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.