Pacific Place - Downtown Seattle

I like the contrasting cut of her pinstriped coat, and her purse is much more appealing than the shaggy-looking leather big bag you see everywhere nowadays.

Westfield - Downtown San Francisco

Spent the holiday weekend in San Francisco with family and wasn't in photo-hunting mode (it is, I've learned, an all-consuming, completely-ignore-everyone-you're-with sort of activity), but I couldn't resist photographing this guy perched on a fire hydrant outside of Westfield. He looked so natural sitting there, it almost looked like a comfortable seat.

Weekend in San Francisco

Heading down for a little family weekend in San Francisco - see you back here Sunday.

The Showbox - Downtown Seattle

Dennis sporting a well-layered, preppy-hip look. I especially like the narrow cut of his utilitarian jacket.

Cheese Festival - Pike Place Market, Seattle

Like the giant glasses - she makes them look just right.

Cheese Festival - Pike Place Market, Seattle

The pattern of her dress with the texture of her sweater is very sweet. I'm also liking those simple white lace-ups this season.

Capitol Hill, Seattle

I like their similar eyewear, and her layered scarf over the long necklace is a fun touch. Plus, he reminds me of James Mercer.

Lamb's Ear Opening Party - Fremont, Seattle

There are a number of things I like about their outfits: the belt worn slightly to the side on the girl on the left; the play of lengths in the jacket and two shirts on the girl on the right; and the simple slip-ons they're both wearing.

I also didn't recognize her at first, but it turns out that the girl on the left is the same girl in a photo I posted awhile back at Linda's.

Los Angeles 1, Pike/Pine 0

I'm back from LA, but I'm sorry to report that I've returned photo-less after my two days there. I spent some time on Saturday around Silver Lake, but when I finally came across two photo-worthy men and asked whether I could photograph them, they declined in an almost comically skeptical manner (only my fourth decline yet since starting this blog, and certainly the least pleasant). It felt like a scene out of Annie Hall, and was a little disheartening. Maybe in the land of paparazzi, everyone with a camera is suspect.

On the bright side, I had an excellent dinner at Katsu-Ya that included a surreally delicious baked crab roll wrapped in soy paper:

A weekend in L.A.

I'm heading down to L.A. for the weekend. I'm very curious to see whether I find any inspiring fashion there - tune in on Sunday to find out.

Flit - Fremont, Seattle

Finally posting a photo of a fashionable parent/kid combo. This is the chic owner of Flit and her son.

Tim Gunn & Seattle's Most Stylish Man

The contest to choose Seattle's Most Stylish Man concluded this past Sunday with a book-signing appearance by Tim Gunn at the University Bookstore:



Most of the nine original contestants were at the event to do a quick spin on a mini-runway in front of the gaggle of Project Runway and Tim Gunn devotees, before Laura, the style editor of Seattle Metropolitan magazine, presented the three finalists we chose during the preliminary round. They were:



Danny, the 19-year-old with an original sense of street style that included pieces he sewed himself



Gopi, a software developer whom one judge described as "dressed the way you'd want to dress someone who had no sense of style"



Ayhem, who works on Nordstrom's house label and who impressed us with his classic sense of fashion

Of course, in the end, there could only be one - and Tim Gunn chose Gopi. Congrats to him and all the other contestants! (Expect a rundown in Seattle Metropolitan magazine as well - likely the July issue.)

Afterward, Tim treated the audience to a Q&A session, where he came off just as smart, charming, and gracious as he does on the show. He also mentioned that Seattle has the highest Project Runway viewership of any city (which is a little hard to believe compared with New York, but hey, who are we to dispute the word of Tim Gunn).

Western Bridge - SoDo, Seattle

The orange tie with the khaki blazer looks fresh and charmingly bookish.

Seattle's Most Stylish Men

This past Tuesday, I got to serve on a judging panel to pick the finalists in the 'Seattle's Most Stylish Man' competition sponsored by Seattle Metropolitan magazine.



We met the nine men, grilled them with various style-related questions (where do you shop in Seattle?, who is your fashion icon?, etc.), then decided which three would make it to the final round this coming Sunday, when Tim Gunn will choose the winner. As a big Project Runway fan, it was, needless to say, pretty fun to play Nina Garcia/Michael Kors for a few hours.

My fellow judges - fashion teachers from IADT and the Art Institute:



Laura, the magazine's clearly-qualified style editor (whom I photographed at Impulse several posts ago), ran the event and was also one of the judges:



The pool of men was pretty diverse in terms of ages and styles. Have a look, make your pick, and attend Tim Gunn's book-signing event at the University Bookstore at 6pm this Sunday, May 6th, to find out whether you and Tim Gunn are of one style-judging mind:

        

I will definitely be at the event, camera in hand. I'm very curious to see what a Seattle audience of Tim Gunn fans looks like. Will there be more fleece or skinny denim? More North Face rainwear or printed hoodies? I also hope - nay, pray - that someone will get up the nerve to ask Tim out to Red Lobster.

Expect a full report post-event. Many thanks to Laura and the folks at Seattle Metropolitan for inviting me, and to the contestants for allowing me to photograph them.

Downtown Seattle

When you think about it, it's pretty hard to work red, yellow, brown, and maroon into one outfit, but it comes off very sweet and casual the way she's done it.