FESTIVE FIRST

QUAKEBRENDAN CAMERONA GLITTERING LOOK AT HIS VELVET FORTRESS

FESTIVE FIRST

W O L V E R T O N ’ S B L A C K O U T

C O N T E N T S08 INSTALOOKS

10 FORK YOURSELF12 HANDS-ON ART

16 RETRO RESURGENCE20 NEW AGE GOLD RUSH

26 THRIFTFLATION28 A HOLIDAY IN HARMONY

31 BRENDAN’S BOUDOIR36 WOLVERTON’S BLACKOUT

There’s something magical about this time of year. The air is extra icy. The red Starbucks cups are back. Sequins, wools, and pops of color splash along Market Street’s most festively attired. Families, friends, and lovers reunite and reminisce over the year’s happenings. Best of all, we’re

on the edge of the New Year and a clean slate, allowing us to reflect on our accomplishments and plan for good times ahead. This December, I look forward to the fall semester’s end, my birthday dinner with friends alongside a fire-pit, and cuddling with my boyfriend on the couch with the heater on blast while listening to Mariah Carey’s 1994 Merry Christmas (we refuse to listen to 2011’s Justin Bieber remix). In a city of earthquakes, Stylequake reigns as the new kid on the runway, shaking things up and breaking it down for San Francisco’s post-materialists, fashion enthusiasts and thrift junkies alike. Our festive first debut will take you around the city through the bright eyes of San Francisco State Univer-sity’s up-and-coming artists and wordsmiths. In this issue, get acquainted with the savage beauty of Brendan’s Boudoir in Nob Hill and Fork Yourself in Union Square with quirky utensil art. Enjoy the glitz, glam, and gingerbread lattes as we ring in a prosperous new year!

S T Y L E Q U A K E

FESTIVE FIRST

JULIO CORTEZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF [email protected]

ALVARO [email protected] I listen to a lot of Lonely Island and Flight of the Con-chords. I eat way too much sushi. I go to Yama Sushi Restau-rant on Halloway St. just about every Wednesday for happy hour sushi that isn’t all that great. Something about the cheap price and Christmas music playing in the background keeps me coming back for more.

HALEY [email protected] For the holidays, check out “A Very She & Him Christmas” to spice up any festive get together! It’s a modern spin on classic songs sure to warm your heart. Thai Power is a perfect Friday night out with the girls. Eat ethnic cuisine and partake in fun karaoke sing-a-longs in this restaurant/bar in the Mission.

ANNASTASHIA [email protected] New to San Francisco, I can’t say I’ve gotten around much but the experiences so far have been thrilling. I’ve seen Muse play an incredible show, witnessed unbelievable sights at Dolores Park, eaten the best foods, and found self-devoted time to do cute nail designs on myself. I have a guilty pleasure for celebrity gossip, Cosmopolitan, Self and now SF’s deep dish pizzas.

ERIN [email protected] I have a huge collection of holiday jams I start lis-tening to in early October. This year, I’m stuck on Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys and the Glee Cast’s boy-on-boy version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” It’s such a romantic tune and Kurt’s sweet serenade to his holiday crush gives me goosebumps. Playing tourist in my own city is a huge guilty pleasure. I still need to ride the cable cars!

KRISTINA [email protected] My days off consist of music from Cranes, Death from Above 1979, and a little Bonobo while enjoying sandwiches and makeshift mimosas at Golden Gate Park. Next on my life’s to-do list is attaining a degree in Culinary Arts so I can write about food that will impress even “Butter Queen” Paula Deen.

DECEMBER 2011 & JANUARY 2012

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STYLEQUAKE | FESTIVE FIRST

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O M A R Q U A W A S M IS P O R T Y , T H R I F T ,

S T E V E & B E R R Y

E M I L I E S T E V E N S O NH A I G H T S T R E E T , V I N T A G E , T O P S H O P

E L E N A K O T C H E T O V AS E A S O N A L , H & M , Z A R A

S T E P H A N I E D O E I N GL A Y E R S , P A T T E R N M A S H - U P ,

F O R E V E R 2 1 , G O O D W I L

L U C I N D A W E L L SB O R R O W S , H & M , A M E R I C A N A P P A R E L

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TAILORING, ALLSAINTS, RAY-BAN, REISS

tylequake loves Instagram, a free iPhone application that allows users to take photos, apply filters, and share amongst your social networks. If you’re looking for inspi-

ration or documenting your own looks, Instagram gives you front row access to the world’s streets. Comment, favorite and search through custom feeds from the likes of Tori Spelling and stylist Nicola Formichetti. Next time you’re stuck wait-ing for Muni, peep the streets of Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan or catch up on local trends in the Mission or Castro, instantly.

I N S T AL O O K S


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FEATURE AND PHOTOS BY JULIO CORTEZ

Alejandro Galicia sits perched behind a makeshift wooden cart on Market Street, clutching a silver fork in one hand and pliers in the other as he attempts to bend the utensil into a circular bracelet. The art of utensil jewelry dates back to the early 1960s in San Francisco, and Alejandro has been running his cart nearly 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. since April 1986. Alejandro is dedicated to his business and determined to sell his hand-made jewelry. With scruffy white hair and worn clothes, he sits daily surrounded by stacks of tools and gets his meals from a small pot of pasta carefully placed over a portable burner balanced in front of him. He bends spoons and forks into rings, bracelets and necklaces, placing small glass beads in the center of some of the jewelry. “I buy all the forks and spoons for cheap from China-town and Mission Street,” Alejandro says. “And I get those glass beads from pet stores in Chi-natown.” His innovative, creative and DIY atti-tude makes for good business, especially during tourist season. His spoon necklaces are complete with small paper photographs of people and objects, secured behind a layer of clear adhesive. “I’ve got over 3,000 paper pictures that I’ve been collecting since the sixties,” Alejandro says. He shows off spoons with Tinkerbelle, President Obama, “that Lady Gaga person” (he laughs),


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PHOTOS AND STORY BY HALEY BRUCATO

ALL UTENSIL JEWELRY PHOTOGRAPHED WITH INSTAGRAM AT UNION SQUARE AND THE TREASURE ISLAND FLEA MARKET.

