#i have just jeans. sweatpants. and Color Pants. and the aforementioned dress pants

[psychosomaticdeicide]

I was going to dress more casually but then I looked at the pictures from last year's event so I guess I'm wearing an oversized plaid polo shirt with black dress pants and boots.

[dippedanddripped]

As the number of abandoned storefronts and closed retail outlets continues to mount, the once unremarkable activity of shopping at brick-and-mortar stores can feel like reality askew — like a stroll through the Twilight Zone. As this glum new normal becomes, well, the norm, signs of life can be almost as jarring.

Take, for instance, a pair of storefront windows on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood. Just recently they were lifeless reminders of an upscale furniture store, now defunct. Then, in August, they began to fill with seemingly unconnected objects: bluejeans piled in a chest-high mound, a lounge chair upholstered in denim, a mannequin in a jumpsuit with an eyeball for a head standing amid a sea of paint-splattered drop cloths.

Hand-painted signage in the other window offered only that this “Appointment Only” storefront with the cryptic displays, and the 6,000 square feet of retail space behind them, are the domain of Gallery Dept.

Despite the name, Gallery Dept. isn’t a gallery or a department store but a hybrid clothing label that sits somewhere in the Venn diagram overlap between street wear label, denim atelier, neighborhood tailor and vintage store. Just as accurately, you could call Gallery Dept. the personal art project of its founder Josué Thomas, a designer whose own creative urges are just as disparate and layered.

With so many small brands in a state of retreat this summer, Mr. Thomas’s label has not only weathered these spirit-crushing conditions but thrived. In less than two years, Gallery Dept. has moved from a crowded workshop a few blocks down Beverly Boulevard to its new space in part because its hoodies, logo tees, anoraks and flare-cut jeans — each designed and hand-painted by Mr. Thomas on upcycled or dead-stock garments — have become unlikely objets d’art in a crowded street wear market.

This corner of the fashion industry is a crowded one, and in recent years there have been a glut of collaborations and merch drops that have taken on a corporate cadence. In contrast, Gallery Dept. is something of a bespoke operation, offering street wear basics that are blessed with an artist’s (in this case Mr. Thomas’s) singular touch.

Mr. Thomas began to cut jeans and screen-print shirts as the mood struck in 2017, and since that time Gallery Dept. has grown from an underground cult label for collectors to one with atmospheric clout after being worn by Kendall Jenner, LeBron James, Kendrick Lamar and two of the three Migos (Offset and Quavo).

Those lucky enough to enter the appointment-only space, now booked with up to 20 appointments a day, are greeted inside by a 20-foot-tall span of wall that reads, “Art That Kills” in a large crawl text, and the occasional reference to Rod Serling’s seminal sci-fi program.

Throughout the sunlit store, Mr. Thomas’s abstract paintings and writings fill the spaces between clothing racks and bright brass shelves heavy with the brand's thick hoodies and sweatpants. Over the chug of sewing machines, one can hear snippets of bossa nova Muzak, a vinyl-only mix also made by Mr. Thomas. (There are also plans to release music by other artists, including the New York rapper Roc Marciano, under an Art That Kills imprint.)

Gallery Dept.’s new space was financed on the strength of e-commerce sales from this past spring, and not with the help of venture capital or outside investors, Mr. Thomas said on a recent walk-through. This freedom gives him and the label, which now employs 12 people, the freedom to operate on its own esoteric terms. And there are a few. In the store’s dressing rooms, there are no mirrors to survey a fit. (“We’re going to tell you if a piece works or not,” he said.) Nor are there price tags on its garments.

“If the first thing you look at is the price, it’s going to alter your thinking about a piece,” he said. “I’d rather people engage with the clothing first.”

The Gallery Dept. does not indulge pull requests from stylists or send its pieces to influencers, a practice Mr. Thomas explains with a trace of punk indignation.

“Kendall doesn’t get a discount,” he said. “We don’t seed. I don’t care who it is — we don’t cater to different markets.”

