionista attributes her sartorial sensibility to an actual lack of effort. She takes cues from people like Alison Mosshart from the Kills, Tilda Swinton, Agyness Deyn and “anyone who can do edgy menswear without actually being mistaken for a man.” She “just put my jeans on one leg at a time, and more often than not, those jeans are dirty… because [she] never has any money to put on [her] laundry card.” Her style is black, laid back and comfortable. She admits that she “spills things a lot and [is] liable to nap at any given moment, so it's important for clothes to be comfortable and stain-hiding.” She's taken many a nice cab-nap in the jacket pictured.
These Alexander Wang boots are her favorite shoes because they're comfortable, and make her look a lot tougher than she actually is, giving an otherwise uninteresting outfit an edge. You can even get your own go-to boots for under $200.00 here.
Spotted: The spring 2012 Theysken's Theory collection epitomizes that effortless, unkempt look with a line of go-to jeans, T-shirts and accessories perfect for the low key Fashionista in all of us.