23, Lizzy

I'm always amazed when people can throw on something other than Patagonia, North Face, or LL Bean during these winter months in Maine. (I know I always come running to my trusty Patagonia jacket during these hours - or let's be honest and say months - of need.)

Lizzy has a great sense of humor and this is reflected in her outfit. Within a relatively subdued palette of colors, the splash of a vivid floral print really makes this interesting. The thick knit of her coat also looks really cool (and warm)!

Of course, she hasn't totally strayed off the Maine winter-wear track. She's keepin' it real with the Bean Boots. If you haven't bought yourself a pair yet, I resisted for two years and now that I finally have a pair I wonder why I even waited. So head over to LL Bean on a 2AM run and slip a pair on, you won't regret it.

Ruthie Davis Comes to Bowdoin

Ruthie '84 and Kelly '11

Ruthie Davis '84 delivered a great talk on women entering the fashion business entitled "Girl Power," tonight. Of course, Ruthie stressed that even guys can find something productive in the mantra - about setting goals and achieving them no matter what anyone says. When she told the crowd that if someone is complaining you that you are doing "too," much of something, then you probably have something really good going.

Davis has built a thriving luxury women's footwear brand and she is currently expanding her business to markets outside of America. Her footwear, inspired by high-technology, sportswear, modernist architecture, and edgy design have increasingly donned the feet of superstars like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and many other celebrities.

It was great having her come to Bowdoin to speak and encourage people who are considering entering fashion that there is a market out there. All you need is a unique idea and the energy to make it happen! Find a void in the market, do the research, organize your approach, and make it happen. It's easy to write, but Ruthie stressed that if you are willing to deal with the nitty-gritty hard work, it all pays off in the end.

It was also nice having dinner with Ruthie. She was truly down to earth, dishing out advice on everything from launching job searches to the virtues of "blending in," when you travel abroad. (Sometimes it's good not to attract too much attention.)

22, Julia

Sorry that I've been MIA for nearly half a month! Unfortunately, when Bowdoin swamps you with work, you tend to let fun things in your life fall by the wayside.

This will probably be the last photo that looks like this in a long time! Blizzaaaaard!!!

21, Coco

Haha Coco was laughing at the whole idea of me taking her photo and then she started to get ridiculous. So I picked my favorite shot. (Oh, and I love that her collar is pleated.)

EDIT: My friend Paul, who is majoring in fashion design at Parsons, told me that the collar is actually tucked not pleated. Forgive me!

20, Cool Bangles, Cool Boots

BCN does Bowdoin Style!

Jordan Payne '12 did an interview with me last week. Probably my most productive day taking photos! Check it out:

Bowdoin Style Story

19, Molly

18, Gia

Such a cool scarf...

17, Shannon

I usually don't take photos indoors because I miss the glow that outside sun gives to any outfit, but I couldn't resist trying to minimize the inconvenience to Shannon (who was studying) and still capture what she was wearing.

Aren't those the coolest boots? I like the idea of having gold studs on the sides like that.



This necklace was the perfect addition to a very tasteful, sophisticated, and refined look. This is how you can do a cool and dark fall outfit and still keep it fun with some light elements. Those baubles are really cool and the gold chain subtly matches up with the gold buttons on Shannon's boots.

16, Mark

I don't think Mark would have any problem at all fitting in with the preppy guys at Bowdoin in the '50s. This is clean, classic, and simple New England collegiate style.

The great thing about this look are the fitted khakis. So many guys wear khakis that are way too baggy and really make a look like this sloppy instead of sophisticated and refined. Similarly, the shirt is also properly fitted. When it comes to guys, one of the biggest fashion mistakes are too-baggy oxford shirts. Whenever you go shopping always try an oxford shirt a size smaller than you think you would normally wear it and then work your way up. If the next size is too baggy then the size you tried on before is probably your true and proper size. Basically: if there is a lot of extra, unnecessary fabric when you tuck your shirt in, don't buy the shirt!

And of course, always pair your outfit with a well-worn book for the final touch.

15, Elizabeth

Everyone should have a navy blazer!

14, Willy

I ran into Willy while walking around with Jordan Payne '12 who is doing a BCN story on this blog. I felt a little remiss about it all considering I haven't uploaded anything new in almost a week! (Now that problem is solved since I snapped tons of people's pictures while trying to show Jordan that what I do is somewhat premeditated and 'thought out' and not, in reality, completely spontaneous and random.)

I've also heard that there are a dearth of guys on this blog. Well, Willy is one of those guys on campus who has fun with what he is wearing. And clearly, his personality shows it. (Thanks for the salute!)

I personally think it's hard to pull off the blazer and kicks look - but a nice pair of jeans helps make that happen.



This is an amazing scarf that Willy happened to get from a drunk guy in Dublin. Apparently this guy approached him and said "This scarf belongs to you." Totally out of the blue. And well, Willy now has a new fashion accessory. This close-up shows the awesome subtly of tweed fabric. There are so many colors in that blazer that are reflected in the fall leaves in the background, but you wouldn't notice it from afar! Awesome sartorial style.

Bowdoin Style in the Press!