Wearing cutoff carpenter pants and a white T-shirt, each dusted in a fine rainbow splatter, Mr. Thomas looked every bit like an artist roused from his creative flow, complete with paint-stained hands and individually colored fingernails. Standing in a mauve-carpeted room, Mr. Thomas pointed out his latest ideas: pewter jewelry in eccentric shapes, like an earring in the shape of a zipper pull, made in collaboration with the Chrome Hearts offshoot, Lone Ones, and shorts cut from dead-stock military laundry bags — while explaining the origins of his own style.

“I liked my parent’s clothing growing up,” Mr. Thomas said. “As a teenager, I was able to fit into my dad’s leather jacket. The beat-up patina on it was perfect, and I realized that that was personal style. It was something you couldn’t go to a store and buy.”

Mr. Thomas, who turned 36 in September, never studied fashion or garment making, and he can’t work a sewing machine. But growing up as the son of immigrants from Venezuela and Trinidad, he watched as his parents subsisted on their raw artistic skills to create a life in Los Angeles. And he now uses those same talents as an artist and designer: sign-painting, tie-dying, screen printing. For a short time, his father, Stefan Gilbert, even ran a private women’s wear label.

Similarly, in his early 20s, Mr. Thomas worked at Ralph Lauren. As one of the few Black people in creative roles in a predominantly white company, he soon realized that the only way to survive in the fashion industry would have to be with a project of his own making.

“I was the ‘cool’ Black guy, but there was nowhere for me to go,” he said. “Best case would have been sourcing buttons for women’s outerwear or something.”

Gallery Dept.’s spontaneous inception came about in 2016 when Mr. Thomas sold a hand-sewn denim poncho off his own back to Johnny Depp’s stylist. At the time Mr. Thomas was focused on making beats and D.J.-ing, but after selling all of the pieces he’d designed for a small trunk show at the Chateau Marmont, he realized he’d discovered a new creative lane.

It had less to do with ponchos, which were dropped from subsequent collections, and more to do with old garments being remixed in the heat of artistic paroxysm, with as little second-guessing as possible. With the help of Jesse Jones, a veteran tailor, Mr. Thomas began churning out made-to-order pieces for customers who often were unaware of what, exactly, they had stumbled into.

“We were creating pieces while we were selling them,” he said.

Working with heavy vintage shirts, hoodies, trucker hats, bomber jackets, whatever was at hand, Mr. Thomas would frequently screen-print the brand’s logo, adding paint or other flourishes as the feeling struck.

Today that extends to long-sleeve tees, sweatpants and socks. At the time, he also began blowing out the silhouette of vintage Levi’s 501s and Carhartt work pants into a subtle flare, accented with patches and reinforced stitching, resulting in a streetwise update of the classic boot-cut jean.

Mr. Thomas christened this style of jeans the “LA Flare.” And where denim has so historically hewed to “his” and “her” categories, the LA Flare is the zeitgeist-y “they” of street wear denim. (The label labels its items as “unisex.”)

The jeans come with a luxury item’s price tag, with a basic version starting at $395. Custom tailoring and additional touches by Mr. Thomas, can push the price upward of $1,200. One early collaboration with Chrome Hearts, a pair of orange-dyed flares patched with that brand’s iconic gothic crosses, has gone for $5,000 on Grailed.

“There is nothing like Josue’s repurposed jeans,” said George Archer, a senior buyer at Mr Porter. “They are both a wearable piece and a work of art. No one else is doing what he’s doing.”

For Mr. Archer, who first noticed the Gallery Dept. logo popping on men in Tokyo in March, Mr. Thomas “interprets and creates” clothing as if it was an end in itself — and not a commodity to be monetized. (Nonetheless, Mr Porter hopes to monetize a collection of Gallery Dept. pieces via its e-commerce site later this year.)

“You can feel the warmth of Josue’s hands on each of the pieces,” said Motofumi Kogi, the creative director of the Japanese label United Arrows & Sons. An elder statesmen of Tokyo’s street wear scene, Mr. Kogi found the label on a trip to Los Angeles last year. It’s not only Mr. Thomas’s artistic touch that stands out to him but his vision for remaking a staid garment into something that Mr. Kogi believes has not been seen before.