Maria from Spain and even one of the Golden Gate Bridge that he claims is the most popular.He stores the antique photos behind the booth in an old coffee mug, brimming to the top with small square cutouts. The time and care invest-ed into this business is evident in the beautiful jewelry he creates. If you’re looking for quirky and original ac-cessories, Alejandro is the go-to man. Look for his wooden cart at the Cable Car turnaround on Market Street to pick up rings, bracelets or necklaces, all for the affordable price of $5. Nora Kniveton, owner and founder of Transient Treasures, is fascinated with vintage teapots and has been repurposing them into one-of-a-kind wind chimes since 2004. It all started at a vintage store she bought seven years ago in Sacramento, where she found a beautiful tea set sitting untouched on the shelves. But even after polishing it, no shoppers ever took a second look at it. “I got it in my head that I could make a wind chime out of the tea pot,” Nora says. “My husband helped drill holes in silverware so I could hang them off the bot-tom, and I’ve been selling them ever since.” Her one of a kind chimes have sold on Etsy.com, as well as at bazaars, craft shows, flea mar-kets and vintage shops all over the Bay Area. “I turned an antique that no one would ever buy into an innovative work of art that people can’t seem to get enough of,” she says. Earlier this year, customers began asking about silverware jewelry. Her husband, Burt, got to work on bending spoons and forks into rings and pendants. “My husband and I kept hearing the same question about whether we also made utensil jewelry and so we decided to expand our collection of crafting old utensils,” Nora says. Her pendants are especially popular this year at the bi-monthly Treasure Island Flea Mar-ket where she has been selling her handcrafted


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goods since the market first began nearly two years ago. “The act of repurposing gives thrown away items a life of their own,” Nora says. “It makes you look at everything a little differently and now I always wonder what I can make out of all sorts of things.” All of her material is salvaged or found, and she said she loves the challenge of taking discarded relics to create something new and unique. “Our planet is fragile and we can’t fill it all up with trash,” she says. “So I reuse and re-cycle items that have outlived their usefulness.”These are only two of San Francisco’s unique jewelry artists, and hundred wait to be uncov-ered. Look for more rare crafters in next month’s issue. This exceptional silverware jewelry will make the perfect gift this season, sure to shine in any gift exchange. ∎

At a small strip mall, a shop’s sounds of vi-brating leather massage chairs and dainty drills seems uninviting until the potent aroma of nail polish wafts through the air; now it’s obvious that you’re in for a treat you can’t wait to get your hands on. Figuratively speaking, women run to the nail salon every two weeks to temporarily es-cape reality; or in the case of Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, to forget about those little bumps in the road and revitalize that self-esteem low-ered by heartbreak and bad boys. “I definitely like having my nails painted because they look cute. It makes me feel good, but it’s also a stress relief. I can clear my head because there’s nothing there, at that moment, but to focus on myself,” says Erika Maldonado, employee at Starbucks, with tamale red nails and black curly hair. The Chinese invented nail polish, a formu-la mixture of Arabic gum, egg whites, gelatin, and beeswax around 3000 B.C. Now that we’re more competitively and creatively advanced, an array of brands and retailers ranging from Sephora, with their magnetic cap reaction bot-tles, to Elle’s $55,000 polish consisting of pure powdered platinum. From grocery stores to high street shops, opulent nail treatments aren’t out of reach with nail trends heightening in consumer popularity.

OPI is creating colors catering to modern day trends in pop culture and beyond. The Mad as a Hatter polish is confetti in a bottle based on the Alice in Wonderland film adaptation by Tim Burton. The original black shatter top coat that crackles over dry pol-ish mimics the leopard details in Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album marketing campaign. Even hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj is set to release an OPI collaboration in January utilizing song titles like “Did It On ‘Em” and “Save Me” from her album Pink Friday. “I can’t resist buying new nail polish releas-es,” says Jordan Kelter, an employee in the whole body section at Whole Foods, proudly display-ing her panda designed nails. “Every time I go into CVS, I have to stop by the beauty section and see what’s new. I’ve tried everything - de-sign pens, Loreal’s scented polish, OPI’s shatter, matte, pastel, and every glitter.” Is nail art an addiction? It can be hard to classify. Addiction is defined as the “compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance,” according to Merri-am-Webster. You may want to rethink frequently fuming your lungs with nail varnish and acrylic dust whenever you feel the need for a pick-me-up. An addict could be someone who has not seen their actual nail beds in years, constantly


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PHOTOS AND STORY BY ANNASTASHIA GOOLSBY


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applying acrylics and treatments as if they are a necessity. Others may say, “hey - shut up. It’s just color.” We’ll take the latter. “I hate my hands without nail polish so I al-ways have them done every two weeks [either] with acrylics or gel. It’s funny because they all know me at Golden Nails,” says Vanessa Ca-brales, student at San Francisco State Universi-ty. “I don’t even remember the last time I didn’t have my nails painted.” Whether it means spending endless amounts of money on the newest released $7 bottles of nail polish or paying $20 at the nail sa-lon every other week, this is an expensive habit that some may be in denial of partaking in. It’s not just financial dangers that an addic-tion to vanity can lead to, but health risks are a rising concern when it comes to chemicals on our hands and in our neighborhood beatuy stores. Sally Hansen’s base coat and Elle’s gor-geous shimmering reds are made with dibutyl

phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde, and toluene - chemicals linked to cancer, reproduction com-plications, and birth defects. DBP is of most concern and found in nail hardeners and top coats. Scientific studies have found that phthalates should be considered as potential contributors to declining sperm count, undescended testicles, and testicular cancer. According to the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, the Environmental Protection Agency must prove an “unreasonable risk of in-jury” to people’s health before the chemical can be banned. However, EPA cannot prove this because the law prohibits them from requiring a safety studies until it is proven that serious health issues are occurring. In the mean time, those seeking alternative and sustainable polishes might want to explore No-Miss, which is cruelty free and does not have the three potentially dangerous chemicals found in other brands. “Most people who buy this get it because

A N N A S T A S H I A D O C U M E N T S H E R O W N N A I L D E S I G N S , P H O T O G R A P H E D T H R O U G H O U T H A N D S - O N A R T , A T C U T I E P I E N A I L S . T U M B L R . C O M

they don’t want the chemicals and they’re paint-ing their little girls’ nails,” Jordan says. “There re-ally is no difference in color or texture with this nail polish and we [Whole Foods] also have ac-etone free nail polish remover.” Modern trends are beginning to attract more men and young children to pay particular attention to colorful nail treatments. Earlier this year, an ad for J. Crew stirred up controversy of a mother holding her son’s painted toes with a quote that said, “lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite col-or is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.’” While some believe it will psychologically destroy a young boy and confuse his gender identity, others argue the complete opposite. Back in 2000, black nail trends came back into mainstream mall culture full force with modern goths and Hot Topic crowds. Male band members from AFI, Blink 182, and Taking Back Sunday modeled their black manicures on and off stage, confusing parents, impressionable fan bases, and people who have no idea who Robert Smith is. Black nails are as common as Jeffrey Camp-bell’s Lita boots. They’re cute, but many have already walked a mile and back in those shoes before. Here lies the beauty in exploring the seemingly endless color combinations in mod-ern day nail techniques made available to the masses and the willing. “I love painting my nails and I always make it match me,” Nick Nielsen says, showing off his yellow and blue nails, complimenting his stylish outfit of sunglasses, skinny jeans, combat boots, a tight white tee, and side-parted blonde hair. The demand for design techniques has grown into the expansion of YouTube and Tum-blr accounts demonstrating how-to videos for viewers to follow along to. You too can sweeten

