Day of the Dead

Just because you're partaking in a celebration of the dead does not mean your sense of style should die too. Au contraire!

In fact it became rapidly clear that the Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Francisco's Mission district is the perfect occasion for a tailored tux and skull mask (you know, that one you just happen to have laying around?). Not only did the whole experience smell incredible - incense, especially the church smelling kind, is basically the same as Cire Trudon's Spiritus Sancti candle - it also reminded me of a masquerade ball (think Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, only way less naked). I even managed to spot a varsity-inspired look which, as you know, is basically all I'm wearing these days. 

- Photos by Alexander Atkins

Summer Knits: Missoni Everything

It's mid-June which means things are potentially looking up. So what better time than the present to briefly chat Missoni?
Also Northern California evenings tend to get nippy (in all respects) so a little knitwear goes a long way - provided that's the intention (I'm all for nippy). But let's focus. To say I love Missoni would be an understatement. I adore Missoni. Every piece is consistently spectacular. Kind-of how every Prada shoe just fits, you know? Besides that, the family's dynamic and legacy is admirable (we'll just politely ignore that Target collaboration, OK?). I've been surrounded Missoni pillows, foulards and cardigans my whole life, but the first piece I finally managed to buy myself was a beanie - when in Rome, quite literally. Since then I've significantly added to my collection. But truthfully I knew I was onto something when the editor-in-chief of Esquire complimented me (then a lowly intern) on my chunky black-and-white zig-zagging knit. That's right. Winning.

Also, having lived in Italy for some time meant several things. Great pasta, regular traffic-related altercations (they get passionate you guys!), and several trips to Missoni. I bought this cardigan and shirt without hesitation, and with much encouragement from my mother; "if you don't buy it I will - for me!" Sure it severely dented my creditcard, but whatever. #YOLO (and I mean that). I know 'fashion people' are about the all-black-everything thing, but sometimes we need to let loose. Get kaleidoscopic. Inject colour, prints and textures into our lives. A little mohair didn't hurt anyone. Neither did a great pattern. 

Alexander Atkins, wearing a cashmere Missoni cardigan & shirt, photographed by Cara Beth Rogers in San Francisco.

*Discover the Missoni online, and shop the looks mentioned, below.

On Haight Street: Camouflage 2.0

I guess the whole let's-walk-around-town-with-a-small-dog thing is a bit passé. But an iguana as a replacement - really?
In short, yes. Really. This is the twenty-first century. No judgement here. I mean one minute you're walking down Haight St. browsing Wasteland (where I scored a vintage Versace blazer, just FYI), the next minute you're practically confronted by a dragon. On the street. On a Saturday. I know it's San Francisco, and everyone is notoriously, ahem, eclectic (to phrase it conservatively) - but this is beyond.

I'm into this 'look' (if we can call it that?), and not just for the whole updated pirate's parrot-on-one-shoulder thing. Or even for my love of exotic skins. No, I love this because it's legitimate camouflage. Living, breathing premium-grade, pure camouflage. Obviously I'm going to be a fan. Besides, the lizard's name was Yoshi - my all-time favorite Nintendo character. Like ever. Phrased simply, it was a fait accompli.

Yoshi the iguana, in a birthday suit like none other, photographed by Alexander Atkins on Haight St. in San Francisco. 

For more snaps, musings and general rarities be sure to check-out @MrEssentialist on Instagram.

        

Hairspiration: DIY Dye Job

In my continued quest to discover other people's hairspiration I've uncovered a big secret. People are DIY-ing it - for real.

I'm not just talking about cutting your own bangs. No, this is much more than that. And yes, heavy duty bleach is definitely involved. Now I'm all for the whole DIY thing (I have an odd affinity with any and everything IKEA), but it takes serious cajones to bleach and dye your own (!) hair. Not to mention in fluorescent colours (we're practically talking glow-in-the-dark). Essentially the days of 'The Rachel' are so behind us.

Megan Mouren (the creative force of Cloud Hunter) and Camille Labat (whose Alison Mosshart-inspired hairspiration I covered here) have been doing the DIY dye thing for a few years now. For Camille it all started with pink tips. "X-tina in a subtle, less dirrty way, although I love that album!" Of course one thing always leads to another. "Dip-dyes, purple-tips, multi-colored streaks, the ombré thing - I've done it all." Labat, who currently sports natural roots, a deep red body and magenta tips, aims to explore blue tones next. For Mouren, a recent trip to California Roots Festival in Monterey over Memorial Day Weekend was the ideal catalyst for venturing into a triple dip-dye situation. A trifecta of neons green, yellow and orange tints. "I wanted something reggae appropriate - you know? And everyone kept trying to grab my hair, thinking it was a wig - which it isn't." 

Two DIY-dyers are certainly better than one. Together the pair are eye-catching and incredibly easy to spot in a crowd (which comes in handy). While maintaining the vibrance and tonality of neons is an arduous task at best, the eventual run and fade thing is quite charming. Colours become soft and powdery; think Kurt Cobain meets Marie Antoinette. It's all mildly punk, yet overtly lovely.

Discover more hairspiration features by clicking here.

Megan Mouren & Camille Labat, in basics by Acne and J Brand, photographed by Alexander Atkins in San Francisco.

Washed Out: Asos Jeans Jacket

I dig jeans jackets - on other people (I'm one of those types). Yet recently I've been into it. 'It' being washed-out and fun.

Sure I have several great childhood memories of various denim coats and this season's resurgence makes me nostalgic for the nineties (what's better than that?). But generally I've been avoiding the whole thing for fear of being just too hipster. That is until now. It's likely I was ten when I last wore a jeans jacket. I probably paired it with navy Oshkosh B'gosh overalls and my prized pair of LA Gears (remember those?!). The point is it was cool, but is it cool again? The answer: a resounding two thumbs-up!

I love rediscovering how easy a jeans jacket is. Just to throw-on and go, you know? What's more it's perfect for this seasonal transition period. For now I'd definitely avoid stereotypical blues and rather opt for an acid-wash, which appears more appropriate and current. Paired with an APC striped knit tee, basic Acne Studios jeans and original Wayfarers, the whole thing has real potential for becoming the ideal casual uniform. 

Alexander Atkins, wearing an Asos acid-wash denim jacket, photographed by Cara Beth Rogers in San Francisco.

*Click the arrows below to browse and shop this look.