“He took this staple of hip-hop culture and refreshed it,” he said, referring to Carhartt pants.

Getting the people who make that culture to buy in was another matter. “The first year we did the flare, in 2017, skinny jeans were in,” Mr. Thomas said. “Rappers would come into the shop and say they’d never wear a flare. Now, everyone is wearing it.”

On Instagram, fit pics by rappers like Rich the Kid, along with the aforementioned Migos, Quavo and Offset, Gallery Dept.’s flare has become a familiar silhouette, skinny jeans breaking loose below the knee, usually coiled up at the ankle around a pair of vintage Air Jordans.

One fan of the jeans, Virgil Abloh, sees Mr. Thomas’s “edit” of the classic garment as the next chapter of its history.

“Their flare cut is the most important new cut of denim in the last decade — since the skinny jean,” Mr. Abloh said. A self-described Levi’s “obsessive” who owns more than 20 pairs of Gallery Dept. jeans, he walked into Mr. Thomas’s workshop one day after a routine stop at the Erewhon Market across the street.

“I thought: ‘This is amazing. Here’s some guys editing their own clothes in a shop,’” he said. “It reminded me of what I was doing when I started out, painting over logos, making hand-personalized clothes.”

Mr. Abloh considers Mr. Thomas’s work to be the fashion equivalent of “ready-made” art, and he offers Shayne Oliver of Hood by Air as a distant contemporary. He suggested that he and Mr. Thomas come from a lineage of Black designers that is still in the process of defining itself.

“He’s a perfect example of someone creating their own path from a community that hasn’t traditionally participated in fashion,” Mr. Abloh said. “I see Josue as making a new canon of his own, showcasing what Black design can do.”

Mr. Thomas didn’t argue with that. But he was also a little preoccupied with whatever was taking place at the tips of fingers to get lost in the thought. The future of his brand, after all, depends on his ability to stay in that moment.

“People want things that aren’t contrived,” he said, pulling at his own shirt to drive the point home. “This paint came from me working. I wanted to recreate this feeling. Once something is contrived, when you can see through it, it’s ruined. There’s only so much you want to explain.”

[the-traveler-errant]

100 Character Questions  for Dust

So there was a thing I saw a while back that was supposed to be one of those things where someone sends a number, and you answer a question for it, and instead of doing that, I just went ahead and filled all of them out for my reaper character, Dust, an extremely apathetic hitman for the forces of The Divines and the Abyss who goes after necromancers and undead creatures. 

I spent too much time on this. It’s going under the break. 

1. What do they smell like?

He smells faintly of lemons and gunsmoke.

2. What is their voice like?

He doesn’t have a voice, and speaks through sign language, writing, or occasionally telepathy if in the presence of a mindreader/psychic.

3. What is their biggest motivator?

He exists almost completely for his job, that of collecting escaped or kidnapped souls and executing necromancers on behalf of the forces of The Divines and The Abyss. He comes to realize that he truly believes the dead should rest in peace, or they should endure whatever torment they’ve earned in the afterlife, and those who disturb them need to be put down.

4. What is their most embarrassing memory?

He has no memory of his life before he became The Reaper, and due to his uncomfortable amounts of apathy toward anything that isn’t his job. He’s basically a supernatural Terminator.

5. How do they deal with/react to pain?

One of the perks of being The Reaper is having an extraordinarily high pain tolerance, to the point where broken limbs are just inconvenient because they keep him from moving properly. However if he takes too much damage, he temporarily fades into a different dimension where he starts to rebuild himself, before reappearing at something he calls a “Sanctuary”, a place that connects him to the mortal plane, and potentially other realms as well. It usually takes him about an hour or so to reform, depending on how messed up he is.

