Ruthie - Brooklyn Museum

I love seeing people who do something unique with a standard look. In this case, it's the jean skirt. Ruthie's skirt is a classic jean skirt - straight, short, cute. A staple of any frum girl's wardrobe. But her shirt is what really makes this outfit stand out. The bohemian style softens the lines of her skirt, and the colorful design adds a bright touch to the outfit.
Ruthie's shoes were great. Classic and simple, they complimented the colors of her shirt perfectly. The lines intersecting the toe and heel made them visually interesting, and that smooth leather just makes me drool.
Also - I love Ruthie's bobbed sheitel. Who needs to pay $2,500 for a long sheitel when they can look awesome in a short one? (Of course, they could still probably buy a used car for the amount they'll pay for it, but it's cheaper than the longer ones!)

Rafi - MIMULO, Crown Heights

Once again, we're featuring a dude on Hip in the Heights. It's a rare occurrence over here, less because there aren't well dressed gentlemen who cross my path and more because there are very few of whom I can photograph without them being, shall we say, overly complimented. (Perhaps this is an issue best addressed at a different blogging location.) Thankfully, in the safe haven of the remarkable flower shop Mimulo located on Albany Ave. between Eastern Parkway and Union St, under the supervision of the wonderful proprietors, Chanie Frankel and Fradel Levin, where you can purchase original and artistic flower arrangements for your spouse, host, or self, and, in general, escape the CH, I was able to capture the following:

Rafi is wearing an outfit (if anyone knows of a more masculine term, please inform me) that I liked for a few different aspects. The color scheme - gray, beige, black, tied together neatly with a coordinating scarf - is very sophisticated, and is also not black or navy blue. This is very important when judging a bochur's clothing. Has he managed to elude the restrictions upon his choice of clothing enough to be interesting and still be able to walk into 770, head held high? (Or in other words, conservative enough that no one will say anything.) 

Another aspect is contrast. Here, the pattern of his jacket and the heavy knit of his sweater create a contrast of pattern and fabric. The cut of the jacket and length of the sweater creates a contrast of shapes. 

Then of course, there is the all important, and highly favored, aspect of footwear. These are awesome. AWESOME. Stylized black - ooh, and don't forget pointy - wingtips? Awesome.

Zahava - Union and Albany, Brooklyn

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Zahava has incredible style. I met in her in Israel, and she had incredible style. In Israel. In seminary (Ok, she was a madricha at Machon Alte, but still, it was seminary in Israel).
This outfit just embodies so many things I love. Perfect combination, an awesome and very comfortable looking dress, nude fishnet stockings, and ankle-strap spectator pumps .
A closer look:

Melanie - College Avenue, Berkeley

Sometimes, things are just meant to be. While out running errands with a friend in my hometown, I spotted this young lady. I commented to my friend that she would be perfect for my blog. "Go back and take the shot!", she encouraged me. So I turned and walked straight up to this excellently attired girl, gave my (neccessarily) brief description of what I wanted from her and why, and (thankfully) took the shot you see above. Any devoted reader can already surmise what attracted my fashionist eye. The colors, the shapes, the Converse. How often do YOU see purple, pink, orange, and blue combined with such flair? The shapes of the pants and the tank top were simple, as well as the shape of her hair, contrasting delightfully with the bold colors and more complex detail of her jewelry.
It was on taking a closer shot of said jewelry that I noticed something. Something that made me realize why I stumbled across this particular girl at this particular moment.
Can you guess?
Yup, the little bitty Star of David. "Are you Jewish?", I asked, and of course, she was. Not only Jewish, but about to set off on her first-ever trip to Israel. Not willing to let this oppurtune encounter slip away, and not being the type who carries neshek in her purse, I had to think fast. I pulled a dollar from my wallet and gave it to her. "Give it at the Wall," I said. "Have a safe trip."
I hope she did.

Rachel - Los Angeles, CA

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Rachel is my (not actually physically related) cousin whom I love dearly, and miss dearly, because she is going to high school in Israel, the land of her soul. I took this picture in June, when she was finishing up her sophomore year at BCHS, my alma mater. I appreciated three elements about this outfit. The color, the coordination, and the (sheesh, I can't think of a word that starts with "c" to complete this sentence. If any readers have any ideas, please comment, and I'll edit accordingly) quirky touches.
The color: This shade of blue is a wonderful complement to Rachel's beautiful blondeness. It makes her skin look creamy and her eyes extra chocolately (ooh, I think I'm craving ice cream.) My point here is it's a great shade for her. The contrast between the dark blue shirt and the tan skirt is crisp and creates a nicely defined look.
The coordination: Take a closer look at Rachel's socks, and you will find the exact elements of her ensemble reflected there. I am a great lover of attention to detail and that definitely extends to footwear. (In fact, in a desperate moment when I was unable to find a pair of socks that matched my outfit, I chose to match my earrings to my socks.)
The (word starting with "c" that will imminently be inserted): The shoes. It's always about the shoes, but even more so in this scenario. Converse generally hold a special place in the portion of my heart devoted to fashion, but these! These! Colored laces - in only one shoe! Personal messages inscribed! Worn with socks and skirt! My affections overwhelm me!
I LOVE YOU, RACHEL!

