[SHORTS STORY] AMERICAN PREP

This month I'm embarking on a special journey...a journey to that item of clothing at the heart of summer dressing: shorts. Shorts are tricky because, to be blunt, it's easy to look like crap wearing them. Weird pocket placement, strange and unnecessary seams around the ass/crotch, a plethora of lengths that can be really unflattering...shorts are tricky. Enter the first in my Shorts Story series: American Prep. This is different from Euro-inflected versions of preppiness because boat shoes. Also, see my horse bracelet, vintage kelly green Lacoste polo and whalebone necklace. I'm big into shorts-cuffing and highly recommend it for enhanced cuteness. To switch things up this week, you can see a modified version of the outfit below, topped off with a lightweight vintage sportcoat instead of a cardi.

This was fittingly shot at the gardens at the University of Virginia, speaking of which...I did some gardening yesterday! (BAM life update segue) While wearing something decidedly less preppy I volunteered at Annie Novak's Eagle Street Rooftop Farm here in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I worked with a few other volunteers to plant rows of peppers - with my hands, y'all! I actually learned about planting stuff in the ground, which was awesome - and what's more awesome is that Annie described our work as "perfect"! So if anyone asks what I''m doing up here you can tell them I'm a gentleman farmer; I've got the Instagrams to prove it!

photos Joel Codiamat // hat Urban Outfitters // polo, sportcoat and bracelet Low Vintage // cardigan American Apparel // shorts H&M // belt Uniqlo // shoes Band of Outsiders for Sperry

BADASSITY BY TATTLY

Hey ma, look at the great life choice I made for you! Just kidding. This is a Tattly tattoo, meaning my neck-branding is only temporary (as is my badassity). Check out more styles on their website (there are so many awesome ones) and follow me on Instagram @xoxofruitpunch to peep what other fake tattoo madness overcomes me. And, oh yeah - happy belated mother's day!

photo by Joel Codiamat

NOTHING COMES BETWEEN...

Me and my Levi's! I believe this is what you call a, “Canadian tuxedo,” no? I’ve also heard it called a “Texas tuxedo,” which may be more accurate since Canadians wouldn’t count this as formalwear without a denim vest thrown in the mix. My 501’s are from a store called, of all things, Melrose, in Florence and the jean jacket is from Low. I'm really loving jean jackets this season, they're the perfect Spring outerwear, no? Find the right fit (and the right wash) and you're golden.

photos Joel Codiamat

STOCKHOLM STATE OF MIND

Today's outfit is tried and true *fruitpunchery - I'm wearing vintage and an article (or two) of women's clothing. The knit beanie I picked up on a day trip to Lucerne - ordinarily it's a challenge to pull off, but for this ensemble it's the perfect finishing touch, the piece that elevates the outfit from an exercise in layering monochromatic textures to my perfect outfit for some imaginary farmer's market hopping in Sweden. The sweater is a J.Crew number I'd relegated to pajama time until I was able to shrink it in my parent's dryer and my new Comme des Garçons SHIRT polyamide shirt looks incredible layered underneath. (Stop by Vintage Vixen to see if you can find any other CDG gems [you can't, I took them all.])

My friend, local artist Thomas Dean, made the tote. The design is a riff on the D.C. flag. Dean created the various prints by scanning in and blowing up black and white illustrations from a 1970's school primer - what?! You can visit his Etsy shop to see more of his awesome work. Then, of course, we have the pants! These are vegan leather ladies' pants I found on sale at Urban Outfitters. What does "vegan leather" mean, exactly? That they're polyurethane, which I Googled, and apparently it is eco-friendly. Unless I misread the internet - there were like, so many words. I paired them with my Ash Italia sneakers, also from UO...also ladies...but actually leather. Nobody's perfect.

Inspiration for the look from my Tomgirl board on Pinterest:

As you can see, my top half is a nod to blogger Jeanne Damas' sweater + long teesh combo while my bottom half is a quite literal boy-terpretation of Alessandra Ambrosio's street style, all topped off with a sportcoat. Now, I don't wanna start sh*t with an Angel, but I might look better in my faux-leather pants. Just throwing that out there. The look also simulates the crop top trend and incorporates the long shirt silhouette seen at Carven, and I kept the shirt collar tucked in because I felt that was the Alexa Chung-y thing to do, duh.

all outfit photos courtesy photographer (and blog reader) Joel Codiamat - thanks, Joel, for being the newest *fruitpunch contributor!