leanne on south street

Leanne just graduated from the library science program at Drexel and is looking for a job. Hear that, libraries? Hire her! She’s from New Jersey, but she now enjoys living in the Italian Market. Aside from looking for employment, she spends her time reading and playing piano. Her dream job is to be a “very well paid librarian,” and the last book she read was The People of Paper, by Salvador Plascencia.

Leanne described her style as the “librarian look.” Her glasses are from Warby Parker, her dress is from a thrift store, and her cardigan is from T. J. Maxx. I love black, white, and red together, not to mention a good dress and cardigan combo.

desiree on 23rd street

I met Desiree outside of Clover Market. I thought it seemed like the perfect place to encounter some interestingly dressed vintage lovers. I was right about that.

Desiree is from Philadelphia and now lives in Mount Airy. She loves going to craft fairs and enjoys music, film, and “being a mommy to a wonderful three year old!” Her other city love is Chicago, where she got her BFA in Arts Administration and Photography.

Desiree also loves thrifting and vintage shopping. She loves getting designer denim from resale shops, and describes her style and aesthetic as “grandma chic,” old fashioned, but new. She likes getting one of a kind pieces that you wouldn’t see in chain stores.

She would love to someday run a member-supported nonprofit gallery and studio space. Right now, she works for The Picasso Project, a nonprofit that does advocacy and gives grants to Philadelphia public school teachers who need funding for art projects in their schools.

I really enjoy the pattern of her coat and her bright denim. It’s hard to find an interesting winter coat, and bright jeans give color to an otherwise grey and frigid city. Also, those earrings and that topknot! So good!

fifty countries, two years, one pair of jeans

Finding street style in the winter is hard, you guys. I had foreseen it as a potential challenge, so when I began I worked about a month ahead. Then the holidays came, I was sick for about two weeks, and it got absolutely frigid in Philadelphia.

 So in order to make this project a bit more sustainable through these strange weather patterns and other facts of life, I’ll be mixing in extras. This week, I’ve been working on an interview with a friend who has fallen in love with raw denim. He’ll be wearing the same pair of jeans for a year. A year!

While that’s in the works, enjoy this mini documentary about travel and denim over a two year period. I found it a couple years ago now, and I still watch it every so often. It makes me desperate to get rid of all my stuff and pack lightly for a several-year jaunt around the world.
   
” Traveling Denim ” Recording color fade for two years from Takayuki Akachi on Vimeo.

lydia on 13th street

Lydia works at a restaurant and small market, which is appropriate because she enjoys cooking. Her dream job is to recreate an Anthony Bourdain-type situation — traveling around, talking to people, and writing about food and travel.

She tries to find her clothes secondhand. Her sweater is from an exboyfriend, who got it secondhand as well. It looks delightfully warm and cozy, especially on a frigid day like this.

She’s been in Philly for about three and half years, and her favorite part of the city is the people she’s met here: “I’ve met some really amazing people in Philadelphia.”

alexi on walnut street

Alexi lives in Camden. She’s a first-year law student at Rutgers. “I think that my entire outfit probably is like, 16 dollars!” She got her dress second hand, her shoes from Old Navy, and her jacket from Wilson’s Leather on clearance. Her Ray-Bans do throw off that estimate, though. If she could wear just one thing for a week, it would be a giant onesie with footies. A wise girl. Comfort over style, people.