Sunday Girl - San Jose Flea Market

BsdThis little girl was trailing her mother at the incredibly hige and hot San Jose Flea Market, yet still managed to look fresh and darling. One day, when I grow up and move to the South, this is what I want to wear when sipping mimosas and fanning myself as I sit on the porch swing.

Mushky - Jewish Heritage Night, San Francisco

BsdThere's nothing like nachas. And there's nothing like feeling nachas when you're only twenty years old. And there's nothing to make you feel older than feeling nachas when you're only twenty years old. But how else do you describe the feeling of seeing a girl, whose three year birthday you remember celebrating, and realizing that she is a serious fashion contender? And also realizing that it's ten years later, and you are no longer a teen, and SHE IS.
Polka dotted shirt, a ball cap(and it is hard to wear one of those and look good!), and converse shoes? I wish I had looked like this at thirteen! (What was I thinking back then? Note to Self: Remember to burn pictures.).
A closer look at those suitably worn Converse:

Two Gentlemen of Style - Union Square, NYC and Simcha Monica, CA

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These two guys have very different styles. I could probably have added a couple of exclamation points to that sentence. They have nearly nothing in common, except they are both wearing jackets and hats. Obviously, for very different reasons. But it's kinda nice to see your average Joe (okay, fine, maybe he's not your average Joe, but he's still just some dude off the street. Off the wall too, but being off the wall when it comes to fashion is so much fun!) 's take on the hat and jacket which is so prevalent in my world.

Here's Guy Number One, hereon to be referred to as " Mr. Pink Jacket".
I owe this shot to my old roommate, who literally chased him down the street for me. What caught our eye was, rather obviously, the color. That's one of the things that I look for in people's outfits, and especially appreciate when seen on men. Mr. Pink Jacket did a wonderful job of framing his aforementioned pink jacket by selecting a variety of sky-blues to complement it. Awesome gray homburg (guys, feel free to correct me if I identified the hat wrong), and shiny pink tie are perfect accessories. Oh, and the flower on his lapel was for his mother. Awwww.

Unfortunately, for Guy Number Two (Or Mr. Brown Suit), I did not have the luxury of actually asking him to pose for me, and therefore, didn't manage to get a shot of the front of his suit. Once again, though, what appealed to me was the color. Yes, among Lubavitch, brown and green actually makes me think "Color! Wow!". I wonder how they got away with it in the seventies and eighties. How come they didn't enforce the penguin look back then? But I digress.
What I really loved is Mr. Brown Suit's shoes. Acid-washed leather brown shoes. With a teeny tiny bit of a point. Awesome. I love leather shoes that have been well-worn. They have so much more character. I wonder what adventures these shoes have been in....

Snapshots - Union Square, NYC

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These are a few shots I took at Union Square, when I first started the blog. In each one, what drew me were the silhouettes and colors these people chose.

The bright colors of her sweatshirt are balanced by this woman's gray pants. She keeps her silhouette clean and crisp. Perfect for running errands on a Sunday afternoon.

This cowgirl might very well be a cowboy in disguise. Your guess is as good as mine. What I liked was the pink theme that is maintained throughout the entire outfit. The contrast between the thigh high stockings and the mini mini skirt is also striking.
This woman is definitely hippie chic. Her red hair provides the color for this one, while her shirt, bag, and skirt provide a calm, soothing background. And I love how the kerchief picks up the gray from the skirt.

Katie - Oakland, CA

BsdKatie is here to prove that it's possible to be comfortable and cute. She looks crisp and sporty in her white-on-white combination. The scarf (which is the pefect summer accessory, if you live in the Bay Area) prevents the look from being overly simple. Her sunglasses and bag pick up the brown in her scarf, cleverly bringing the two tones together.
Her shoes are simple, comfortable, and obviously well-loved, a perfect conclusion to this outfit.

