Four-Point Fashion Assault 2
A few years ago as I furthered my style education it was time for my fashion-conscious adult self to phase out two wardrobe staples: big hair and big shoes. I got rid of almost every pair of chunky 4″ platforms and ditched the teasing comb in favor of pointy heels and short hair.
Today, I’m here to say “fuck it”. Life is short, I don’t have to be! While I may never want to see another pair of Demonias or can of Aquanet [actually, I never used Aquanet because it sucks. I just mean "cheap, crispy-hair-making hair spray], there are tasteful options.
The boots here are by Kirara – a Korean designer that’s a tough to track down, as a bit of Googlemancery proved today. Perhaps one of our Korean-speaking readers could help out? The leather upper is glove-thin and folds to my every whim, the platforms are made of an ultra-light foam, and they seem to be highly effective at scaring away rabid vagrants when I’m out on photo expeditions. They were fairly pricey, but I’ve had them for five years and they’re holding up just fine. Also, babies dig ‘em. Seriously.
On the opposite end of the financial spectrum, the rest of this outfit is from Forever 21, including the perforated metal bracelet. The slashed legging debate rages among my friends even still. Questions such as “Which kind is acceptable, if any?”, “Will they make me look like a hipster douchebag?” surface, as stores offer a growing variety of holey legwear. Without assuming any authority over your fashion choices, my four cents:
- Wear whatever makes you happy, acceptable or not
- If you are, in fact, a hipster douchebag, these will hardly amplify the fact
- If you’re teetering on the brink of hipster douchebaggery I would stay away from these, unless you’re ready to plunge head-first into plaid everything, fedoras and headbands [headbands on fedoras, maybe? With stuck-on mustaches?]
- Just go back to 1 and find inner peace. Punch the next person to challenge your choices.
Lastly, big hair is fun, helmet hair is not. I was recently shown a video of myself in 2002 and almost fainted from the goth porcupine hair-horror glowing at me from the screen. Don’t let this happen to you. Try using a minimal amount of hair spray [my weapon of choice is Spray and Play, by BigSexyHair] and backcombing in a way that looks messy instead of tumourous.
From the Editor : Zoe’s glasses are from “A nameless eyeglass boutique in Tokyo’s Nakano neighborhood”. Sorry I couldn’t be more help, I could use another pair myself, heh.”
May 17th, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Zo, I’m pretty sure that is the exact same outfit I was wearing last week in Orlando. You have no idea how awesome it is to see someone as awesome as you wearing it.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Much to Zo’s dismay, I ordered that outfit from F21 after I shot those pics of her. We shall coordinate when we wear it out so that we don’t get Twinsie Syndrome (again).
May 17th, 2009 at 1:52 PM
OMG. Those eyeglas frames are the coolest ever!! Where did you get them?? I want to find myself something similar. Who are they from????
May 17th, 2009 at 2:26 PM
I have to agree with OutsaPop, those eyeglass frames are wonderful, any information on them?
May 17th, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Zoe’s glasses are from “A nameless eyeglass boutique in Tokyo’s Nakano neighborhood. Sorry I couldn’t be more help, I could use another pair myself, heh.”.
May 17th, 2009 at 2:33 PM
This post has made me very happy for so many reasons…However, the main one is the platform shoes thing. I feel stupid these days wearing my platforms only because everyone looks at me like I am insane. I think that they look really wonderful and create an elongated proportion that is very aesthetically pleasing to me. I think they look amazing! So F*** it, I’m going to continue wearing them no matter how 1990′s they may be!
May 17th, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I love the glasses frames, cna while I have never really liked chunky souls (I know I know … I’m a traitor) those boots are awesome. I still would never wear them (I love my pointed toes and heels too much for that) but I would certainly consider it for a very long long long moment
May 17th, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I love this outfit Zo, you never let us down.