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up your fingertips with traditionally awesome tutorials for pastries, holiday themes, animal prints, and even Disney character nailgasms. One of the most inspiring channels on You-Tube is cutepolish. The host literally guides you step-by-step to create designs that would cost at least an additional $10 on top of the basic $15 manicure at the nail salon. Just in time for the season, there is an easy tutorial to make snowflakes. All it involves is a light blue base, a glitter coat, and white dots. For the snowflakes, make asterisks with the white and dollop dots at each end. Viola: Simple, cute, and free Christmas nails. That is only the beginning. For creative, maybe even bored, nail polish lovers there are so many designs you can create such as, Christ-mas trees with colorful light bulbs and a star, snowmen, or a continuous colorful string of lights that goes across all of your nails. Designs may not be your particular forte, but you can still follow the polish trend with the current “in” winter colors: nude, orangey red, taupe, and earthy green and blues. Still don’t believe that nail polish is becom-ing the newest fashion trend? Just look at the colors designers have their models wear on the runway. Ruffian used tux-edo nails, with small bows and tiny black but-tons, Vena Cava painted candy-colored rings on the actual finger, and Badgley Mischka had the entire nail colored except for the nail bed on top. With the competitive market right now, it is no surprise that there are a number of colors, brands and styles that companies are coming up with. Whether you want ladybugs on all your nails, gold glitter for New Years, or the current trending taupe, is up to you. How are you going to paint your nails for the upcoming holiday? ∎

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PHOTOS AND STORY BY ALVARO ALFARO

Walking around Union Square in San Fran-cisco, you’re bound to see people from all cat-walks of life. The cold, musty air in this met-ropolitan area is littered with retail shops like Allsaints, Niketown and Zara. There is a wide range of looks in the city by the bay, with trends from our childhood’s wak-ing from their comas more frequently than ever. Just try to distinguish between street style photo blogs and your family photo albums from 1992. “When I see old pho-tos from high school, I ask myself ‘why didn’t I take better care of my shoes.’ I could still be wearing my Air Jordan XI sneak-ers from the Defining Mo-ments Package,” says Rafael Aguilar. The collector set of Michael Jordan sneakers was released in 2009 and currently sell for upwards to $1,000 a pair on sneaker-head web sites and fo-rums. Instead I beat them up; the sole is yellow now and totally unwearable, ” says Aguilar, wearing NBA socks and Jordan slippers on his feet. Many people argue, some in their nostal-gic haste, that the 90s had the best shows, mu-sic, and fashion. Nirvana, Tupac, and Sublime

are popular music radio staples. Often times, people compare the poor state of television programming today with how incredibly awe-some, imaginative, ridiculous, and truly enter-tain shows were in the 90s. Nothing will bring Tupac back from the grave, no matter how many sightings are increasingly reported; but that doesn’t mean that we can keep Chicago Bulls

windbreaker suits in their crypts for much longer.

The Wall Street Journal has officially declared 90s clothing vintage. Yes, the 90s may be back, but scrunchies, tie die shirts and baggy jeans thank-fully didn’t make their come-back (yet), but remarkably hammer pants are still in.

Snap-back hats have also made a miraculous return and people

are moving on from fitted style caps. The same can be said about

the lost, but not forgotten, brands like Starter and Champion. Many people are wearing their hat looks

nice and snug with forward facing bills. I’d per-sonally enjoy seeing more people wear their hat backwards like ladies man Bud Bundy from the Married... With Children. A modern variety of basketball and trainer shoes are still staples in today’s wardrobes and they have more than

EDITING BY JULIO CORTEZ

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stood the test of time. Is nostalgia for the days when you used to wear the same shoes as The Fresh Prince and Jerry Seinfeld coming to you? The Air Jordan sneaker model has held its global popularity since its 1985 debut, but Mi-chael Jordan isn’t the only professional athlete to have penned a signature shoe line. Jordan is just one of the many athletic shoe brands in the world that remains a popular collectors item de-cades after hitting shop floors. But as retail value inflates and quality decreases, people are find-ing alternative styles for their footwear needs. Consumers are gradually moving on from just wearing Jordans and expressing interest in other collector and signature shoe lines from the likes of Penny Hardaway, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen and Ken, Griffey Jr. Each shoe, much like their athletic creators, is en-tirely different from the next. Bar-kley’s are a lot bulkier because they fit his style of play, where as Penny’s are much more daintier, but just as lethal. Pippen’s are somewhere in be-tween the two; he has the quickness of a guard, like Penny, but also shows force similar to Sir Charles. His shoes are somewhat heavy but also very stylish. Many of his shoes, like the Air More Uptempo and the Pippen 1s, have thick soles with an exposed air bubble. Once, these basketball shoes performed very well on the court, but now they can’t compete with the new breed of shoe mechanics. Thanks to technology like the fly wire in Nike sneakers and the super light material used in Adidas shoes, players have never before enjoyed comfort in the game. For those people on a budget, there are ways around buying expensive new sneakers

and paying retail for Starter jackets. There are people out there willing to sell their vintage shoes and jackets for a fraction of their original price or trade with you instead of paying retail for 90s resurgence clothing in label stores today. Taco Bell employee Francisco Muniz scav-enges the net so much that he has come to a point where retail shopping is no longer on his mind. ”Prices for starter jackets are ridiculous at online stores. I’ve seen Bulls jackets go for over $200,” says Francisco. “When the price is that high, it’s not even worth it to me, which is why I do most of my shopping on eBay or Craigslist.” Many people fell in love with these

sporty team jackets in the mid 90s; some are now scavenging the Internet to get in touch with favorites from their pasts. It’s too bad you didn’t hoard your wardrobe

from nearly two decades ago. In fact, I was foolish enough to give away my old jackets

to my younger cousins years ago. Now I’m online, making up for lost treasure. Af-

ter searching for a few hours, I once stumbled upon a 49ers Starter jacket size, XL for only $30. I was overwhelmed with ex-citement and ordered it.