Jonathan - Nashville, Tennessee

Jonathan is a student here in Nashville, who deserves major kudos for hanging out with my nephew and I on Shabbos, while my sister had a baby girl. (That's my awesomely adorable, delicious, and incredibly intelligent nephew right there.) He also deserves kudos for his excellent fashion sense. For example, take a closer look at this great ring:

Here's the full view: green hat, Adidas, bouncy ball and all!
Compared to the faded tones of slim grey jeans and blue shirt, this maroon yarmulka provides a welcome burst of color. Colored yarmulkas are definitely one of my requirements for a guy to be considered "fashionable" enough for this blog.

And not only does Jonathan have that great yarmulka, but an even cooler hat to cover it with:

Vendor, Union Square, New York

I love when guys aren't afraid of color. This gentleman proves you can wear purple, pink, blue, etc and still look masculine! Also, his choice of flannel with jeans and beanie - perfect lazy Sunday wear. He creates the t-shirts on the rack behind him. The one directly behind his right arm is the one Chayale wears!

College Avenue, Berkeley

Elegance. This is sheer elegance. It's got such a 1940s feel to it, the little cap sleeves, fluffy neck tie, white hat tilted at a jaunty angle - even the muted colors fit the era. I love seeing such a feminine look, and such an elegant one, unlike the short-shorts and tank tops so predominant in a college town in the summer (or any other time of the year!). And it's still fresh and modern - check out these adorable shoes:

Chayale - Union and Albany

Chayale is an urban princess, according to our friend Rivkie. Looking at this shot, I must say that I agree wholeheartedly. But she is not holding a votive candle. It is a J and J's iced cappucino, which is the nectar of the Divine.
It's kinda hard to make a long jean skirt fancy, but Chayale manages to wear hers with grace and style. Also, her tshirt is awesome. And no one drapes their scarf like Chayale does.
Take a look:

A Stylish Pair - Los Angeles

They may be young, but they've got style!

Yellow Dress - Prospect Park

This caught my eye while out at the park on a sunny spring Sunday. Oooh. Alliteration. The pattern of the dress is nicely balanced by the gray tee underneath. She also keeps accessories to a minimum, giving the dress the full attention it needs. And I love the insouciance of those sunglasses.

Kaitlin - Albany Ave

Kaitlin is a great example of being "matchy- matchy". The shades of orange in her dress, sweater, and shoes are just different enough to make her outfit interesting, but close enough that they aren't jarring. The boldness of the colors is such a strong look, but the cut and pattern of her dress is feminine and summery.

Her sandals remind me of Israel:

Chaya - Kingston Ave

It's really hot and dry out here in California. So even though I told Chaya I'd be saving this shot for a rainy day, just imagining the rain is cooling me off, and I'm gonna go ahead and use it now.
Here, what caught my eye originally was Chaya's shoes. That bold 'pop' of color just makes me smile. Then it was the umbrella. I have a deep fondness for polka dots. After that, there was detail after detail that I just kept noticing. The shapes of her jacket and skirt, the round necklines, that great bag...
And great jewelry. Check out her earrings:

Those lovely, lovely shoes (and great legs to go with them!).

So cheerful and cute!

Dog Walker - Prospect Park

This woman has a wonderful monochrome scheme in her outfit. I tend to lean towards bright colors and light fabrics in the springtime, but she demonstrates that wearing muter shades can also be great springwear.
Truthfully, I really stopped her for her shoes:

I WANT THESE!

Take a closer look at the perforations on the edges of her shoes. The quality and detail of these are amazing.

Sunday Style - Rockridge BART

It's nice to see a kid dressed with such class and creativity. The orange shirt adds vivacity to the classic quality of his polished shoes and perfect suit. Someone's in his Sunday best!

Daniella - Israel in the Park, San Francisco

I love clothes that are cute, yet comfortable. Clothes that look great, but that you can also get dirty in. This is a great example of that. Daniella has a military air to her outfit, but softens the look with subtle feminine touches.

Like these nude fishnet stockings, paired with wide buckled shoes:

A fashionable alternative to bulky camera straps:

Photographer - Eastern Parkway and Albany

This guy's got a casual, comfortable look, but what makes it interesting is all the details. Like the orange-framed glasses. Or the contrasting checks in his shirt and his pants (closer look below).
He takes what could be your classic bochur look - untucked shirt, crumpled pants - and adds style.

The look from behind - check out those tzitzis hanging proud!


A closer glance at his checked shirt and pants. Oh, and the adorable stuffed animal hanging from his camera bag:

His shoes were a combination of fancy French tips and worn out sneakers: