Street Snaps: Summer Breeze

Usually I tag my posts by season according to the official calendar dates and equinoxes, but goddamn if it isn’t already the second heat wave of the season — I don’t care if it’s still technically spring, it is summer yo. Today’s interview happened on one of those cooler days in between the first heat wave and this current one, so you may be better able to understand how leggings would be comfortable when the humidity was not so oppressive.

“My name’s Jane. I’m twenty-six and I’m from Minneapolis.”

Do you live in Philly?

“Oh no, I live in New York.”

Oh okay. What do you notice about Philadelphia style?

“Well we’ve noticed that everybody seems to be really well-dressed, but it’s kind of laid back. Like, we’ve stayed in this area, so maybe it’s different. I’ve only been to Philadelphia twice. So we’re just observing everything. Everyone is really well-dressed and very friendly.”

Nice! Sweet. So with how you’re dressed, do you take in any media or activities, like people watching or whatever, that informs and inspires the way you present yourself? That’s a long-ass question…

“I don’t know why I wear what I wear. It’s just kind of get up in the morning and see what I’m into, and I go through phases. So right now this is the phase I’m going through. But yeah, I like fashion magazines and I like fashion blogs, and I enjoy, like, worrying about it, but most of the time I can’t pull it off. So I just do whatever I want to do.”

Which is probably better than what other people do anyway… Do you have any recommended reading or anything like that?

“Ooohh… I wonder what I’ve been reading. I dunno, I’m trying to think of what I have at home right now.” [turns to partner for help] “I do like Vogue and I like the Refinery blog. Yeah, I look at [The Sartorialist]. Maybe I look at more food things online… I’m thinking about food blogs more than clothing.”

I look at a lot of craft — not even craft — it’s more like gentle, slow lifestyle blogs where it’s all natural light and wooden tables, and I’m like oh man that’s great.

“Yeah. It’s like they’re all-purpose, where it’s people who write about their favorite food and then their favorite pictures —

[Partner whose name I failed to take down mentions wallpaper]

“Yeah, wallpaper. I’m just obsessed with wallpaper. Like I love wallpapering things. I google wallpaper. Yeah. I’m obsessed with like, English ones right now. And so I like looking at those. I like bold patterns and bold colors.

[Partner mentions Jane liking Real Simple Magazine]

“Oh Martha Stewart? Yeah, I like Martha. Cause I think they had to change the name of the magazine after she went to jail.”

I thought they were concurrent and the one was younger couple style…

“Do they still have the two? Hmm. Well, I guess I used to read like, Nylon and Paper, but I guess I haven’t.”

P: “Too busy.”

“Yeah, I’m too busy for that.” (laughs)

Is there anything you’re wearing that’s a favorite?

“I’ve been doing the sailor thing a lot. Red, white, and blue. Sailor. Big black boots. I think that’s my thing for a while now. I love boots, like Frye boots. I own lots of Frye boots. And… yeah, leggings and really short skirts, cause I’m big, so everything’s really short. So I wear lots of different colored leggings.”

So nobody can see the cheeks.

“Nope.” (chuckles)

Do you — well we already talked about wallpaper, but are there any other current obsessions that you have?

“I guess baking. Baking and food I’m obsessed with.”

Any particular thing?

“Cinnamon buns. Yeah, sticky buns, and… I don’t know, we’re in a cheesy place right now? We’ve been cooking with a lot of cheese, right? A bit cheesy. Roasting lots of things… Yeah.”

And then finally, is there anything — this usually applies to Philadelphians, and they usually have lots to say, but anyway — are there any things that you see people wearing that you wish they would change or stop wearing so much of, or wear differently?

“I look at you for some reason like you would walk down the street and see things.”

P: “Don’t look at me.”

“No! He’s more opinionated about that stuff. I just like anything that sticks out. I like to see that. So I guess people who don’t even care, like when I see someone walking down the street and they’re just in like, a blue button-down and like, ill-fitting pants? I’m like oh that’s sad, they don’t care.”

P: “Or people who just don’t care in general. Try. Just try!”

“Yeah, it’s supposed to be fun getting dressed. And we’re both bartenders, so it’s like, that’s supposed to be fun, like food’s supposed to be fun? Like things like this, where you get to express yourself. It’s not supposed to be daunting, like ohhh I have to get dressed, I don’t care, I’m just gonna buy a bunch of things that kind of all go together, but…”

P: “What do Philadelphians say?”

[Here I relay a brief summary of things such as leggings with Uggs, Uggs in general, sweatpants and flip-flops, etc. We end up talking about living in a world without Juicy Couture, and then discover that Jane owns a pair of shorts that have a saying across the butt, but thankfully are not Juicy brand. Lulz.]

What a pleasant and charming couple! I especially liked the stars on Jane’s leggings (not polka dots!). It feels rare that a pair of New Yorkers would take a trip to our more quaint and southern city, but I often hear that is exactly why people like it here. We do not overwhelm. We simply are here.

If you’re looking for more Philly street style, visit Broad&Market, or check out the Street Snaps archive by clicking on the “street snaps” tag just below.