INSPIRATION & REALIZATION

Shirt from American Apparel, Levi's jeans, vintage tie, watch, belt, and calf hair boots.

I saw this photo on tumblr and was inspired to try the stlye out for myself...


Photo from
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It was one of those instances when at once you're jolted with inspiration, you're jolted with realization as well, that you have just the right pieces to recreate a look. I knew I had just the right sheer shirt and tie to make a rough copy of the outfit in the photo. I added some thick leather accessories in my rendition to make the look more masculine, and calf hair boots just because they’re awesome.

I love how cheeky the styling in the photo is (this is the second post in succession I've used cheeky to describe the fashions on this blog and I guess it's because they are!). Neckties that stray beyond the realm of a suit often become captive to fashionable ambiguity (much like berets, which I blabbed about last post), but to me the confines of fashionable ambiguity are fertile ground for new ideas and new twists. I guess that's why I get so excited and inspired over styles that make you go "huh?"

Thanks for reading guys! I've started a Facebook page for DOD. I thought it'd make reading DOD easier if new posts showed up in your Facebook subscriptions, so my charming mug will only be a click away!

Click to like Denim on Denim on Facebook!


-Cruz

THE BERET CLICHE

Levi's denim jacket, tanktop from American Apparel, beret, Popman jeans, western shirt, and snakeskin boots are all vintage.

I shot this look a little while back, I figured Denim on Denim's third birthday would be an appropriate time for a look so heavy on the denim. I was inspired by 70's David Bowie and sailor motifs. I love playing around with berets, they've become such a cliched notion in the realms of fashion and style (especially for guys, and I mean your average joe guys, not card carrying frenchmen), but I love how that gives berets a tongue-in-cheek effect.




I thank my lucky scales everyday for these boots!


Thanks so much for reading and for your support of Denim on Denim!
-Cruz

TWO BOOTS TSHIRT

Lee jacket, boots shirt, Levi's jeans, Eddie Cochran pin, Arizona pin, and paint splattered boots, all vintage

A "What are you wearing today?" post, but in my case it's a "What were you wearing the other day and recreated in your backyard?" post.


I got this shirt at Out of the Closet in Atwater Village around New Years. I'm a big fan of boot motifs, I love the colors too. And no, I haven't tried calling the phone number on the shirt. Dave should be thankful I'm giving his business such ~lucrative exposure~.

I found the lucite necklace at a Wiccan shop on Sunset. Always happy to get more glass!

-Cruz

DARK CASHMERE

Levi's denim jacket and jeans, vintage cashmere sweater, vest, belt, and boots

Despite tenacious efforts made by me and fellow fashion enthusiasts to emulate our favorite runway looks, sometimes you wind up hitting a dead end. I remember when I first saw Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 08/09 show, I became frustrated when I realized I could not materialize the inspiration I received from the show's avant-garde, space age materials (I even considered purchasing a wetsuit and carving it into my own rough vision haha).

Luckily, some materials are easier to come by, so if you're reading about denim, leather, and cashmere used in Rick Owens pieces, you actually have a shot of coming by them (Granted they're not gonna be in his signature cuts, that's when it's up to you to make it interesting). So that was more or less what was going through my head this time, reading about the unbridled luxury of Rick Owens' designs inspired me to seek out some dark cashmere to warm me this winter, by which I mean yanking a sweater from my brother's closet.

I wanted to throw in elements used in Rick Owens' collections like dark denim to help create the illusion. I like pairing my black denim vest over my blue denim jacket because you don't really see those two so closely paired. Despite the Rick Owens fuel, to me, this outfit looks more like a Karlheinz Weinberger subject, which is fine too. Kind of a wordy post for a casual outfit but I think it's fun to retrace my thought process.



-Cruz

THE MAN WITH NO NAME AND HEATHER GREY

Vintage jacket, necklace, bracelet, jeans, and Doc Martens, shirt from Urban Outfitters

I was excited to stumble upon two of my favorite things united on a t-shirt: the man with no name and heather grey. I love the idea of wearing your idols and inspirations on a shirt, like these shirts here...


What I would give to get my hands on one of these shirts!

Because the shirt is from such a large retailer, I decided to style the shirt in a more individualistic and self indulgent way to figuratively mark my territory on it. I was thinking seventies and western while putting it together, with the pairing of denim, suede leather, and corduroy. I threw on the Docs because I'm always trying to achieve that gritty spaceman look.


I borrowed this necklace from my dad. Great pendant, perfect length, lustrousness etc.


I'm really into mid-century tiki and surf stuff so this bracelet was a great find. I'm always into wearing sunny motifs in the middle of winter.



Happy 2012 everyone - thanks for reading!

-Cruz