It pains me to say this, but my story doesn’t have a hap-py ending. When the jacket came in the mail, I tried it on, and it fit like a child’s

jacket! I looked at the tag. It was a youth XL. Online shops can take advantage of the de-mand for retro gear, charging insane amounts for the jackets from our childhoods. If you can, suck it up and pay the price or try digging up dust-ridden jackets stuffed in the back of your closets. For those who refuse to do either, there

is another solution. Online trading forums have become essen-tial for sneaker-lovers, most of which are willing to trade just about anything for shoes, hats and jackets. Unemployed student Ian Del Rosario forces himself to pinch every penny so he can appease his appetite for collectible sportswear. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually gone to a store and bought a pair of shoes,” says Ian. “I’d much rather trade-in a few things I don’t need anymore for something I desperately want and the forums are the best place for that.” The demand for retro sneak-ers, shirts, jackets and hats has led to the success of many stores such as True, HUF, Kick City and further from home, Flight Club in Los Angeles and New York. Flight Club and Kick City, located in Daly City’s Westlake, slightly dif-fer from local competitors because they sell your shoes for you on consignment. The catch? They take a percentage of your profit. If you’re lazy or don’t have the time to find buyers, this is a good option. The shoes are sold at a fair price and the profit the business makes isn’t highway robbery, so no one should feel like they’re getting low-balled in some back alley. True and HUF are mirror images because they both sell similar clothes and create their own house clothing brands. Recently, HUF closed their stores in San Francisco but still sell their items online. True was forced to close down it’s main shop on Haight St. because of a fire last summer, but luckily they still have their

store next door to fall-back on while repairs are made. It’s easy to get that 90s look from these re-tailers, with the online shopping making it super easy to scour the world for old dead stock and collectible threads. They may not be Footlocker circa 1995, but online sneaker collectives have a large selection of curated shoes from private dealers and fans alike. If you are lucky enough to find a pair of shoes that you like, it’s not smart to hesitate. If someone else buys them, it isn’t clear when they’ll restock it, especially if they’re

retros that came out a few years ago. Acid wash jeans are synony-

mous with the early 90s so it’s only fitting that they made a resurgence. Jeans like 501 and 511 Levis are popular because

they come in many different washes and have the per-fect fit. The only problem

is 511 jeans look a little funky when they are worn with high

top sneakers. The jeans look a lot better if they are worn with low tops like Adidas Gazelles, Vans or Chucks because the pant leg can be rolled down all the way. As for sweaters and jackets

this holiday season, basic Champion and Nike crew necks are not very expensive and they have a simple, basic look. Vintage Starter jack-ets in good condition are hard to come by, but if you’re lucky you might be able to find one on-line or at a thrift store. If you put that all together not only will you be comfortable, but you’ll also have a pretty good-looking and timeless outfit that looks just as cool today as it did 20 years ago. ∎


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T H I S S I L K E N B E A U T Y I S A N O U T O F T O W N S P E C I A L M A Y O T T F O U N D W H I L E V A C A T I O N I N G I N S O N O R A , C A . S H E D R E A D S T H E S E P E R A T O N A N X I E T Y S H E W I L L F E E L W H E N T H E D R E S S S E L L S .

A large white sheet hangs across five bay windows, softening the light and setting the stage for the photo shoot to come. A mannequin stands naked center stage, waiting to wear the next vintage piece from the pile strewn across the foot of her bed on the other side of the room. Lindsay Mayott takes photos with her Nikon to test the light in her makeshift photo studio that doubles as her bedroom. Satisfied with the light, she sifts through the various pieces on the couch running the fabrics through her delicate fingers, and finally settling on a 1920’s black silk dress with a bead-ed detail on the left hip. She slides the dress on and spends a few moments adjusting the dials on the mannequin to fill out the dress’s low cut bust. With her camera already around her neck, she begins shooting, all the while talking about how excited she is to post this latest find on her Etsy shop. Lindsay, like many others, supplements her income with Esty, an online department store of sorts where designers and vendors around the world can post their items for sale in their “stores.” It is the Ebay alternative that focuses on handcrafted goods such as jewelry or art, care-fully curated vintage pieces, homemade edible treats, and bath and body products – items that would otherwise get lost on larger sites. Accord-ing to the website, “Etsy is the World’s handmade marketplace. Our mission is to empower people to change the way the global economy works. We see a world in which very-very small busi-nesses have much-much more sway in shaping the economy, local living economies are thriv-ing everywhere, and people value authorship and provenance as much as price and conve-nience. We are bringing heart to commerce and making the world more fair, more sustainable, and more fun.” Etsy plays up the small business feel even further by giving users the option to

create a profile on their shop complete with a picture and a little blurb. Lindsay’s includes lit-tle tid bits about herself like how she works at a research clinic, loves biking everywhere, prefers tea to coffee and enjoys cuddling with her kitten to give buyers a sense of who she is. While it is free to create an account, Etsy makes money by charging $0.20 flat rate fee per item listed and takes 3.5% of the final sale price. Ebay on the other hand charges an insertion fee based on the listing price, anything listed from $0.01-$0.99 is charged $0.10 and goes up to $2.00 for anything listed at $200 or higher – a fee that must be paid every time an item is post-ed. While Ebay has found success with an auc-tion style setup, Etsy prefers fixed prices, elimi-nating the threat of bidding wars and making it so sellers only have to post and pay the listing fee once. Since launching in July of 2005, Etsy has grown to host 800,000 active sellers and 10 million members, and in 2010 over $300 mil-lion worth of goods were sold. Only about 200 employees power this mighty machine head-quartered in Brooklyn, NY with offices in Ber-lin, Hudson, and San Francisco, and according to the site, the company is looking to grow. Another stark difference between Ebay and Etsy are the demographics that service the sites. Ebay features a much wider range of items which are hosted by a variety of different demo-graphics, while Etsy curtails mostly to college educated women in their twenties and thirties. As a 26 year-old University of Santa Cruz grad-uate, Lindsay falls squarely into the target seller category. Taking a break from the photo shoot, Lind-say scoots her fat orange kitten, Oliver, off her mustard colored velvet loveseat and onto her lap as she talks about her shop. Brushing her fine blonde bangs out of her cornflower blue eyes she explains that she noticed how the most


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popular Etsy shops had relevant and easily re-membered names pertaining to the items sold. After much contemplation, she settled on the name Vurban for her Etsy shop. She wanted a name that embod-ied both the urban and vintage aspects of the shop, thus a combination of the two words made the most sense. Almost all of the pieces listed on Vurban are found in thrift shops within San Francisco, on oc-casion, she features out of town specials. On a recent trip to Seattle she found a 1950’s Hermes navy raincoat that was too stunning to leave in Washington. As ex-pected, her “Seattle Special” sold within days. Part of the rea-son Vurban is such a success is the time Lindsay dedicates to the entire process of sell-ing each piece. She methodically scours thrift stores for the best finds, making note of any imperfections along the way. “I started my Etsy shop because I love vintage pieces and the pro-cess of finding them,” she says. “I love going to thrift stores and digging around for hours, may-be I will only find two things I like, but those are two things I can’t live without.” Once home, she spreads out her treasure bag and goes through each item with a sponge and bowl of soapy wa-ter at her side, gently removing any stains and