6. What do they like to wear?

Loose hoodies, jeans or sweatpants, sneakers. After he finally starts making friends, they start to encourage him to try finding a better style, and he starts wearing actual outfits that aren’t just lazily put together.

7. Which of their relationships have impacted them most positively?

An angel and demon, who are his connections to The Divines and The Abyss, eventually befriend him and convince him to start acting with more of an identity and personality outside of his job. They offer him advice, and he starts to help them with personal issues that they’re otherwise unable to perform themselves due to certain laws.

8. What’s the weirdest thing they’ve ever eaten?

The first time he tried baking, it didn’t go very well for him. It was especially weird because it was the first time he had tried eating since becoming The Reaper and returning to the mortal realm. He did discover that he actually has a preference for food: lemons.

9. Describe the way that they sleep.

He doesn’t. Instead of sleeping, he reads or practices certain tricks that he feels will help him do his job more efficiently. Later on he starts baking, and learns how to play the cello.

10. What is their favorite food/kind of food?

Anything with lemons, or anything lemon flavored.

11. What do they feel most insecure about?

Nothing that really comes to mind right now.

12. How do they like to dress?

Once he gains a sense of style, he likes to wears grey pants, a black turtleneck, and a black coat.

13. How do they react to feelings of guilt?

Confusion mostly. He doesn’t really know much about being close enough to someone to feel bad if he’s wronged them, and has a sort of blunt logic about all his actions. Though he does try to apologize and understand why what he did hurt them, or why he should feel bad.

14. How do they react to/deal with betrayal?

He’s unsurprised and sort of takes it as a minor inconvenience that he expected. Everyone wants a chance to cheat death afterall.

15. What is their greatest achievement?

Taking down a revenant that had been summoned specifically to slay him, every time he regenerates, thus allowing a prolific Necromancer to work uninterrrupted for an extended period of time. It took a lot of cunning and trickery to take it down, but he managed it.

16. What are they like when they’ve gotten too little sleep?

N/A

17. What are they like when they’re drunk?

N/A

18. What kind of music do they enjoy?

Noir-styled jazz music and piano solos.

19. Are they right or left handed?

Ambidextrous.

20. Fears?

Losing his only friends now that he actually has something he cares about, and failing to live up to the reputation of the previous Reaper.

21. Favorite kind of weather?

Windy nights.

22. Favorite color?

Black and yellow.

23. Do they collect anything?

Non-fiction books, antique weapons, occult texts.

24. Do they prefer either hot or cold weather more?

Cold. He likes having an excuse to wear long coats and scarves and give himself that ominous look of Death waiting with their cloak in the wind.

25. What is their eye color?

He doesn’t have eyes, but his eye-sockets glow with light-blue embers that act as a sort of pupil.

26. What is their race/ethnicity?

His actual body is composed of solidified shadows and smoke that resemble something humanoid, and his head is a skull missing its lower jaw. So, uh, I guess his race is “Grim Reaper”?

27. Hair color?

None.

28. Are they happy where they are currently?

He has friends, a purpose, and a cat. He is content.

29. Are they a morning person?

Can you technically be a morning person if you never sleep?

30. Sunrise or sunset?

Sunset. That’s the time that most Necromancers begin their work, and that means he gets to go to work against them.

31. Are they more messy or more organized?

Organized to a fault.

32. Pet peeves?

Anyone who thinks they can tempt him with knowledge of his previous life, or who call themselves the masters of life and death, and people who make excessively long megalomaniacal speeches.

33. Do they own any objects of significant personal importance?

His pistol that he carries around nearly everywhere. It was his first weapon, and it has the word “Taxes” engraved in the barrel. It was the first clue to his friends that he actually had a personality lurking in that not-so-empty skull of his.

34. Least favorite food?

Blueberries.

35. Least favorite color?

Greenish-brown.

36. Least favorite smell?

Burned lemons or gasoline.

37. When was the last time they cried?

Not since he became The Reaper. He just feels a sort of hollowness now if he ever feels anything close to sad.

38. Were they with anybody the last time they cried?

Nope. Utterly alone.

