Photos by Frances Moody.
From chain stores to local boutiques, clothing and accessory providers create current and classic styles. Following today’s trends takes time and effort. Oftentimes, women look to magazines as aids to scope out apparel at the stores filling the walls of shopping malls. To many girls, these publications leave unreal expectations and lack originality that can be created at a local level.
“I feel like people try really hard […] I think it [the magazine look] is lacking in style a lot,” said Nattalie Marley, a student in English at the U and a local shopper who frequents stores such as Koo.De.Ker and Unhinged.
Koo.De.Ker, located at 1037 East 900 South, houses patterned clothing found in Los Angeles and New York City. Substituting for places such as Gap and Forever 21, the boutique offers seasonal styles found in the world’s fashion capitals.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Koo.De.Ker aims to provide a versatile and creative look with its focus on pattern play. For instance, the skirt is the wardrobe essential for dating. Instead of focusing on the allure of an all-black mini, Koo.De.Ker drapes its racks with graphic prints, which are easy for any shape to pull off.
Pushing skirts to the bottom of the closet pile, some ladies prefer to embrace the romantic idea of a dress. A mid-length dress is incredibly cute and sophisticated, so long as it is fitted in a way that flatters unique body types. Koo.De.Ker tends to showcase mid-length dresses to push the idea forward.
With Utah still in the depths of winter, boots make for a practical shoe choice and are often paired with an assortment of clothing options. Unhinged, located at 1121 East 2100 South, makes it a point to collect locally-made clothes, accessories and footwear.
Many women embrace the racier side of their wardrobe for Valentine’s Day, but instead of channeling “Roxanne” and putting on a red dress, they opt for a metallic piece. Metallic fabrics are flattering on all skin tones, just so long as the right shade picks up the correct undertones of the flesh.
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