It's barely been two weeks and Bowdoin Style is already getting a shout-out in the press and blogosphere. The first is from a Bowdoin Orient piece published last week:

Just this week, a new fashion blog specifically devoted to Bowdoin fashion hit the Web. The brainchild of George Aumoithe '11, Bowdoin Style features photos of fashionable Bowdoin students, often followed by text describing the chosen outfit and why it's a success. It is modeled after the popular fashion blog, The Sartorialist.

"I feel like there are two types of Bowdoin students," said Aumoithe. "There are the ones who sort of dress up, not necessarily in expensive clothes, but actually think about what they are wearing. Then there are those who just wear sweatpants. I call it sweatpants culture...I wanted to do the blog to encourage people at least once a week to dress up and have fun with it."

Aumoithe makes sure he always has a camera on him as he walks around campus. If he comes across someone with an interesting outfit, he asks to take their photo. He wants the encounters to be random so that each outfit is an honest representation of the person's style.

"I want it to be all sorts of Bowdoin students, all sorts of styles. I try to keep an open mind because what I like might not be what others like, so I try to think outside of the box and try to look at quirky manifestations of other people's styles so it's not a cookie-cutter look," said Aumoithe.

Aumoithe plans to update the blog every day and hopes to gain a large following inside and outside of Bowdoin. (source)

The second comes from a blog called "Disaffected Prep," written by Dan Varley '05. Varley heard about Bowdoin Style via the Orient article and juxtaposed my photos with some really cool pictures of old Bowdoin in past issues of Life. The pictures are incredible and as I was flipping through them I was continually astonished at how little Bowdoin has changed over the years (and of course how much it has!). Be sure to check that out. Thanks Dan!

13, Liza

Sorry for the slow updates! Subscribe to the blog via your RSS feed so that you don't have to keep checking the website. I promise to upload more frequently... maybe I should get off my longboard and walk around so that I can approach people more easily.

12, Coat On, Coat Off

I took photos of Angela in an earlier version of this blog for curia (which you can see in the alphabetized posts). She always looks so great and she really encapsulates what it means to dress differently every single day.



It's that time of year when everyone is running around with a cup of coffee or tea. But I'm going to miss being able to just wear a cardigan or hoodie very soon! Sub zero temperatures come January anyone? I'm starting to think about the dilemma that snow will present... I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there!

PS - Catch Angela this weekend at "Drums in the Night," in Memorial Hall/Pickard Theater 8PM - 10PM tonight.

11, Maxime

What a great knit-skirt!

Since it's parent's weekend, I hope I can catch some stylish parent-student pairings. Wear your best tomorrow!

10, Audrey

9, Carmen

8, Joanna

7, The Admissions Counselor

I think the folks over at admissions always have such great style. I suppose you have to put a good face (and suit) on when it comes to playing the admissions game. Elmer happens to be particularly adept at dressing to the nines pretty much everyday and when it comes to pulling off a suit and not making it look too fussy, he's got the style down pat.



I happen to love herringbone patterned fabric, even though I don't think I could ever pull it off. It's a nice subtle touch that brings life to any suit when you get up close. The tab on the suit's lapels are also pretty old-school prep and adds the perfect touch of personality. And of course, don't forget the bow-tie. Very few people can pull that off nowadays!

Somewhere I heard hats were making a comeback?

6, Awa

5, Lily and the Zipper Dress!

I think zipper dresses are so cool. Lily and I talked about how pretty much all of what she is wearing was bought from a thrift or affordable vintage store. I definitely shared her sentiment that fashion should be accessible and democratic and not just in Karl Lagerfeld's rarefied world of haute couture. (As much of a genius as he is.)



I'm also glad I got another chance to photograph this bag. If you remember, Lily wore it in the very first official post on this blog. It's got so much old-school character that I almost want to call it her sidekick.



Lily said that the ruffling on her sleeve is just "bunched up elastic," but I think it produces a really cool effect here! Nice detail on a relatively understated dress. Perfect style for a rainy Bowdoin day.

(A quick note to new readers... which would probably be all of you. Feel free to comment on these posts and let me know what you think! Of course, please keep everything fair and relatively nice, if only for my ego's sake. Let me know if the photos are a good size or if they should be smaller, whether I should write more or less, etc. I hope to be taking photos of a lot more Bowdoin students in the future!)

4, Kate

3, Zoë

When I asked Zoë if I could take her picture, she abashedly said that she wasn't "dressed to the nines today." I laughed it off and explained that her style encapsulated exactly how you could not look fussy while still avoiding what I like to call "sweatpants culture," at Bowdoin.



I love the distressed details on this whole outfit. It's relaxed and non-fussy, yet colorful. This outfit definitely represents the beautiful autumnal array that surrounds us around this time of year. Fall represents a season when things really go into a relaxed state - Zoë definitely reflects this mood.

2, Light Coat, Black Boots

I'm really liking this combination of light beige coat and black boots. A nice way to bend that "after Labor Day," rule...

1, Lily

Lily has great style and I love how she picks soft and buttery leather pieces to accent her city-inspired look.



And of course... the bag has lots of character.

c

b

a

An older post. Angela on election day.

0

Let the games begin.