VCstyleU: Nick Southern
N ick Southern’s Instagram feed is populated with knock-out look after knock-out look. From embroidered trousers to kimonos, and ponchos to kerchiefs, the boy knows what he’s doing. To say that I was inspired to step up my personal style just by ogling over his is a massive understatement. Back in January, the busy Richmond boy sat down with me to chat about his fondness for fashion and our shared love for model Bella Hadid. Our aficionado started out studying psychology but decided to follow his dreams and his heart and convert to the fashion merchandising field. When asked about his plans post-graduation, he revealed that he’d love to be a personal stylist, and if he could style the celebrity of his dreams it would absolutely, without a doubt, be IT girl Bella Hadid. When it comes to his eclectic and eccentric personal style, Nick mused, “I would definitely say that I float between looks from day to day, but my favorite look to go for would probably be like, edgy-chic. You know incorporating a lot of heavier metals, leather, ripped jeans, and then pair it with like a beat up pair of shoes, but a timeless one like Converse, or chelsea boots.” He also admires the style of model Lucky Blue Smith , who tends to incorporate some of Nick’s favorite edgy-chic trends in his looks. I was surprised to learn that Nick’s favorite season to dress for is winter. While many a fashionista/os I’ve spoken to this year tend to lean toward transitional seasons like fall and spring. For Nick however, when it comes to the cold and to layers, he simply says bring it on. “Winter is my favorite to dress for because you can just wear so much stuff I feel like you can wear anything,” Nick said. “In summer, I find it’s just really hard to dress in summer, you’re limited to maybe one or two statement pieces to work your outfit around, whereas in the winter you can show off multiple items at once.” Nick also says that, as far as trends go, never say never. “I would sit here and say that I wouldn’t wear something and then in ten years I’d probably wear it,” Nick said. “Even putting a contemporary design on a fanny pack can make it really cute.” Among thrift stores, Nick favors stores like Asos and Topman when he does his shopping. He also swears by Forever 21 when in search of good basics to fill out your closet. When the topics of staple items arise, Nick advises, “You have to have a neutral flannel, and a denim jacket, a leather jacket.” Nick knows that fashion is more than what you wear. “I definitely believe that fashion is an outlet for expression,” Nick said. “If you put on an outfit that you feel really awesome in, whether that’s something out of your comfort zone or something you feel good in for the day, I find that you probably have better day.” His confidence and flare have always been innate to him, but he’s also had to grow into it. “The first time that I bought my own clothes, I was like 10 in fifth grade and I wore these jeans that had rips in them, and this graphic tee with this little vest at the time, and I wore it, and people just tore into me at school,” Nick said. “So I just found through the years of growing up, I mean I’m gay obviously, but people tend to put labels on you because you’re gay. Let’s think of a couple stereotypes for people that are gay, ‘they love fashion, they have a girly voice’, I found that growing up I always tried to stray away from that and I almost felt like I couldn’t enjoy the things that I liked because they were considered so stereotypical. I found that as I’ve gotten older, I don’t want to be who you guys expect me. I think I kept wearing the things that I’ve worn because I feel good in them but also it also shows that I don’t care about other people’s opinion.” Nick’s final answer to the question of confidence is this: “You need to try things on you need to find out what looks good on you; you need to make mistakes. And if you like something don’t be afraid to wear it. Obviously, if there’s a fur coat that you really want and you wanna pair it with a hoodie or something, that’s a streetwear look. That would look awesome, but keep in mind that if someone says something to you, you definitely have to let it pass you.” Follow him @wearyourfaesthetic @nicksouthern their full website
Fashion: The World of Contradiction