39. Tell us about one of the times they got injured?

That aforementioned revenant broke his arms and legs and kept him damaged enough to not move, but not regenerate somewhere else. If it weren’t for his Demon contact dragging him out and forcing Dust to claim his mortal home as a sanctuary, he would have been completely boned.

40. Do they have any scars?

Nope.

41. Do they struggle with any mental health issues?

Depression.

42. Do they have any bad habits?

Workaholic, he hyper-focuses on tasks, and isolates himself too much.

43. Why might someone dislike them?

He’s almost too robotic, he’s creepy and silent, he’s literally Death, he’s not very social or good at anything involving social activity, and his humor is very dry since he’s not used to telling jokes or understanding them.

44. Why might someone love them?

He’s studious, loyal to what few friends he has, starts to genuinely care about his purpose and the principles of freedom and rest associated with it, and he’s trying to be better and improve himself outside of just his job. He also never really lies, as he has no reason to most of the time. He’s also nothing if not a professional when it comes to his occupation.

45. Do they believe in ghosts?

Ahem. He is The Reaper. Who hunts undead. And necromancers. And trapped spirits.

46. Is there anyone they would trust with their lives?

The Angel and Demon who still need names.

47. Are they romantically interested in anyone?

Not right now.

48. Are they dating/married to anyone?

Nope.

49. Do they like surprises?

Nope.

50. When is their birthday?

November 1st.

51. How do they usually celebrate their birthday?

He’d ignore it, but his friends usually drag him out for something, even if it’s a quiet affair like a trip to a museum or antique store, maybe a restaurant or bakery.

52. Do they have any family?

Nope.

53. Are they close to their family?

N/A.

54. What is their MBTI type?

No idea.

55. What is their zodiac sign?

Apparently it’s “Scorpio”.

56. What Hogwarts House would they be in?

Ravenclaw, probably. He doesn’t have the ambition for Slytherin.

57. What D&D alignment are they?

Lawful Neutral, later Lawful Good.

58. Do they ever have nightmares? If so, what about?

Nope.

59. What are their views on death?

Depends on how clean the mirror is. He does believe that souls should be left alone where they are, and the dead should rest in peace, or the damned should endure their punishment until further notice. Anyone who thinks they can rule over Death is sorely mistaken.

60. What is something that they’re sure to laugh at?

He doesn’t really laugh, but he can give the impression of a small smile sometimes.

61. When bored, how do they pass time?

More work, weapon maintenance, target practice, or reading books on new techniques he might incorporate into his own work.

62. Do they enjoy being outside?

It’s too open for him. Too easy to be spotted.

63. Do they have an accent?

He signs, so not really.

64. Upon seeing a slice of chocolate cake, what is their first reaction?

No lemon, no interest.

65. If they knew they were going to die, what would they do/say?

Sigh very heavily and focus on a sanctuary to return to.

66. How do they feel about sex?

Not his thing.

67. What is their sexuality?

Asexual.

68. Do they become squeamish at the sight of blood?

Nope.

69. Is there anything that they find really gross?

Not really?

70. Which TV Trope(s) best describes them?

Man I am seventy questions into this, I’m gonna go ahead and pass on this one.

71. Do they enjoy helping people?

Not really, unless it’s something his friends ask him or if it lays souls to rest.

72. Are they allergic to anything?

Nope.

73. Do they have a pet?

He has a fluffy orange cat with a very flat face that he’s named Pluto.

74. Are they quick to anger? What are they like when they lose their temper?

Nope, he’s too apathetic and tired for that.

75. How patient are they?

As patient as Death. God that came out ediger than I intended.

76. Are they good at cooking?

He’s okay at baking, but he’s practicing and getting better.

77. Favorite insult? Do they insult people often?

Doesn’t really insult others at all.

78. How do they act when they’re particularly happy?

He doesn’t show it very well, but he does tend to move a little lighter and allows himself to do some more recreational stuff, like reading a book or practicing his music.

79. What do they do when they learn about other people’s fears?

Remembers it for later.