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then waiting until the spot dries to ensure its really gone for good. Because of the time she puts into the entire process, her shop now pays for about half of her rent each month and feeds

her vacation fund. After operating her store for roughly a year and a half she has picked up some tricks of the trade like putting a limit on what she’s willing to initially spend on a piece to ensure her profit is worth the ef-fort. Like most vin-tage obsessed fash-ionistas would agree, thrifting rarely feels like a job, but when it comes down to it, for Lindsay, that’s exact-ly what it is. “Setting up an hourly rate, is something all Etsy sellers should do to determine how much is their time worth, because in reality you

are working when you shop,” she explains. On principle, she prefers to shoot during the day because she believes the items photo-graph the best and in their truest colors in nat-ural light. She takes pictures from every angle and never pins the items thus altering its actual fit. In the early days of her Etsy, she enlisted her friends to model the pieces, a fun process that entailed quick costume changes and reapplica-tions lipstick to enhance the overall feel of the photos. At times though, relying on friends be-came problematic due to ever increasingly con-

“I LOVE GOING THROUGH THRIFT STORES AND DIGGING AROUND FOR HOURS, MAYBE I WILL ONLY FIND TWO THINGS I LIKE, BUT THOSE ARE TWO THINGS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT.”

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T H I S P A G E : M A Y O T T P L A Y S U P T H E S H E E R B R I L L I A N C E O F T H I S L A C E E M B E L L I S H E D S L I P D R E S S S H E F O U N D A T O U T O F T H E C L O S E T O N D U B O C E . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F L I N D S A Y M A Y O T T .L E F T : O L I V E R G I V E S H I S K I S S O F A P P R O V A L F O R T H I S H A N D M A D E L A T E 1 9 6 0 S S U M -M E R D R E S S , A G E M F O U N D I N T H E T E N D E R L O I N G O O D W I L L .

flicting schedules. Lucky for her though, when perusing Craigslist several months ago, she came across a clothing sellers dream– a manne-quin with several dials on each side that allow her to adjust the form to fit any piece of cloth-ing. Once the photos are taken, she begins to catalogue and write about each piece in great detail. Her entries are casual and feel very per-sonal, like she’s talking about her favorite piece of clothing to her best friend. The entire process of rescuing a treasure from the depths of a thrift store and restoring it to pristine condition cre-ates an understandable bond beyond Lindsay and her vintage finds; one that often times is difficult to break. “I form a real attachment to some of the clothes, which makes them hard to sell,” she divulges as she picks up a 1960’s red sheer flowered dress from the pile. While positioning it on the mannequin she describes the gem, found in the Tenderloin, as “the perfect sexy librarian/secretary/vintage fashionista dress.” Lindsay believes the success of Etsy has to do with the fact that people are given the opportunity to showcase their personal style and share it with others who hold the same interests, making it a site people consistently return to be-cause of the sense of community it creates. With the shadows growing long in the late afternoon sun, she begins to put the clothes away, giving each piece a loving look, she says with a smile, “I wouldn’t ever sell anything on Etsy that I wouldn’t wear my-self.” ∎E T S Y . C O M / S H O P / V U R B A N V I N T A G EP H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F L I N D S A Y M A Y O T T .


THESTYLEQUAKE.COM

PHOTOS AND STORY BY HALEY BRUCATO San Franciscans are avid collectors of vin-tage and innovators of making outdated cloth-ing look modern, evident from the scoured through and crowded thrift stores lining many blocks of the city. The items found in these stores reflect the quirky and eccentric street style sported by adults and teens alike. Although some stores smell of old furni-ture and are cluttered with knick-knacks most wouldn’t take a second glance at, others are bright and clean, organized by item and size, making a shopper’s experience quick and memorable. Oftentimes, shoppers find thrill in the hunt for uncovering buried trea-sure, sifting through rows and rows of racks, peeking between each shirt to find that perfect, vintage blouse that no one else will be wearing the next day. Thrift stores give shoppers a chance to truly define their style because of the freedom and variety of choice the stores give them. While searching through piles of hidden gems, old photographs, a wedding gown, and souvenirs collected from all over the world, it sparks curiosity into why people donated what they did. Who are they? What is the story behind this beautiful gown from the 1950s? The world lives in a throwaway cul-ture and these articles of the past continue to fuel the power of recycling.

Thriftown, at 2101 Mission Street, is re-nowned for its organization, vast selection and affordability. With daily discounts and cheap prices, it is no wonder Rachel Cloves has

deemed it her favorite thrift store to shop at in the entire city. “I find fun surprises here,” Rachel says. “I never know what I’m going to

come out with, which is the fun of the whole experience.”

Rachel is a single mom liv-ing in a very expensive city, so she uti-lizes the unbeatable prices Thrifttown offers on children’s clothing. “I buy clothes for my son here, he’s a toddler so it only makes sense to buy things that he’ll grow out of in a month or two,” she says. She supports the idea of recycling overproduced goods a in a world full of waste and limited re-sources.

Thrifttown receives its dona-tions from ReUse it, a company that

takes people’s clutter and neglected goods to used good stores in the area. Thrift-

own gives 51 percent of its profits to chari-ties, according to employee Adam Thorn. “So we’re not completely evil capitalists since

we only keep half of our profits,” he adds sar-castically. Adam sees all types of people come into shop. From wealthy people in suits and junk-

THRIFTFLATION

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ies to old people, artsy adults and fashionis-tas. “People in San Francisco have a fetish for vintage,” Adam said. “It is hyped up in fashion magazines and it is a fantasy people want to play into. Bottom-line, people like to feel sexy.” The Goodwill at 7420 Mission Street is not as renowned for its affordable prices. Iso Murillo, store manager, said customers are frus-trated with the price hikes on merchandise. Iso, wearing lip-gloss and thick makeup with an overgrown goatee, vintage flowered sweater and headscarf, has an unconventional take on men’s fashion. Although manager, he wonders why his employer marks knockoff purses at $25 and tends to shy away from purchasing at his store. “Goodwill is a lot more corporate than people like to think,” Iso says. “No one wants to shop with us anymore and people are pissed off about sweaters being $10 when they’re used.” Most of the items are donations from people in the area as well as from Target, who give Good-will Industries their overstock and outdated clothing. “Employees look for brand, quality and themes for the month when selecting items to put out on the floor to sell,” according to Iso. Since this store is smaller, consolidation is a must. Jackie Snow is a student who goes to thrift stores during her free time to search for cute shoes that aren’t worn by every other girl in the city. “Goodwill is pricey for a thrift store,” she says. “But because the price of living in San Francisco is insanely expensive, I have to go cheap where I can.” Community Thrift, at 623 Valencia Street, is a funky little shop in the middle of the Mis-sion district. It’s a hidden goldmine in a city full of chain thrift stores, and a community treasure amongst residents. Shopper Mike Trismegistus clutches a worn book in his hand, smiling as he eyes shelves and shelves of donations. “I found this