Story by Briana Thornton Photos by Mia Navarro Every fashion trend has a story. As it sits at the intersection of time, place and subject, there are countless ways to interpret each and every one of them. Take the mini skirt for example; at the turn of the 20th century, it was inconceivable for women to show even her ankle, much less her knee. Now however, walking down the streets of Richmond, men and women alike are wearing skirts of varying lengths. To the untrained eye, fashion may seem straightforward — in actuality, it’s a world of contradictions. In fashion, the imperfect is coveted, then rejected, and then celebrated once again. The current moment escapes its timeline and what is in one day is out the next, just as it becomes popular among the masses. Modern fashion is an endless array of styles that seem to oppose one another: women wearing menswear, men wearing womenswear, the mixing of punk, hipster, or gothic with activewear, or tomboy with glam. Sound confusing? It is. Marc Jacobs, for example, described the women he dresses as “womanly and young at the same time”. Angela Missoni defined her look as being “very, very feminine, very romantic, but very tough”. The singer Florence Welch enjoys a line that’s “panthers and pansies, the aggressive and the fragile”. Interpret it as you may but essentially it means dress the way that makes you feel most like yourself and ignore the idea of “fashion rules”. Need some inspiration? Take a look at some awesome looks our stylists have put together: Tomboy & Glam Styled by Zshavoni Modeled by Asya The athleisure trend has been around for a while now and understandably so; you can be fashionable and cool while still being comfortable. Asya is rocking a baseball jersey, but instead of the typical jeans or shorts try a glam midi-length pencil skirt and edgy Perspex-heeled, patent leather booties. From Night to Day Styled by Daniela Modeled by Marley Learning how to transition from “desks to drinks” is an imperative skill, taking your business casual wear and it appropriate for nighttime. But, what about the other way around? Style your top that would typically be left in the bedroom, featuring yet another recently made-popular-again trend : wearing lingerie on the on the outside. Paired with black skinny jeans and booties, the outfit has just the right amount of edge for your daytime activities. Preppy & Urban Styled by Zshavoni Modeled by Asya Preppy and urban are two styles that you might never think to pair together. Preppy is a style that’s been around for decades and is usually defined by pastel colors, embroidered emblems and brands like Ralph Lauren and Lily Pulitzer. When unexpectedly paired with urban style essentials like bamboo hoops and worn Converse, and a cute gray circle skirt, the look is much more approachable and versatile for any occasion. Women Wearing Menswear Styled by Daniela Modeled by Marley An oversized button-up is such a classic piece and a menswear staple, but it’s also become an essential in any woman’s business casual wardrobe, and for good reason. Its versatility allows you to dress it up or down. Play it down by pairing it with a ripped denim skirt. When paired with a black lace bodysuit, the white blouse is given a more feminine touch. get the deal
Live as Your Limitless Self
Photos by Monica Escamillia Creative Direction by Bliss Foster Introduction by Julia Bratu Photos by Monica Escamillia Creative Direction by Bliss Foster Introduction by Julia Bratu Something reminiscent of a fairytale, RCFU collaborated with Bliss Foster to embody his conception of the project: Limitless Self. In ten unique looks, fantasy combines with reality to pair sensible and chic garments with high necklines and broad silhouettes and uniquely constructed accessories, like a multi-tiered straw hat or wire rabbit ears. A few of the more colorful designs bring us back to our childhoods, when we found ourselves playing tea party with stuffed rabbits and chasing butterflies out in fields of daisies. However, they also remind us that in this grown-up world, we can still find the beauty in the little things. Each of these looks is crafted specifically to appeal to our most nostalgic sensibilities and reveal that while we grow old, we never really have to grow up. It is with pleasure that RCFU invites you to discover your own Limitless Self. Something reminiscent of a fairytale, RCFU collaborated with Bliss Foster to embody his conception of the project: Limitless Self. In ten unique looks, fantasy combines with reality to pair sensible and chic garments with high necklines and broad silhouettes and uniquely constructed accessories, like a multi-tiered straw hat or wire rabbit ears. A few of the more colorful designs bring us back to our childhoods, when we found ourselves playing tea party with stuffed rabbits and chasing butterflies out in fields of daisies. However, they also remind us that in this grown-up world, we can still find the beauty in the little things. Each of these looks is crafted specifically to appeal to our most nostalgic sensibilities and reveal that while we grow old, we never really have to grow up. It is with pleasure that RCFU invites you to discover your own Limitless Self. view
