Vintage tie-dye shirt, plaid shirt, boots, necklace, and watch, Gap leather pants
I'm always looking for ways to get away with wearing tie-dye and leather pants out of context. One way I like to is by pairing them both together, creating a sartorial surf and turf mix. I threw on my brother's plaid shirt and some paint splattered boots for some added pattern and texture. Apart of my "ball up whatever you think is cool and make some sense of it" approach towards dressing.
-Cruz
Levis' jacket, American Apparel shirt, vintage iron cross, pantaloons, and boots
While trying on my dad's boots, I was stricken with the inspiration (courage? foolishness?) to explore the outer limits of male leg cleavage. To step into these territories, I had to first unite the boots with my pantaloons, which created the eye in which to pass through to enter said territories. I then played around with a few pieces from my wardrobe and came up with this outfit, which came into fruition by way of inspiration from stage outfits worn by The Stooges, like Iggy Pop's thigh high leather boots or Ron Asheton's iron cross. I figured when you're this far into such bizarre territories, you might as well have fun. I'd like to explore proportions yielding man cleavage again sometime and make sense of it, I wouldn't be doing my duty as a self-professed stylist if I didn't!
Here's a big ole detail shot of the boots for your time.
-Cruz
I came up with this look when I was staying at my parents' house a while back and I realized I hadn't packed enough clean clothes, so I threw on a few things I had left when I moved to Los Angeles. Even clean clothes aren't enough to keep me from looking like trash (sTylE TiP: Wearing your hair dirty lowers any look to grimy depths!)!
If I can make any sense of this outfit myself, I'd say it has roots in the inspiration I get from rhinestone cowboys, Galliano guys , and my interest in tawdry glamour, like Jackie Curtis' stubble showing through his makeup. There's some black magic in this outfit, if you squint you might get Ed Hardy vibes from the tiger-glitter resonance!
It's fun to mix and match accessories, but it's even more fun to mix and match animals in your outfits! I don't see tiger and horse motifs paired up very often, so I thought it'd be fun to try it out myself. I'd had the button-up for ages, I'll do another post on it sometime and give it the dignity it deserves.
-Cruz
Vintage jacket, arrowhead necklace, bark tee, and Doc Martens, American Apparel jeans
I've been studying a lot of armor lately, and I think the idea of what your wearing also being able to save your skin has seeped into my styling goals. Although these vintage Doc Martens probably won't protect me from any real danger, they do shield my shins from the garbage and hobo piss ridden landscape I traverse everyday. I suppose if I ever find myself hurled into a high-speed body-to-pavement skidding situation, these boots might save some of my skin?
I think my love and fascination with armor and the armor-esque does not come from some sort of vulnerability complex, but rather from my utilitarian sensibility towards clothes. If you're going to wear something cool, it might as well actually serve a purpose! I should probably mention the fluttering nature of that sensibility, because I have my fair share of peacock feathers in my closet, but nonetheless I try my best to reflect my appreciation for the functional (but never boring) with my clothing choices, if only at my feet.
I like how the stripes of my jacket match the lines of the boots. In a fit of loose association I will mention how the color palette and vague references of my clothes evoke a motocross-rider-crashing-into-a-tree-and-burning-up-his-bike narrative.
Close up of the several strap action.
I love this speckled arrowhead necklace I yanked from my dads collection. I could divulge to you some imagery those speckles bring to mind, but I've maxed this post out with morbid text.
-Cruz