Free Mason Secret Men’s Society bible for only two bucks,” Mike says, laughing. “Where else are you gunna find something like this?” He ap-preciates Community Thrift for its cheap stuff, unorthodox books and men’s clothing, which he said, is much unlike the huge rip-offs at the Salvation Army. Community Thrift employee Pablo Lean-dro said the store works with charities, donating 30 to 40 percent of their profits. “We’ve got a lot of people coming in for our inexpensive books, antiques, records and electronics,” Pablo says. “And we’ve got beautiful vintage garments.” A sparkly sequined blazer, high-waisted pencil skirts and delicate blouses hang care-fully from worn racks. Colorful pumps lay on the wooden floor near the shoe racks, cast aside with hesitation. With a bit of hunting, shoppers will easily find an ensemble here that will suit any holiday outing. ∎

M C K E N Z I E M E T Z G E R P R O W L S T H R O U G H A L E A T H E R S H O E A S -S O R T M E N T . L E F T : S T E P H A N I E W O O D S M O D E L S $ 7 C H I F F O N D R E S S A N D $ 9 N I N E W E S T H E E L S . G O O D W I L L B O U T I Q U E , W E S T P O R T A L .

Wearing your sweatpants to the bars after a rainy day spent cuddling in bed while playing hooky is a tempting idea. But everyone in San Francisco has a reason to dress-up this holiday season. Whether your neighbor is having a Mad Men themed holiday party or you were invited to your significant other’s office get-together, you’re bound to come upon an occasion to dazzle like a Union Square Christmas tree ornament. You might have picked up a new pair of holiday pumps or a dis-counted designer dress on Black Friday, but just be-cause you’ve got the goods, doesn’t mean you’ve got the look. Some dresses can speak for themselves, but most need to be acces-sorized and styled to ac-complish the ‘look’ you’re going for. Have you asked yourself, “Am I wearing the dress, or is the dress wearing me?” A pretty dress is nice; but a flattering dress with matching pumps, complementary pen-dant and coordinated earrings turns you into pol-ished beauty. To create your holiday outfit on a budget, start with your inspiration. “For this holiday I am in-spired by fall 2011 collections from Burberry and Vivienne Westwood,” said Derek Chisamore, SFSU

A HOLIDAY IN HARMONY


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BY ERIN BROWNERfashion student and retail specialist. “There is some-thing about amazingly tailored and artistic British fashion that screams holiday.” This season, Derek will scour used-clothing racks for fitted plaid jackets

or navy-inspired pea coats. Derek believes every-one should invest in combat or riding boots, a valued find at thrift and second-hand stores. Don’t forget about hair styl-ing, it only takes a few minutes! Comb your hair to create a clas-sic finger wave as seen styled in Vivienne Westwood’s looks. Another route of in-spiration begins with Gucci’s 2011 winter collection. Fashion blogger Dyanna Dawson of The SF Style is ogling the saturated jewel tones for holiday items. These full-bodied tones are the perfect stepping-stone for color

blocking or dressing monochro-matic. Start with a bright piece, a fuschia or bright purple dress, and keep the accessories in the

same color family. Try plum tights, maroon beaded bracelets, neutral pumps, and a burgundy floppy hat for daytime or to keep dry on rainy nights. Burgundy is the easiest shade of red to wear and is perfect for any skin tone, says Derek, a man with creamy light complexion and a dark chestnut comb-over. Layer a deep burgundy cardigan over a red, pinstripe button-up with a textured merlot tie, giving you a monochromatic way to celebrate this

“ L E T B R I G H T C O L O R S A N D S O P H I S T I C A T E D A C C E S S O R I E S

D O T H E T A L K I N G ”


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holiday season. Try rummaging through the bas-kets of ties at Mission district vintage stores, Clothes Contact and Schauplatz, because you’re bound to score every color of the rainbow anyway. I, on the other hand, recently scored a wom-en’s plaid, vintage cropped Pendleton jacket with a velvet collar at Haight Street’s Wasteland. Pair this piece with a modern, high-waisted chiffon skirt, tights and dressy loafers for a Burb-erry-inspired holiday outfit. Men can pair modern-fitted jeans with a horizontal stripe sweater or pin-striped button-up shirt under a retro blazer. Layer the look with plaid or striped scarves and a camel coat. Take color even further by using it to modernize a pe-riod piece. “Nothing says holi-days to me more than colored tights,” says Carly Schneider-Clark, Co-Founder of Fancy French Cologne, a San Fran-cisco online boutique. She wears this neutral black frock, and pairs it with with pale pink tights and a timeless mustard coat. Mustard is a staple shade for the fall. Carly plays it up with pink for a pleasant pop. Another great way to in-corporate color into your look is with an accessory, such as a headscarf. “Vintage scarves can make great headbands – try a bright one tied around your locks for a pop of color against that little black dress,” says Carly. The multicolor campaign by Kate Spade New York features chic ways to incorporate color with its multicolor purses, drop earrings, and suede pumps. Carly prefers subtle holiday flourishes rather than sparkles all over. “I like to let bright colors and so-phisticated accessories do the talking when it comes to the holidays.” She suggests pairing a simple char-

treuse dress with black and white pearls to polish the look. The little black dress. It’s a timeless piece for all holiday occasions, depending on how you suit it. Add textured tights, beret, plaid scarf and a coat and you’re ready for a perfectly layered night out ensemble. Or try pairing a cardigan, colored tights,

a fun pair of pumps, and a headband or classic ponytail for an effortless dinner look. Even better— throw on sheer pantyhose, a prominent neck-lace and a set of red luscious lips. Now you’re ready for New Year’s Eve, the perfect occa-sion to sport that vintage fur that’s been gathering dust in your closet. This season we’re see-ing many of the same clas-sics we have seen every year around this time, only ampli-fied. “Think HUGE hound-stooth prints, sequins the size of silver dollars, and decadent tactile embellishments,” says Dyanna. These trends are best worn for the countdown and a kiss. “I haven’t decided on my New Year’s Eve look quite yet,” says Dyanna, “but it’s almost certainly going to in-volve some gold-lame or over-sized sequins.” Look to Prada’s oversized scales and Ferraga-mo’s magnified hounds-tooth. Long-sleeved, fitted sequin dresses are a big hit this time of year, and will stay in fash-

ion through the Spring if you dress it down with a muted cardigan. Play with colors and accessories to enhance your countdown look. A stitch of lipstick goes a long way. No matter your taste, pledge to do one thing: ring in the New Year in something dazzling. Party like it’s your last day on earth, and make sure to dress accordingly. ∎

H A V E Y O U A S K E D Y O U R S E L F , “ A M I W E A R I N G T H E D R E S S , O R I S T H E

D R E S S W E A R I N G M E ? ”

LEFT: ERIN’S OWN HOLIDAY ACCESSORIES. ABOVE: VIVIENNE WESTWOOD DRESS.

