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Monday, March 2, 2009

Austin trends + Rachel Leigh belt giveaway

Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about style trends specific to Austin.

You see, not only do we have cool, locally produced shows like Team Fabrication and Fashion Freakout to stoke our collective fashion flames. We've got designers. We've got vintage galore. We've got local blogs like Austin Style Watch and The Year of Living Thriftily to make us excited about getting dressed in the morning. Which - pause - let's talk. I went to that TYOLT-sponsored garage sale this weekend, did you guys? While there, I purchased enough metallic sweaters to cast a 21st century reenactment of Fame, or alternatively, spell out reflector emergency messages in the yard, should it ever come to that.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand: I'm curious, Austin readers. What are your favorite local trends?

Me, I'm a sucker for ripped leggings.


Local fashionista Caitlin Diaz pulls these off rather well. Polished? Perhaps not. But I love. I don't know why. Maybe because I don't feel so bad wearing my own ratty tights well after their expiration date.

Also, bustierres over clothes.

I admit I haven't gotten the guts to wear this yet, but I think it's brazen and awesome.

Finally, anything studded. Now, this trend reaches much further than the city of Austin, it's true - but I see more hardware haphazardly attached to outfits or accessories here than anywhere else I've lived or spent time in. Here's one of Sarah's cute purses from The Year of Living Thriftily to illustrate my point:


Now speaking of studs - cue hands rubbing fiendishly together - I've got something for public consumption.

Do you all know about Chickdowntown? They carry things for which I lust: See By Chloe, Elizabeth and James, CC Skye, and - sigh - Black Halo, a sorta sexy secretary label I'm kind of drooly over at the moment, one that's not always easy to find on the interwebs. Lo and behold, Chickdowntown reveals they are the largest online retailer of Black Halo, and I have to say...not surprised. Their label list, it reaches on into infinity.

Anyway, they contacted me recently about doing a giveaway, and after assuring them I wouldn't enter my own contest and thus "win" said item myself, they graciously offered this bit of magic.



You likey?

It's a Sex and the City inspired belt by Rachel Leigh, and Chickdowntown is giving one away on my bizarre little blog. Here's SJP working the shit out of this belt:



...as well as a rather rotund collar.

If you are the style type, this is a good time to mention Chickdowntown's revamped fashion blog, which I think you will lerve. (And if you really really dig, hit up their Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, and Chick Downtown TV).

Anyway, dear readers - to win this pretty, punky thing, you must complete one simple task.

enter a comment below naming one austin style trend.

The winner shall be chosen randomly. I believe dropping my cat on the laptop and seeing which name her paws land on would be the most sound method, don't you?

I'll leave this post up for a day or so to give everyone time to enter, and announce the winner later this week. Remember to leave your email. If you win, I'll ask you to send on over your (US) mailing address and belt size, and we'll get this party started.

Look forward to your comments, ladies. And/or sassy gents.

19 comments:

frances said...

after-sex hair and breakfast tacos

haha! am i right?

Austin Eavesdropper said...

LOL, Franny, I like your answer :)

Sophia said...

Converse and tattoos. Not necessarily together...

Anonymous said...

I'm seeing fedoras everywhere! They've become an important part of hipster haberdashery in Austin. Personally, I love 'em.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about you all, but I've been noticing a lot of hipster/western crossovers lately--pearl snaps and/or boots with skinny jeans and Emo hair, tattoos, etc. I think it works well, though I doubt I could pull it off...

Anonymous said...

non-prescription, oversized glasses
knit hats
black tights & suede boots
plaid overshirts (very fitted versions for girls)
cartigans

and in true austin style for girls: thin vintage sundresses & cowboy boots

we can do this all day! :)

Anonymous said...

A true Austin style trend should be recycled and ironic (like mens' ties sewn together for a skirt), so I think all of the trends identified so far qualify.

I'm going to be difficult and go out on a limb to project what I think will be trending. To me, the fedora fad could be the harbinger of a retro-Vegas dress-up aesthetic: Joey Heatherton style-pantsuits, disco dresses with hair falls...a little more fussy but still relaxed for both men and women.

Of course, this may simply be wishful thinking on my part.

Your anonymous copy-editor ("...onus...?") pal

Tiffany Diane said...

Rockabilly style for boys: via gelled twisted hair, single earrings, bolos or other ties, leather jackets.

Black or grey vintage rock tees on girls paired with ripped jean shorts and black stockings on girls.

That was two very distinct trends but they are totally everywhere. I admit to being a sucker for both, too.
-TD

PS - I will love your cat if she picks me.

Austin Eavesdropper said...

LOL, "onus" - it's good to see you here! And hey, if my recently purchased metallics are any indication, I think you could be onto something with the retro-Vegas fashion forecast.

Anonymous said...

gotta love the belt that goes with everything! marked with the sex in the city seal of approval..LOVE IT!

Unknown said...

I'd say Austin definitely has a lot of DIY-style--pairing vintage with designer pieces to make a more authentic "I-woke-up-from-an-all-night-banger-looking-this-fabulous" look.

TexasDeb said...

rolled jeans and/or cropped pants on guys

Anonymous said...

Guys in cut off capris on bikes...girls in sundress and cowboy boots--mostly spotted at UT games!

cassidayproctor@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Feather headbands. On top of that, DIY is VERY Austin. So no one buys the feather headbands, they make them themselves... or they buy the handmade ones for $10 instead of the trendy $30 ones in the mall. Yay!

Sarah Ring said...

I love seeing cropped/rolled up boyfriend jeans with simple tanks and fitted blazers. To me to look is comfortable, chic and almost french inspired but still Austin downtown cool.

Unknown said...

tinted windows in the car, flowy short dresses to combat heat, and kick-ass boots!

Anonymous said...

It must be my age but and socialization but...i'm still a sucka for ethnic cowboy funky bad boy with cash

Eternal Sunshine said...

Absolutely love the ripped leggings! Here's my version that I did on already ripped leggings http://eternalsnshn.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post.html

Anonymous said...

Excuse, I have removed this question