Get Fit and Stay Cool: Athleisure
Story by Julia Bratu Photos by Monica Escamillia Over the course of the 20th and 21st century, the popularity of sportswear has been on the rise. The casual attitude we take today towards daywear is largely a result of the rising popularity of athletic clothing and sports as a leisure activity, making its way past scandal and into the hearts of modern society. Now, the athleisure trend has rooted itself in contemporary fashion culture. The best part of athleisure is that there are seemingly no hard-defined rules in order to be on trend. Sneakers and track suits are no longer only standard fare for the gym, but they can be taken out on the town and still be considered just as casually cute. Sweatpants can be mixed with casual jackets and worn out to the movies, jewelry can be mixed with a sports bra, and the sneaker is a celebrated way to demonstrate that you are ready to get up and go on any occasion. In honor of this newly established style standard, RCFU stylists personally put together a few outfits to inspire you to create your very own athleisure outfits that really shine. More outfit ideas: [slideshow_deploy id=’5168′] Over the course of the 20th and 21st century, the popularity of sportswear has been on the rise. The casual attitude we take today towards daywear is largely a result of the rising popularity of athletic clothing and sports as a leisure activity, making its way past scandal and into the hearts of modern society. Now, the athleisure trend has rooted itself in contemporary fashion culture. The best part of athleisure is that there are seemingly no hard-defined rules in order to be on trend. Sneakers and track suits are no longer only standard fare for the gym, but they can be taken out on the town and still be considered just as casually cute. Sweatpants can be mixed with casual jackets and worn out to the movies, jewelry can be mixed with a sports bra, and the sneaker is a celebrated way to demonstrate that you are ready to get up and go on any occasion. In honor of this newly established style standard, RCFU stylists personally put together a few outfits to inspire you to create your very own athleisure outfits that really shine. go wholesale
Duplicate Their Look: The Hadid Sisters
Bella and Gigi Hadid are two of the biggest models gracing the catwalks and heading campaigns for major designers. The sisters both walked in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show (2016) and are also known for their work together in the Fendi and Moschino Spring/Summer campaigns together. They’ve both won awards such as “Model of the Year”, “I nternational Model of the Year” and “Choice Model.” In 2016, Gigi walked for: Versace , Chanel, Elie Saab , Fendi , Marc Jacobs , Anna Sui , Miu Miu , Balmain , Diane Von Furstenberg , Tommy Hilfiger , go coupon Fenty x Puma , Isabel Marant , and Giambattista Valli . She has also shot editorials for VMAN VMAN , Elle Elle , Grazia Grazia , Cleo Cleo , Vogue Vogue , Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated , Paper Paper magazine , Vanity Fair Vanity Fair and V Magazine V Magazine . Hadid has also starred in campaigns for Guess, Versace , Penshoppe , Balmain F/W 2015, Topshop , Max Mara, and Stuart Weitzman . Similar to Gigi, Bella Hadid made her Chanel Couture debut during Paris Haute Couture S/S Fashion Week, and she walked exclusively for Givenchy. She also walked for Chanel and Miu Miu at their shows in Paris Fashion Week in March 2016, as well as walking for Fenty x Puma in New York Fashion Week in February 2016. She has appeared on the covers of Seventeen Magazine Seventeen Magazine , V Magazine V Magazine , Harper’s Bazaar Harper’s Bazaar , Elle Elle , Allure Allure , Glamour Glamour , Exit magazine Exit magazine , W magazine W magazine British GQ British GQ , Flare Flare , , and Paper Paper Magazine. The stylists for RCFU chose a look of them backstage at a Tommy Hilfiger show featuring bold patterns and color block. Gigi is shown in a cropped, red/blue/white patterned top, with low-rise leather pants, over-the-knee boots, and a chunky belt. Bella is shown with a similar red/blue/white color block mini-skirt with a cropped yellow polo top — again paired with a chunky belt. The looks were re-created with similar patterns, textures, and textiles, with Stephanie wearing a blue cropped tee with a black-and-white striped envelope skirt . Kenya is styled in a bold hounds tooth-patterned jacket , along with a leather cropped tee , jeans, and black over-the-knee boots .