80. Are they trustworthy?

Unless you’re a necromancer or escaped soul, then yes, you can trust him completely.

81. Do they try to hide their emotions? Are they good at it?

Nope! He’s just very apathetic and not really good at even expressing his emotions.

82. Do they exercise regularly?

Another perk of being the Reaper is having very good physical prowess. Something just around an Olympic athlete's level of physique. He’s not the strongest or fastest, but he can at least go for silver and gold most of the time.

83. Are they comfortable with the way they look?

As comfortable as one can be when you have a body that’s literally shadows and a skull.

84. What are some physical features that they find attractive on people?

Nothing really.

85. What kind of personalities do they find attractive?

He just doesn’t really have a type, but he’s quicker to befriend others if they remind him of his Demon and Angel friends.

86. Do they like sweet foods?

Only if it’s lemon flavored.

87. What is their age?

N/A.

88. Are they tall or short or somewhere in between?

Short, somewhere just a hair under 5’3’’

89. Do they wear glasses or contacts?

Neither.

90. Do they consider themselves attractive?

Doesn’t really care.

91. What is their sense of humor like?

Very dry and a little too subtle. He doesn’t make many jokes, but he appreciates gallows humor and some references that he might actually understand. He usually surprises everyone if he ever cracks any kind of joke.

92. What mood are they most often in?

Neutral, or he’s either curious or confused.

93. What kinds of things anger them?

Disrespect toward the dead, anyone who threatens his friends.

94. Outlook on life?

To serve his purpose and find another one that he can choose for himself. He feels like the actual point of life is to live it and earn whatever you do in the afterlife. Wouldn’t have considered that question before he started befriending people.

95. What kind of things make them sad/depressed?

Nothing really, until he’s made aware of just how lonely he actually is. He just kinda forgot what it meant to be anything other than isolated and alone.

96. What is their greatest weakness?

He’s not good with any sort of socializing, and he’s bad at reading people and can be lied to easily. He focuses on his work too much, and ignores the fact that he was once human.

97. What is the greatest strength?

His ability to learn and adapt to any given situation, as well as his perfect memory. He can improvise in just about any situation.

98. Something that they regret?

Ignoring his friends’ invitations and attempts to befriend him for so long.

99. Biggest accomplishment?

Stopping a Lich from ascending to godhood and wiping out his army of undead near single-handedly, but that’s something I’m still tinkering with for the future.

100. Create your own!

He can be completely silent when he wants to be, and uses that to set up traps to make his job of assassinating undead creatures and necromancers much easier, and sometimes even flashier to spread his reputation and use that to prevent future Necromancers from trying anything.

[gothify1]

