crossfire

hat/Urban Outfitters, sweater/Old Navy, shirt/Gap Outlet, pants/Forever21, 
boots/ZigiSoho from DSW

Sorry, this post isn't really about thrift store shopping...I just love the inspiration behind this outfit and wanted to share. But I'm not a total failure. The clothes might not be from thrift stores, but I'm still very thrifty! Everything I'm wearing, while bought new, was on sale. I think the entire outfit cost me $30. It would have been about $70, but I bought the shoes with a gift card, so none of my money out of pocket for those!

Anyway, like I said, I wanted to share the outfit and the inspiration behind it. The look was inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughn. If you don't know who that is, shame on you, now educate yourselves. I grew up listening to SRV because of my dad. As a kid, we always had SRV grooving through the stereo speakers at home, and I know all his songs by heart. He was truly an inspirational artist, and the world lost him too soon. 

A few weeks ago I was sewing, my dad was flipping through the channels, and SRV's video for the song Crossfire came on. I thought to myself, "Well that's an interesting look. I bet I could update it a little and make a really cool outfit that pays homage to Mr. Stevie Ray." So that's what I did. 

This video is so so weird. Ah, the late 80s. Anyway, ignore the strange and awkward stuff and just look at what he's wearing. :)

SRV, being a Texas boy, always wore these flat-brimmed cowboy hats. I don't exactly have a flat-brimmed cowboy hat, so I thought this floppy felt hat from UO would be an updated and not so literal choice. By the way, I looooove that hat. I want to wear it every day. But that might get weird.

I don't own a poncho...I've been looking for a really cool one, but when I'm looking to buy something I really want, I shop around a little. I don't just buy the first one I see...gotta get those deals! :) Since the poncho thing wasn't going to happen (and a poncho that enormous would look ridiculous on a normal person who wasn't a Texas blues musician), I went with the longest sweater I have. Yes, it was featured in a previous post, and people who do fashion blogging don't really like to show themselves wearing things more than once, but this is real life with a real budget. No infinite wardrobe here. 

Since his look had a lot of extra things going on with the fringe on his sleeves, the rings, his decked-out guitar strap, all that extra fabric at the neck (does that poncho have a cowl neck or a matching scarf???), I thought it might not look so overwhelming if I just tried layering jewelry. As I've said, I like wearing lots of noisy necklaces because it makes me feel like a gypsy. :)

I could have worn cowboy boots, but I didn't like how the colors looked together. So I went with motorcycle-inspired boots. Those boots are so comfy and wonderful...I have them in black AND brown. :) 

What do you think? SRV-esque?  

*Style tip: Have fun and pay homage to some of your favorite musicians, actors, and television/movie characters every once in a while! Channel your favorite Mad Men character and wear a 60s-inspired look. Bring out your inner Phoebe Buffay in a quirky bohemian look. Get classy and bring back old Hollywood glamour a la Clark Gable, Jimmie Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert. Get your David Bowie on! Draw inspiration from anything and everything you love! Why not? I think fashion should be fun. :)

Before you go, here's another Stevie Ray fav. This song was written by Jimi Hendrix, but SRV did an instrumental cover...and won a Grammy for it. It's just brilliant. One of the best blues grooves ever.

*No thrifting tip?? Gasp! Shock! Horror!