Does Richmond’s style cut it?

It’s not too far-fetched to say that Richmond has its own sense of style, but then again, so does every city. But does that style cut it when it comes to hitting the international fashion trend mark? Within the spectrum of fashion-forward cities like New York and Los Angeles, how does Richmond measure up? That was the question that I set out to answer this past week, when I sought to find fashion-minded Virginians and Richmonders who had an artful eye when it comes to style.

Though the masses could argue that style is subjective, one can’t deny that there certainly is a shared consensus on what is considered “in” and what is considered “out.” To find out what is considered to be “in” right now, I went straight to Morgan Hungerford, owner of Muss, an independent clothing line, and moderator of pandahead.blogspot.com, a site that hunts down the Washingtonian fashion-worthy, in an attempt to dispel “the myth that the District can’t dress.” Hungerford’s site, which started out as just another fashion blog, following in the same vein as Vice Magazine, Hel Looks, and The Sartorialist, has risen in massive popularity as a local street fashion archive, and has already garnered the attention of the Washington Post.

When asked what people should be sporting this season, Hungerford primarily noted prints, dresses, and foremost, comfort.

“Plaid is kind of everywhere,” Hungerford said, “and that’s something easy for people to wear. I think it’s starting to catch on a lot. A lot more people are also wearing dresses,” she added, referring to the “folk” look, which is primarily defined by its use of “plaids and patterns and really pretty dresses and boots.” Hungerford also pointed out that the new shapes of dresses this season allow for a more casual and comfortable fit.

Amanda Patterson, a sales associate at Need Supply Co., a fashion mecca for Richmonders located in Carytown that carries an array of premium denim and smaller New York- and L.A.-based brands, also agreed with Hungerford’s observations. “A lot of girls are doing the almost dress-like things over pants,” Patterson said. For the fall and winter, Patterson said to take note to higher boots, flat shoes and textured tights and leggings.

“I definitely see tights, leggings and boots becoming more and more seasonless,” Hungerford agreed. But also added that she saw higher-waisted pants making a comeback “very soon.”

Also very much “in” at the moment are skinny-legged jeans, Patterson said. “I would definitely say that you can’t go wrong with good bottoms. Skinny jeans, stovepipe pants, long shirts.”

Patterson also suggested contrasting a sleek silhouette with a big, flowy top over skinny legs. She also added that a good pair of shoes could help pull an outfit together. “Getting some cute shoes is a big thing,” Patterson said. “Especially for fall and winter, a nice pair of tall flat boots is good.”

In terms of Richmond-specific looks, Patterson said that although Richmond and VCU students often get flack for taking the more avant-garde route, perhaps it’s not all a bad thing. “I like the style. I think it’s pretty original,” Patterson admitted. “You go to a different city and you just don’t see very much originality. People get down on Richmonders for being ‘scenesters’ sometimes, but I like that a lot of people in Richmond can embrace the fact that it’s okay to be different.”

Hungerford, an Alexandria native who moved to D.C. two years ago after graduating from James Madison University, also observed that current fashions are deviating from just being beautiful or just being functional, but taking on both elements.

“I think elements of art are kind of becoming more of a focus,” Hungerford said. “A broader range of people are starting to have an appreciation for beautiful clothes, for clothes as art. People are also gravitating towards more well-made things, like things that are more beautiful to look at and that are really fun to wear.”

Though emerging trends seem to be what fuels fashion forward on a national and international scale, Hungerford emphasized that style is really about being yourself.

“Whether that’s having one pair of boots that you want to wear all fall because you love them and you feel really good when you’re wearing them, I think that’s important,” she said. “I really hate it when people just wear something because it’s trendy. I feel like you have to mix it up and make it your own somehow.”

And if making it your own means abandoning the entire trend, go for it, Patterson said. “Just be comfortable. Screw a trend if you’re not com-

fortable in it.”