My Weekend Gift to You: Vancouver Street Style

 Here are some images from a blog I recently discovered: Culture Serf, which features street style photography taken in Vancouver, my own back yard!

 I’m really enjoying blogger/photographer Melanie Kobayashi’s range of vision as well as her brief explanations of what she likes in each look.

 Her eye is caught by a sleek nod to the 60s, as in the top photo, by bold colour as in the two above

 but also by more conservative palettes. . . .

She snaps men and women, and she doesn’t limit herself age-wise.

 I think she captures a West Coast funkiness that challenges impressions that we are completely committed to Gore-tex and LuluLemon. . .

These two (above and below) are a couple — how charming are they?! (she made his felt stickpin, apparently). LOVE the colour of his scarf!

Melanie also seems to appreciate a variety of body shapes and sizes, along with her inclusion of young and old, men and women,

and I like her occasional nod to different cultural and ethnic interpretations of style.

That’s my offering to you this weekend — a new eye on my city, courtesy of a new-to-you Blog. Check it out: Culture Serf

16 Comments

  1. hostess of the humble bungalow
    3 March 2012 / 6:16 pm

    Oh what a divergent group of people and fashion. I think she's onto something…thanks for sharing.

    • materfamilias
      5 March 2012 / 4:55 am

      You're welcome, Lesley — she does have a good eye, I think.

  2. Pondside
    3 March 2012 / 7:26 pm

    Thanks for that link – I'll go over for a look. This week anyone would be forgiven for thinking we all live in gortex!

    • materfamilias
      5 March 2012 / 4:55 am

      It can only get better, right? Rain, rain, go away . . .

  3. Susan B
    3 March 2012 / 9:38 pm

    What a cool blog! I'm so happy to see street style blogs that are actually still about real people seen on the streets, rather than the "lets-hang-out-by-the-fashion-week-tents-and-shoot-the-comings-and-goings-of-editors-and-their-assistants" subject matter which is what a lot of street style blogs seem to have morphed into. Thanks for sharing this; I'm off to browse some more.

    • materfamilias
      5 March 2012 / 4:56 am

      I'm glad you like it too, Sue. I love the mix of real people being creative as we can be rather than looking overly styled.

  4. Lorrie
    4 March 2012 / 1:45 am

    Vancouver is full of fun fashion. What a great idea for a blog. Why should New York, Paris, Milan (the Sartorialist) get all the press? And I love her inclusiveness of all ages and body shapes. Real people!

    • materfamilias
      5 March 2012 / 4:57 am

      You'll have enjoyed some of this on your recent getaway, right?

  5. Anonymous
    4 March 2012 / 3:54 am

    Have you discovered Melanie's fashion blog, Bag and Beret? You two need to MEET.

    • materfamilias
      5 March 2012 / 4:57 am

      Okay, then, I'll google to check her out. Thanks!

  6. Duchesse
    5 March 2012 / 12:12 am

    Thanks, great fun! Loved the diversity and all of them look so cheerful and willing. Not a single pose with legs so deliberately crossed, just people living their lives. Especially enjoyed the women in their salwar kameez, a style I could live in; would love to have the burgundy and brown ensemble on the right.

    • materfamilias
      5 March 2012 / 4:58 am

      It's refreshing, right? Down-to-earth yet inspiring all at once.

  7. Mardel
    5 March 2012 / 2:45 pm

    Thank you for the link! That was great fun and everyone looked good. I like the mix of people and styles, and that they looked like normal people you might meet, not just the stylish or avant garde fringe.

    • materfamilias
      8 March 2012 / 5:54 am

      Isn't it great? I think Melanie does a great job, and I'm pleased to add her blog to my roster of regular sites to visit.

  8. Melanie
    7 March 2012 / 8:11 am

    Hi! It's taken me a while to scoot over here but I want to thank you for featuring my street style site in this post! I love finding people who shine and sharing them. Bill Cunningham, NY Times street photographer, said it best: "If you look for beauty, you will find it." I certainly do! I like your blog too!

    • materfamilias
      8 March 2012 / 5:55 am

      You're welcome, Melanie — glad you don't mind me borrowing some of your great shots. I love that you find beauty outside of a narrow definition of fashion, going to more individual definitions of style.

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