After over two years of working remotely as a fashion and beauty writer, I'm confident I've cracked the work-from-home code. For instance, I know the importance of taking regular, short breaks away from my computer to keep me alert and productive all day long. I know that keeping coffee at hand is a basic cardinal rule. I also know that I must change out of my pajamas as soon as I'm out of bed each morning, even if I wake up early with time to spare or I'm having a meeting-less day. If I stay in my pajamas, I won't feel as energetic or as mentally sharp as I need to be in order to tackle the first influx of emails. I also know that the clothes I change into need to strike a very specific balance. My outfits can't be too comfortable. Wearing sweatpants day in and day out would get a little, er , dispiriting—not to mention boring. They can't be too stiff and corporate-feeling, either, because comfort is key . Keep scrolling to see the five things I never wear when I work from home (and what I wear instead). As a writer, coffee shops have become my second home. When I work from a neighborhood coffee spot or a co-working space or if I'm meeting a colleague, I forgo uncomfortable heels in favor of more forgiving types, such as block heels, mules, and sleek flats. They complement the rest of my outfit and keep it looking elevated and professional without causing any dreaded chafing or blisters. My motto is never wear uncomfortable shoes if you don't have to, and you definitely don't have to if you work from home. I've always been a big fan of Loeffler Randall's mule shoes and have become a big fan of the brand's other offerings, like these knotted slides. The mid-heel gives me a little height without that feeling of teetering and instability that can come from a tall, corporate-looking stiletto. Slides are my go-to shoes for walking since they're so comfortable. I wear them all the time—when I'm walking to a meeting (in this instance I might pack another dressier pair of shoes in my bag) or just to grab a coffee in the middle of the day. If you haven't noticed yet, I have a thing for mules. This minimalist white-and-wood design gives me heart eyes. For some reason, I feel like pointed flats feel sleeker and more elevated than their round-toe counterparts. This pair is chic, summery, and budget-friendly—the trifecta. Aside from the occasional meeting or expert interview, I'm almost always in a casual environment (either the aforementioned neighborhood coffee shop, co-working space, or my apartment). Suit pants and trousers feel too formal and, well, corporate in these environments. That's why I almost never wear them. Instead, I invest in a few pairs of foolproof and versatile jeans that can be dressed up or down depending on the situation. For my more casual days spent working from the comfort of my own home, I opt for a distressed and high-waisted pair of jeans, which feel edgy and cool. One of the most versatile items of clothing you could possibly own is a pair of slim-fit jeans in a medium blue wash. Culottes give off a breezy and effortless vibe to me, which is why I always wear them in the summertime. Like I said before, comfort is key when I'm working from home. I don't want to be distracted from my work by the clothes I'm wearing. As such, I choose to wear what might be the most comfortable piece of clothing ever created: the humble T-shirt. Because there are endless T-shirt–and-jean combinations , I never get bored. I also never feel frumpy thanks to cool designs and a multitude of sleek styles that I've accumulated over the past two years (boxy tees, cropped tees, figure-hugging crew-neck tees, and more). Mixing up the design, color, and print of my T-shirt collection makes my daily work-from-home uniform feel fresh. T-shirts don't have to be the basic white kind. (Although, I love those too.) This apricot color is flattering on everyone and looks great with jeans and mid-heel slides. For something a little vintage-looking, opt for this tee from A.P.C. I love the retro stripes. For my most casual work-from-home days, I love wearing a cropped tee with high-waisted jeans. This teal always catches my eye. I don't think you can ever go wrong with a striped tee. It's a classic for a reason, right? It just works. I live in Los Angeles, and I walk everywhere, which is totally unique because most everyone else drives. (Seriously, L.A. should be re-nicknamed the City of Cars.) I walk to and from various coffee shops, work spaces, and meetings. Since I'm almost always carrying my computer along with me (working remotely means your computer is your office), I require hands-free bags, like over-the-shoulder totes and crossbody types. They provide me with easy access to my keys, credit card, phone, and computer charger without having to actually carry something else in my hands—a coffee and my computer are enough to juggle. Look closely, and you'll see the gold ring detail that clasps this snakeskin bag. Since this tote bag is reversible, it's like two bags in one. I first heard about this brand from Who What Wear beauty editor Erin Jahns, who has this crossbody bag in a couple of different colors. It's the perfect size for carrying the essentials. This versatile bag can be worn as a tote by tying the gingham straps up, or it can be worn as a crossbody bag with the attached strap. While I love delicate, layered jewelry as much as the next person, I've found that this type gets tangled easily, turning into something that's fussy and frustrating to put on and then subsequently remove. Instead, I swear by statement rings. They're easy to mix and match, and they're just as eye-catching as other types of jewelry without the extra hassle. I slip on one, two, or three statement rings each day, and I feel put-together and well-accessorized in no time at all. Plus, I get to look at them and enjoy them, catching flashes of gold and silver while my fingers fly across my computer's keyboard. Even though this chunky gold ring can be worn every single day, it makes for the perfect after-hours cocktail ring. This silver chain-link ring has cool girl written all over it. I'm obsessed with emeralds; they're my favorite gemstone. As such, I make sure to have at least one or two emerald pieces in my jewelry collection at all times. This gold ring is one of them. To me, nothing looks cooler than a signet ring. Most are very traditional, but this one gets a fresh update thanks to a combination of silver and black detailing. Next, check out the eight summer It bags  fashion girls are buying.

