Street Style: Sola

Adesola Onitiri, third year junior in communications

Wearing: Gap top, H&M skirt, thrifted belt, Born shoes, Michael Kors jacket 

Several weeks ago, I was prowling the sidewalks of campus for street style subjects, as I am
wont to do when I have a bit of free time. I ran into my friend Sola at a food truck outside of our library and insisted that she let me photograph her outfit. I was drawn in my her velvet bow-adorned loafers and her cool vintage belt. She also indulged me and answered my stupid questions about her sandwich. Thanks for tolerating me, Sola.

What piece in your wardrobe do you wear the most?
I probably wear my denim jacket the most. It was my dads before I tricked it out with all of my band and feminist pins. It also has amazing inside pockets.

What’s your favorite, but perhaps lesser known, place to shop?
Lately I've been doing some online shopping. I've found some really cool Etsy stores that I've been obsessed with.

What essential piece would you recommend for someone’s first fall in Philadelphia?
It's all about that amazing fall jacket. Find a cozy, statement jacket and wear the heck out of it as you eat pumpkin flavored things. Jackets are also a great conversation starter at fall festivals and music venues.

I ran into you in line for the food truck outside of Hagerty. What sandwich did you get?
Egg and cheese with salt pepper and a little bit if sriracha.

Portfolio

After messing around with several sites (or setting one up only to find out it costs $9 a month), I've finally settled on a portfolio site. My most current work, including my photo projects and articles, are over on courtneydenton.tumblr.com. I get all excited when I get to update it, it's super satisfying to see all of my work in one place. I wish I had started doing this years ago because I probably have a hundred published photos that have been lost in the old newspaper graveyard.

Designer Profile: Duke & Winston

Last week my profile on the Philadelphia-based brand Duke & Winston was published in the Style section my university's newspaper. I sat down with Seun Olubodun, the founder of Duke & Winston, who gave me the lowdown on how the line came to be and what is in store for this upcoming year.

This was a completely new endeavor for me: my first profile piece, the first time I conducted an interview the first time I had to funnel all of that information into an article. I'm surprised, but mostly glad, that I didn't feel overwhelmed or utterly lost. I haven't done much writing in the past few years and I had forgotten how much I like it. Perhaps I should give myself a little more credit, because at least I didn't end up with a jumbled mess of quotes like I thought I would!

If you feel so inclined, check out my story over at The Triangle!

Roman Holiday: Part I

This summer, after years of aspiring and longing, I finally had to opportunity to visit Rome, Italy. For a long weekend at the end of July, my friend Sam and I rented an apartment in the charming neighborhood of Trastevere. It's far from the historic center and filled with ivy-covered window boxes, winding cobblestone streets and charming outdoor restaurants. As per the suggestion of a very helpful student who happened to be spending his own summer in Rome, he hung around our neighborhood after dark to soak up the lively nightlife.

As per the recommendation of our reliable source, we had our first dinner at Freni e Frizioni, an apertivo bar. The bar scene was a bit chaotic, but the drinks were delicious as were the endless servings of fresh salads and food. Apertivo bars are apparently a distinctively Italian experience where you pay about six to eight euros for a flavorful cocktail, and with your receipt you're welcome to a diverse spread of appetizers and lite fare. During the day this location looks indistinct and forgotten with its heavy metal doors lowered, but we approached a scene of young, cool-looking Italians spilling out into a square and surrounding neighborhood streets.

We started each morning in a different nearby cafe with a cappuccino and chocolate pastry, where we planned that day's excursions. Don't worry, we didn't spend the whole trip wandering off the beaten path.

Faux

I'm pleasantly surprised that after having to wear this skirt all summer I haven't developed deep-seated feelings of disgust and disdain for its silk, polka-dotted pleats. I bought it on super-sale last December and was mere seconds away from also getting its red diamond-patterned counterpart, but I think I realized that the world (and my budget) is too small to justify having copies of an admittedly average skirt in my closet. This leather t-shirt was patiently waiting for me on the clearance rack in Macy's in Center City last winter. I think it knew I would be impressed by how soft and convincing its imitation leather fabrication was - and it was right! I've spotted this strikingly similar top on Piperlime and can attest to the unexpected versatility of faux leather tee. It's admittedly a little stiff, especially in the sleeves, but unless your day job requires a lot of arm-raising I'm sure you'll be just fine. In case you're still not convinced that you secretly want a leather shirt, my fallback outfit this fall has boiled down to this top and a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans and it's the easiest way to hide how much difficulty I may have had getting dressed that morning.

Maybe it's just me, and perhaps I had grown too accustomed to have a limited number of choices and simple combinations all summer, but recently I've found my wardrobe to be a bit overwhelming. I think this means it's time for a seasonal closet purge, so maybe I'll be able to find new homes for my confusing clothes at Buffalo Exchange.

I'm also back into the swing of classes, meetings, group projects, writing and editing articles, and everything that comes with each new term. I'm currently tossing around the idea of graduating early, or maybe picking up a part-time job or internship. The worst part about thinking about my no-so-immediate future is looking at the last few folders of pictures I have yet to edit from my summer abroad. Maybe I'll make a post about this week. Maybe.

Faux leather top - Kensie 
Polka dot skirt - J. Crew 
Morainn leather gladiator sandals - Aldo 
Bag - Madewell 
Watch - Marc by Marc Jacobs