For this month’s column, we focus on one spot along the Art-A-Whirl art tour: the Vintage and Makers’ Market at 331, where we chatted with three folks about trends, summer style, and showing some skin.
Noah Goodwin
How would you describe your personal style?
I like things that are very flowy. I like to play with patterns more than color. I love color but I love things that are patterned, textured. I don’t like things that feel too constrictive so it’s really important to me to feel like I can move around.
Where do you find style inspiration?
Movies I watch, music I listen to, music videos. Classic music videos like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna—the big divas. Oftentimes a lot of things I see online. I like to think my friends have really good style and I see what they wear and I’ll say, “Where did you get that? I need to find that.” And also looking at how people are dressing in general, like on the street. In short-form content, what’s being really hyped, what's being really talked about? I think I pay attention to that.
Where do you shop?
It’s horrible, but Instagram has me totally pegged. I get the Instagram [reccommendation] of “You would like this,” and I’m like, “Damn, I really would like that!” So, this [shirt] was purchased off of an Instagram ad. The brand is Incerunmen. I thought this looked like Van Gogh and was really pretty. The rest is kind of basics. I like to combine basics with a statement piece. Now, it’s this shirt. This [tank top] is Uniqlo, the shorts are Chubbies, and then Birkenstocks.
What current trends are you loving?
I think we’re seeing a resurgence of color and a resurgence of shapes. I think there’s a lot of excitement around shapes and color—geometric shapes, in particular. People are playing with different cuts. I think we’ve moved from a very flat, kind of beige era which I think was dominating the last couple of years. This flat, beige, business [style], and wearing club clothes to work and then work clothes to the club. I don’t think we need to be doing that.
What’s a past trend you’d like to see come back?
I think we should bring back leather pants. And jean jackets. The ‘90s baggy look that’s been coming back? I think we need to stop that now. I respect it and I love it but what if you took that flannel and turned it into a cropped button-up? Have some fun.
What does your summer wardrobe look like?
My philosophy is to show a little skin. The warmer weather is the easiest time because you can just put your coochie out! I just texted my friends that it’s going to be a coochie-out weekend. Short shorts, like Chubbies. I just bought a pair of two-inch inseam shorts from there. I think playing with dimensions, like what I’m wearing today: the base is shorter and a little bit tighter and then the statement piece is much flowier. Playing with dimensions like wide on top, tight on bottom.
What advice do you have for someone wanting to feel comfortable in their own skin when styling an outfit?
We’re our own worst critics. Whatever you don’t like about yourself is what you’re going to see in the mirror, but that’s not what everyone else is going to see. The thing that you really don’t like about yourself, someone else might really like. Or they might see it and they might think they had the confidence to pull that off. So, I think just doing your best and saying, “I’m not comfortable showing as much skin as I want right now, but I’m showing a little more than I was yesterday.” It doesn’t have to be this immediate thing.
Lately, we’re so saturated with short-form content and focused on transformations and immediacy, constantly taking pictures and videos of each other. That’s not how people are in real life. If you aren’t comfortable with something, you won’t just wake up the next day and say “I can do this” with no problem. If you aren’t comfortable wearing a crop top and shorts in public, just wear something that’s a little short and see how you feel.
Amy Conger
How would you describe your personal style?
Things that make me feel good; I wear what makes me feel good. That’s pretty much the only rule. The only qualifier for what I put on is just what’s my mood that day and what I’m trying to feel like—to feel like myself.
Where do you like to shop?
Online, I like Big Bud Press. I fell in love with this brand SÜK, they’re Australian. What I like about this [jumpsuit] is that it’s really utilitarian but also super comfy. And the cut of it is kind of perfect for my body. I feel like me when I’m wearing it.
Where do you find style inspiration?
Just people that I see who look cool, I guess. And I think it’s people who when I see them I’m like, “Oh, they look really comfortable with who they are and it feels like they’re moving in a way that makes them look authentic.” I really love color, so I have a lot of really colorful dresses and things. I also like matching red and green together—that’s how I was feeling today.
How has your style changed or stayed the same through the years?
Even when I was a teenager I was always wearing weird things that nobody else was wearing, just things that made me happy like sequins. I had a sequin turban that I wore a lot when I was 17. It was not the hottest style in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, but I was rocking it.
What’s a past trend you’ve loved and have seen come back?
Well I’m very happy about wide-leg pants. If I had my JNCOs from when I was in high school I would be wearing those every day. So now I’m trying to find the ones that harken back to that.
A lot of things are coming back from when I was really coming of age which is cool. But at the same time sometimes I see things and be like, “I would’ve worn that as a fifth grader and I would not wear that now.”
What does your summer wardrobe typically look like?
I wear a lot of dresses. To me, when it’s warm out I really want my shoulders out. That makes me feel cooled out, so I'm doing that a lot. A lot of sundresses.
What advice do you have for someone wanting to feel good in their clothes?
Try new things! Just try on a bunch of stuff. Maybe try on your friends’ clothes to see what feels good on you and maybe you can borrow it. Let’s go back to when we were younger when we were borrowing each others’ clothes. I really enjoy that.
My friends and I do a clothing swap and that’s a great way to cycle through new things and try on things I would never buy for myself—my friend wore this a couple years ago and now I’m really hot in it and she’s over it or it’s not working for her body anymore. Make it a social thing. I highly recommend it. It’s economical and it’s just fun to be with your friends.
Bella Tchida
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is a little bit whimsical, down to earth, and joyous.
Where do you find style inspiration?
Early 2000s, my mom and what she wore when I was a kid. And pieces that speak to my heart.
Where do you shop?
I love stuff like this, I like to thrift a lot. I don’t shop at the mall a ton, just when needed.
How has your style changed or stayed the same through the years?
Well, I went to an art high school, so I think that influenced me a lot. I honestly think I would’ve worn this in high school. My style just evolves the more I know myself, I suppose, and how comfortable I feel wearing fun stuff.
I think everybody wants to feel happy and free. Nobody’s actually thinking that much about what you’re wearing. I think it’s kind of darling when you wear something cute and someone else is like, “Oh my god I love it.” That’s so fun to me. Why be bored? Have fun!
What does your summer wardrobe look like?
See that’s a big one. I feel like I have way more fun stuff for the summer. I dress a lot less fun in the winter since I’m cold; I need more fun long sleeves. Also it’s hard working in an office since you can’t wear fun stuff in an office.
[Getting dressed] is more like what just calls to me that day. Today, the weather is warm. I slept in this shirt and I was like, “I’m gonna wear it; I just need a pair of shorts.” I grabbed this bag and this hat was in this bag. Perfect.
What’s a current trend you aren’t loving?
I would say athleisure sets. Like the tight, polyester ones. I think there’s a weird inkling of conformity and I think it’s kind of restricting, personally. To each their own. If that makes you feel good, wear it. It’s hot, fun, but at the same time I think it’s a little bit classist and I am anti- that. I think clothing should be fun and accessible but at the same time not overconsumed.
What trend do you want to see more of?
I’m loving the resurgence in capris. I’m into that. Bring back parachute pants, actually. Those look really comfortable. I would rock a pair of those.
What’s your advice for finding a style you feel good in?
Just add little sparkles in [your outfit] that make you feel good and keep building it up. I think to have a good outfit you also have to wear a good outfit sometimes. Be yourself, have so much fun, and go outside!