I N T E R V I E W B Y E R I N B R O W N E R & P H O T O S B Y J U L I O C O R T E Z

V A L E N T I N O J A C K E T , A L E X A N D E R W A N G M A X I D R E S S , R I C K O W E N S B O O T S .

The buzzer zings and we enter a mirrored lobby with high, tiled ceilings. After locking ourselves into a freight-style elevator, we ascend five stories into the heart of a retro hotel turned luscious apartment fit for a star. As he greets us at the door in a black, maxi dress, we agree that Brendan Cameron is without a doubt the most fabulous man in the building. Brendan’s living space reflects his personal style: simplistic glamour. A king-size bed, book-shelf full of photography and fashion literature, mid-century couch, floating lights, and a floral-meets-modern piece of art in his kitchen are the staples of his spa-cious studio. Brendan shows us into his haven, a walk-in closet the size of a chil-dren’s bed-room. W e

swoon and fawn over the hangers full of design-er and vintage pieces he has acquired from his father, a man that strongly influences Brendan’s personal style. “Getting dressed every day is a creative process,” he says and smiles. Erin How do you define your visual aesthetic?Brendan My personal style is an eclectic assort-ment of masculine and feminine silhouettes. I like to highlight my masculine and feminine fea-tures equally.Erin Which designers do you turn to for inspi-ration?Brendan I have a deep love and respect for many houses in Japan, London and Paris. Issey Miyake, Comme Des Garcons, Yoji Yamamoto,

A l e x a n - der McQueen, Vivi-enne Westwood,

Gareth Pugh, Given-

c h y , and


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THIS PAGE: MARC BY MARC JACOBS VELVET SPORTCOAT, VINTAGE SEQUINED VEST, ZARA PANTS, VINTAGE LOAFERS. OPPOSITE PAGE: VINTAGE SEQUINED CARDIGAN, MARC BY MARC JACOBS SHIRT.

S T Y L E I S N O T A T R E N D - I T S H O U L D B E A M E T A M O R P H I S I S

Rad Hourani are just a few of them. I love de-signers with innovation and an appreciation for new theatrical or shock factors in their collec-tions. If style is eternal, then fashion should be outrageous. Street style, however, is important for showing what high fashion trends are nota-ble enough to be recreated by others. Erin Where did you find all of these gems?Brendan Many of my favorite pieces are invest-ments or incredible finds. I have also acquired a large amount of my father’s pieces after his pass-ing. Intertwining all of these, the new, old, and respected, is what makes my wardrobe my own. Erin What are your holiday wardrobe essen-tials?Brendan Layers. I love fall and winter in San Francisco! It’s the best excuse to pull out all of my heavy knit sweaters and over-sized scarves. First and foremost, wool! Second, but certainly not less important, cashmere and fur. Winter is a season that lends itself to a more playful attitude. A little velvet never hurts, either. As for color, I always try to focus it on one area, whether that be a great polka dotted shirt paired with a satin bow tie or a red Valentino jacket paired with a long black dress.Erin Did you shop this past Black Friday or Cy-ber Monday?Brendan I didn’t. There’s nothing chic about a 50% off heel that’s two sizes too wrong for you.Erin Are you reinventing your look for 2012?Brendan It doesn’t change so much as it evolves; it happens as I acquire and let go. Sometimes it’s very controlled and precise, and at other times I revisit past looks that I feel safe in. I have had a lot of trial and error from trying to change things too drastically. Style is not about trend — it should be a metamorphosis. Erin If you could wear anything for New Years Eve, what would it be?Brendan It depends on the event, but in general a gold metallic suit, preferably by Chanel. Erin What’s your New Year’s resolution?Brendan To read more books, not magazines, and relearn French. ∎


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M A R C B Y M A R C J A C O B S S U I T , M A R C B Y M A R C J A C O B S F U R C O A T , R I C K O W E N S B O O T S .

“ G E T T I N G D R E S S E D E V E R Y D A Y I S M O R E O F A C R E A T I V E P R O C E S S . ”

MARC BY MARC JACOBS VELVET SPORTCOAT, VINTAGE SEQUINED VEST, ZARA PANTS.

W O L V E R T O N ’ sSTORY AND PHOTOS BY JULIO CORTEZ

A N G E L A W O L V E R T O N F O C U S E S O N T H E P R O D U C T I O N O F H E R S P R I N G C O L L E C T I O N W H I L E W O R K I N G I N B U R K H A L L 4 1 0 . D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 1


Angela Wolverton is the calmest worker bee out of the bunch within the hive that is Burk Hall 410, otherwise known as the sewing room and current home away from home for fall’s apparel design students. At just 25-years-old, she has already hurdled her way through a string of industry in-ternships, endured an eye opening stint at FIDM, and remains faithful to her creative freedoms. With a military father, Angela stationed her way around the country from her birth state of Con-necticut to Georgia and Florida before settling with her family in Ana-heim, California. Now, 368 miles away from the magic of Disneyland, the golden haired super senior finds herself in the middle of a grueling workload in preparation for San Francisco State’s winter runway show. The annual fall semester fashion show will show-case Angela’s second runway presentation, a spring 2012 concoction of modern Hawaiian prints, 1960s silhouettes and pops of red in this Blackout collection. Modern and relaxed fits are key within her own 8-piece collection, while texture dominates several extra looks the designer is volunteering for the show. “I’m making this collection for my self,” says Angela, holding some of the emerald green and black print beach scraps she picked out at Discount Fabrics downtown. There’s a million little details designers go through daily when building their collections. Angela’s priority is trusting her gut - no matter what. “You have to believe in what you do” she says, her eyes fixating on her leather-mesh-wool princess dress, “I believe in what I’m doing.”