[fashiontrendin-blog]

90s Brad Pitt is My Summer Style Icon

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90s Brad Pitt is My Summer Style Icon

There is, it seems, an unlimited number of abundantly worthy summer style icons to choose from: Jane Birkin. Naomi Campbell. Sophia Loren. Diana Ross. Tessa Thompson. Catherine Deneuve. Therefore, it might surprise you to learn that my summer style icon is none other than Brad Pitt. 90s-era Brad Pitt, to be exact.

I first discovered the aesthetic glory that is 90s-era Brad Pitt when this Instagram from the account @90sanxiety appeared on my feed:

As I took in his all-white color scheme and bucket hat, I experienced an instantaneous and irrepressible urge to copy his outfit. I made a mental note to do so posthaste, and I thought that was the end of it. But the universe had other plans.

A few weeks later, I was searching through Getty Images for a photo to accompany a story and incidentally came across the excellence that now lives at the top of this post. I stared at the photo in awe – the yellow tank top, the pink bandana, the cozy sweatpants – and realized I was looking at my ideal summer leisure ensemble. Who knew! (Brad knew.)

I responded to this fateful sign by proceeding to conduct extensive research on Brad Pitt’s best off-duty outfits from 1990-1999, and let me tell you, there was a treasure trove to behold. He somehow embodied a sense of personal style at the time that was simultaneously comfortable, easy and just the right amount of interesting, which is pretty much all I aspire to achieve when getting dressed in the summer.

In the spirit of listening to my gut – a gut that was telling me to outfit myself like a famous man with a goatee – I decided to recreate four of my favorite 90s-era Brad Pitt ensembles. Hopefully the below results will provide a modicum of inspiration if you, too, decide to join this rather unusual summer style icon club.

1. The All-White Bucket Hat Outfit

Ah yes, the outfit that launched an obsession. I couldn’t find a photo on Getty of the aforementioned all-white ensemble, but I did find the one above which I think adequately conveys Brad’s obsession with the bucket hat + T-shirt + cargos combo. I decided to reinterpret it with a white cotton blouse and white jeans – partly because that’s what I had on hand in my closet and partly because this recipe felt a little more me. However, I stayed true to the most important part of the outfit: the bucket hat. I’m very serious about wearing bucket hats seriously this summer.

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2. The (Sorry, Don’t Hate Me) Cable-Knit Sweater Vest Outfit

I’m asking you not to hate me because I realize sweater vests might trigger an automatic “no” from a not-insubstantial portion of the population, but hear me out: Much like sleeveless turtlenecks, the existential purpose of a sweater vest is difficult to pinpoint. The key is not to overthink things and simply enjoy the fact that Brad Pitt enjoyed emulating Thurston Howl’s style at one point in his life and therefore you might, too. I know I did.

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3. The Not-Your-Dad’s-Khakis Outfit

I have a bit of a sordid history with khaki pants, and by that I mean I was one of a few brave souls in my middle school class who took advantage of the clause in our dress code that stipulated we were allowed to wear them in lieu of our plaid kilts. To say I looked dorky would be a kind understatement. In years since, khakis have always brought back memories of my tendency to stick out like an awkward sore thumb during my tweenage years, so I steered clear. Until 90s-era Brad Pitt came along and showed me the light, that is. Apparently the key to de-dorkifying khakis is a zanily-patterned, un-tucked button down. Poof!

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4. The Summer Leisure Outfit

Allow me to introduce you to the outfit I plan on lounging in for the next two months minimum. Who knew that the addition of a pink bandana straddled by a pair of sunglasses (you need both at once here) could turn a pair of sweatpants and a cutoff-sleeved tee into a pretty chic outfit? It’s prime for lounging but it would almost be a shame to keep this inside the house…

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I’m fully willing to share my newfound summer style icon (there’s more than enough bucket hats to go around), so let me know what you think.

Photos via Getty Images.