Celebrate Your Pride in Style
Story by Julia Bratu Photos by Monica Escamillia We take great pride in our incredibly diverse city and campus at RCFU, and strive to be sure we celebrate our differences by promoting positive depictions of people from all walks of life. Our own team is also full of people of all different backgrounds, so it is exciting to be able to take part in working on photoshoots and articles that truly make a difference in our community. We decided that one of the best ways to show our support for diversity in the Richmond area was to do a LGBTQ+ pride photoshoot, particularly emphasizing the history and importance of the pride flag, showcasing what it truly means to be a member of this beautiful and culturally rich community. The pride flag was originally conceived and designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a gay artist and civil rights activist, with 8 colors- including pink! The flag was then reduced to seven colors when it was found that pink was not a commercially available color. It would have stayed that way were it not for the need for an even amount of colors in order to cover both sides of the street during a parade to demonstrate solidarity after the assassination Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay supervisor. So, they dropped indigo. The other colors managed to stick, and now we have the six-color version commonly seen flown today to represent the LGBTQ+ community. Each outfit that we styled was chosen to be coordinated to one of the pride colors. Although the six-color variation of the flag features red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, we decided that we wanted to pay homage to the flag’s history so we also included pink as one of our colors. Each color has a different personality, making each look different. Each of the colors helps illustrate the strong, spirited community that has come together in the past century to celebrate our difference as one. Sources: “History of the Gay Pride / Rainbow Flag.” Flags of the World. June 28, 2015. Accessed December 16, 2016. https://flagspot.net/flags/qq-rb_h.html. “History & Colors of the Rainbow Flag – Mid-South Pride.” Mid-South Pride Inc. 2016. Accessed December 16, 2016. http://midsouthpride.org/history-colors-of-the-rainbow-flag/. We take great pride in our incredibly diverse city and campus at RCFU, and strive to be sure we celebrate our differences by promoting positive depictions of people from all walks of life. Our own team is also full of people of all different backgrounds, so it is exciting to be able to take part in working on photoshoots and articles that truly make a difference in our community. We decided that one of the best ways to show our support for diversity in the Richmond area was to do a LGBTQ+ pride photoshoot, particularly emphasizing the history and importance of the pride flag, showcasing what it truly means to be a member of this beautiful and culturally rich community. The pride flag was originally conceived and designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a gay artist and civil rights activist, with 8 colors- including pink! The flag was then reduced to seven colors when it was found that pink was not a commercially available color. It would have stayed that way were it not for the need for an even amount of colors in order to cover both sides of the street during a parade to demonstrate solidarity after the assassination Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay supervisor. So, they dropped indigo. The other colors managed to stick, and now we have the six-color version commonly seen flown today to represent the LGBTQ+ community. Each outfit that we styled was chosen to be coordinated to one of the pride colors. Although the six-color variation of the flag features red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, we decided that we wanted to pay homage to the flag’s history so we also included pink as one of our colors. Each color has a different personality, making each look different. Each of the colors helps illustrate the strong, spirited community that has come together in the past century to celebrate our difference as one. Sources: “History of the Gay Pride / Rainbow Flag.” Flags of the World. June 28, 2015. Accessed December 16, 2016. https://flagspot.net/flags/qq-rb_h.html. boutiques “History & Colors of the Rainbow Flag – Mid-South Pride.” Mid-South Pride Inc. 2016. Accessed December 16, 2016. http://midsouthpride.org/history-colors-of-the-rainbow-flag/.
RCFU x Jackie O
W hen we think of class and sophistication, we think of women like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis , who carry themselves, their families, their successes and their tragedies with grace and dignity. Jackie O changed the ‘first lady’ game in 1961 and effortlessly set trends that we adore and mimic today. While many think of Jackie and remember the pink suit, and other iconic first lady-esque looks, our stylist Briana Thornton wanted to zero in on Jackie’s more casual and irresistibly 70s ensembles. GET THE LOOK LOOK For some sleek 70s vibes, find yourself a nice mini or midi skirt — shoot for A-line if you want to accentuate your waist. You can pair the short number with a neutral colored button down blouse or turtle neck and tie an check these guys out ascot or scarf around your neck for the perfect pop of color. You can add a block heel to the look or even a comfy pair of ankle booties. Nothing says 70s more than a wide-legged pant. For a second Jackie inspired look, find yourself a comfy pair of high waisted wide legged pants . These can elongate your legs and make your figure appear slimmer. Next, find a fitted denim shirt and tuck it in to keep a nice flattering shape, and roll up those sleeves the classic Jackie way. HAIR Jackie rocked an iconic coiffure with gorgeous volume and side swept bangs. You can easily achieve this level of boss “first lady realness” by pinning the front section of your hair behind your ear. If you want a more relaxed look, part your tresses down the middle and exude simple 70’s beauty. ACCESSORIES To truly reach Jackie’s level of fashion icon, you need a larger than life pair of sunglasses . You can choose whichever frame works best for your face, though Jackie typically rocked an oversized and round frame.