“ N O O N E L I K E S T O L O O K A T T H E D A R K S I D E ”

Apparel design is Angela’s destiny. She grew up sitting on the ground next to her mother’s work station, watching her handle a sewing ma-chine like no other and whip out Halloween cos-tumes in the likes of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell for her children. When she turned 13, Angela says

her mother approached her with, “You’re 13. I’m not mak-ing you anything anymore. Here’s a sewing machine.” An-gela’s rebuttal? “I still love do-ing this,” the surprisingly calm designer reveals, “but now I’m capable of showing what I’ve learned in college and in the industry.” There’s a warm calm that comes from Angela, even from the moment you meet her and shake her hand. Whether in final exam mode or not, Angela doesn’t seem nervous or upset at the short

amount of time she has to complete the laundry list of to-dos. However, she’s willing to sacrifice meals and sleep to get work done. On occasion, she overdoses on caffeine, like her 4-shot iced Americano with no cream or sugar. She can give up on much needed me-time, too. “I take what I do very seriously,” says Angela, “and often neglect myself because what I do means alot to me.” “When I was younger, I didn’t take school as seriously as I do now,” admits the designer, con-templating the next stitch in the wool panels she’s been editing for the last half hour. Just one month after her high school graduation, Angela embarks on two years of design emphasis with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los An-geles. Fresh out of high school, Angela discovers that working alone and free of a critical mentality allows her to explore her creativity through hon-est fruition. You can also say that the cliques of overly confident FIDM freshman aren’t Angela’s

“ Y O U H A V E T O F I G H T Y O U R W A Y T H R O U G H T H I S . B E S T R O N G . D O N ’ T L E T A N Y O N E P U S H Y O U D O W N . ”

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cup of tea. “I felt as if I didn’t belong there,” says Angela of the cookie cutter personalities in Los Angeles, “then one day my dad told me to try San Francisco for a change.” In a city where, according to Angela, any-thing and everything can be fashionable, she feels more confident now than ever before in her ability to show others what the ups and downs of nearly seven years of design has in-stilled in her. As eclectic as San Francisco, the designer’s own inspirations range from the deconstructive art of Alexander McQueen, the free spirit of Betsey Johnson, the royal grunge of Vivienne Westwood and the mas-tery of John Galliano’s couture. “I love what he created for Dior,” says Angela, reflecting on Galliano’s antisemitic remarks that lead to his departure as head designer, “but it just goes to show you how important respect for yourself and others is no matter what.” Look-ing back, Angela promises herself that she will never treat others the way others mis-treated her as a student of the industry. Friends recall Angela’s fashion fervor back in her middle school days, attempt-ing to sew pants and shirts in her bedroom with friends. During a winter break in middle school, Angela and Jennifer Acosta-Licea de-cided to get crafty. “Of course, Angela, being as eccentric as she is, selects plaid fabric to make pants with zippers and chains,” reveals Jennifer, best friends with the designer since the sixth grade. Angela was exploring rebel-lion and masculinity inspired by her favor-ite local band at the time, No Doubt. “I re-member she was already so attuned to what she needed to do to cut the pattern, fix the mistakes she made, and create something she could be proud of,” says Jennifer. “No one likes to look at the dark side of things,” says Angela of her aesthetic inspired by her past, “but it’s in everything.” On more

“ Y O U H A V E T O F I G H T Y O U R W A Y T H R O U G H T H I S . B E S T R O N G . D O N ’ T L E T A N Y O N E P U S H Y O U D O W N . ”

A N G E L A W O L V E R T O N S T I T C H I N G A W O O L A N D L E A T H E R S K I R T B Y H A N D I N B U R K H A L L 4 1 2 . D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 1


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ANGELA’S INSPIRATIONS“ C L O T H I N G I S C R E A T I V E ; I T ’ S W H O W E A R E . ”

1. TWEED BLAZER - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, $1,035 2. THE CLASH “LONDON CALLING” 3. HORN SKIRT - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, $420 4. GWEN STEFANI 2009 BY JULIO CORTEZ. 5. SILK SCARVES - ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, $295 EACH 6. ITALIAN HAIR BOOTS - DR. MARTENS, $270

“GWEN IS WHACKY AND TRUE TO HER-SELF. SHE’S NOT AFRAID TO EXPLORE HER CURIOSITY.”

“I CAN LISTEN TO THIS ON REPEAT.”

“YOU KNOW A VIVENNE WESTWOOD WHEN YOU SEE IT. I LOVE THE PLAIDS AND SHAPES.”

than one occasion, she’s crossed paths with some of the cut-throat personalities that usu-ally spring out of the fashion industry. She’s had to fight for styling credits in apprentice-ships. She’s had compensation withheld by empty promises of paid internships. She’s even been completely ignored by a designer seeking Angela’s intern services, refusing to make eye contact or speak directly to her when requesting tasks. These bumps in the road don’t phase Angela, though. “Intern-ships are incredible opportunities,” says Angela of taking advantage of beneficial op-portunities, “you don’t have to pay for the mistakes that others make while you learn from them for your own future.” There’s no doubt in mind that Angela works hard. She’s a mature young woman who isn’t too shy to admit that she’s still got a long way to go, eager to explore fashion out-side of her comfort zone. At the same time, she’s fearless and on a mission. It’s Angela’s confidence that’s most striking, though. She reminds us that it’s not easy to take in con-structive criticisms of your work and of your-self. It’s a learned trait that takes time to ac-cept. “You have to fight your way through this,” says Angela of her place in the fashion world, “and don’t let anyone push you down.” While interviewing for jobs straight out of FIDM, Angela encountered one company that struck a personal chord. “They wanted me to work for them without pay for a month to prove to them that I’m worthy of a posi-tion with them,” Angela reveals with a smile, “I know I’m worthy. I don’t need to prove that to anybody.” ∎


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A N G E L A W O L V E R T O N A L O N G -S I D E H E R L E A T H E R , M E S H , A N D W O O L P R I N C E S S S T Y L E D R E S S I N B U R K H A L L


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C R E D I T SStylequake is not affiliated with any of the ad-vertisers featured in this issue. All advertise-ments were sourced through Google images for the educational purpose of Don Menn’s JOUR 330.02 Magazine Editing class in the Fall of 2011 at San Francisco State University.

Page 09: Instagram logo taken from Istagr.am

Page 23-24: Photographs courtesy of Lindsay Mayott

Page 29: Vivienne Westwood Red Label dress photograph taken from Hervia.com

Page 40: Vivienne Westwood jacket and skirt photographs taken from VivienneWestwood.co.uk, Alexander McQueen scarf photographs taken from AlexanderMcQueen.com, the Clash “London Calling” record cover taken from Wikipedia.org, and Dr. Martens photo-graph taken from DrMartens.com

This page: A jeweled lion necklace by Shourouk photographed by Julio Cortez at La Boutique.

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