May 17th, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Hurrah, another Zo fashion post! And yet another one that has made me visit the F21 site, lookit that…
I was never hugely into big-soled shoes as a young’un, but I’ve been wanting to invest in a pair of platform sneakers or somesuch more and more lately. However, I HAVE been really concerned about how teen-goth that will look. But as your pictures prove, it’s all about the specific shoe!
May 17th, 2009 at 7:07 PM
Aw, c’mon, No Demonia? I have a pair of Demonia boots which are quite simple and stylish, and they look pretty good with most things- not teen goth ever!
I do like your outfit though, and your style in general
I definitely agree with “wear what makes you happy, acceptable or not”.
May 17th, 2009 at 10:04 PM
LOVE rule #1, that’s the most important. I’ve got to say, I have a pair of ridiculous Demonia boots that are probably all kinds of goth cliche, but they make me insanely happy when I wear them once every month or so. ^_^
May 17th, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Rule #1 is gold. I was debating my own wardrobe recently and I thought to myself ‘okay self- if you were in a position to wear what you want no matter what anyone said, totally guaranteed free from judgement, from impressing certain boys, from looking 24/7 classy etc, what would you wear?’ and from there, the true self emerged. And found peace with my knee high cream suede platforms that make me look like a Spice Girl Jedi.
May 19th, 2009 at 7:29 AM
Am I to understand that “hipster douchebags” sport excessive amounts of plaid, fedoras and headbands? I need to know exactly what I’m dealing with in order to avoid being a HDB. I did recently buy a funky little fedora at a thrift store because, well, I can’t recall having seen many folks sporting them and thought I would at least be different. So would I be a unique douche bag if I wore it?
And drats! I tossed a pair of enormous platform shoes recently because I figured no 30-something woman should be caught dead in them. I did love em, though….ah well. I have plenty of shoes that are big enough, and I’ve already got the big hair thing going (been spending wayyyy too much time at drag shows I guess).
May 19th, 2009 at 5:30 PM
An extensive pictorial display of hipster douchebaggery can be found here: http://www.latfh.com/
May 20th, 2009 at 8:46 AM
i love big hair, i will not even lie (maybe this is because i was born/raised in new jersey?). aquanet sure does make it look disgusting, but, thanks for the hairspray tip. now that I have short hair again, Iim sort of interested in blowing it totally out.
within reason, of course.
on the other hand, i can’t get away with ripped anything. i’m a klutz and everyone will just think i fell on the way out of the house.
May 20th, 2009 at 9:08 AM
I amnot a big fan of holey leggings/tights but I think you pulled that look together.
May 20th, 2009 at 10:02 PM
While I am no longer a teenager, I still own [and regularly wear] a pair of big, stompy, buckle boots by Demonia. I think they’re fantastic. Fuck it. Guess I’m not cool.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:26 PM
I’m of the opinion there are ways to maintain personal style while maturing and settling into good taste. I think you’ve navigated that line successfully. Viva la platforms!
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:14 AM
People look better when their outward appearance reflects their inner mechanisms. Tl:dr? Dress for you, no matter WHAT you’re sporting.
And Zoe – you look amazing!
May 25th, 2009 at 8:45 AM
looking good girly! love the hair and simple, yet edgy style! xoxo
May 28th, 2009 at 6:34 AM
oww fab! those shoes are ace…. will try and hunt the shoe people down hehe
May 28th, 2009 at 8:51 AM
Zo -
this post was the best yet (as far as your fashion posts go).
I love the encouragement of free-will on what others should be wearing.
So often I find myself not wearing the clothes I love because
too many others find them ridiculous.
Just recently I’ve thrown care to the wind and started
putting on my body whatever I felt like and LOVING every minute of it.
Fashion should be fun – not controlling.
In other words:
What’s a zOE without big hair and big shoes?
GLOMP
you’re always cute anyway -
old 90′s too pale face make-up
or crazy ass spikes -
you dish it up like no other.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:58 PM
I think what makes the outfit outstanding is you. It’s about personal style and if you feel comfortable you can pull it off. Thanks for sharing.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Wow, this is a pretty good post. keep them up and you’ll have a subscriber for life :0