Our first Seven Days of Dapper for 2014! We’re so excited to present a week’s worth of style with Mira, an East Bay native who recently began working at a nonprofit office that requires professional dress every day. She spent most of her life basically indifferent to fashion, but decided to tackle the need for a new wardrobe with a sense of humor. Her blog, “QUYP: Queer, Urban, Young, Professional,” compiles dapper inspiration and chronicles the ups and downs of figuring out what to wear to work for a non-pumps-and-pencil-skirt queer. She is a big believer in thrifting, both for its benefits to the earth and savings for her wallet. Mira is also the Assistant Director of Queer Camp, a weekend-long, summer-camp-style retreat for adults that fosters fun, community, dialogue, and radical inclusion, and holds Bay Area community events throughout the year. A Smith College alumna, you may find her block printing, hiking, sailing, climbing, nerding out on urban design, or spending time with the fine folks of her Oakland co-op house. She is humbled and excited to share her fashion adventure with the dapperQ community!
Photography by Claire Woods.
Sunday:
This is actually not something I would wear to work—too casual for the office, but perfect for an urban adventure or walk down the Berkeley Pier. I am learning to love bright colors and was excited to put so many of them into this outfit. It makes me feel sharp and ready for anything.
Outfit details: Jacket, Dickies (thrifted); plaid shirt, American Eagle (women’s; thrifted); cords, Mossimo (men’s); shoes; Urban Outfitters; socks, gift.
Monday:
This is the level of professional wear that is expected at my office, so it’s a great Monday outfit. Another example of mixing colors, this one also brings in a lot of texture—tweed, velvet, stripes, polka dots, and paisleys. Some may say it’s a little over the top but I love it! The great thing about this outfit is that there isn’t a single piece of it that I bought new. Not only does thrifting save money, but I think since I’m trying to put a wide-hipped body into menswear, it is useful to have so many different cuts and styles to choose from at the thrift store.
Outfit details: Jacket, vintage 1970s (no label; via my mom’s closet); vest, Gap (thrifted); shirt, Banana Republic (hand-me-down); tie, Victory (thrifted); pants, Golfsmith (thrifted); shoes, Bostonian (thrifted).
Tuesday:
Another color experiment, this is a slightly more casual work outfit since the chinos aren’t quite as fancy as synthetic slacks. Although collar on the shirt is a bit finicky since it is a women’s shirt, it serves the purpose. That’s one thing that has been interesting to learn about: which brands make women’s shirts that are functionally very similar to men’s styles, and which don’t even have buttons towards the top or collar structure. I do have to make a plug for Uniqlo—these men’s slim fit pants are great! They fit my hips but taper nicely, and bridge that gap between “nice enough for the office” and “hip enough for happy hour.”
Outfit details: Jacket, Atelier (women’s; thrifted); shirt, Mossimo (women’s); tie, Criag’s Limited (thrifted); chinos, Uniqlo (men’s slim fit); pocket square, no label (thrifted); shoes, 1901; belt, no label (thrifted).
Wednesday:
I was very skeptical of the bow tie at first, but I am such a fan of it now. It just adds a bit of variety to my wardrobe, and is great for a more “fun” outfit. I do regret that the one pictured is not a self-tie, but I just got a bunch of self-ties over the holidays and will be experimenting with them soon! I would wear this to work, especially on a day when I have to move around a little more and a blazer might get in the way.
Outfit details: Sweater, H&M (men’s); shirt, Uniqlo (women’s); bowtie (H&M); scarf, no label (thrifted); pants, Uniqlo men’s slim fit; shoes, 1901.
Thursday:
This is outfit is on the dressy end for me—in fact I ended up wearing it to the office holiday party a few days after the photo was taken. I tried to balance the wide, vintage lapels on jacket with a big knot for my tie (called a trinity knot), and class the whole thing up a bit with the vein of maroon running throughout. I’m never sure about the fashion “rules” about which colors aren’t supposed to be worn together, but this one brings together grey, brown, navy, and maroon for a more subtle palette than much of the rest of my wardrobe.
Outfit details: Jacket, Ralph Lauren (vintage, thrifted); vest, no label (from JC Penny); shirt John Miller (thrifted); tie, Museum of Modern Art, NY (gift); slacks, Levine Classics (thrifted); shoes, LicoStyle (thrifted), socks, Kate Spade.
Friday:
This could be an outfit for “casual Friday” but is more intended for going out. I didn’t realize it, but I individually bought each of the items and then discovered later that they fit together so well! There are even little orange stripes in the grey linen jacket. I wish I’d had it for Halloween! I also really like the practice of getting pretty swanky above the waist, with a shirt and tie, and then balancing it out on the bottom with the cuffed jeans and sneakers. The only potential problem with wearing this out dancing is that the shirt is silk, and therefore pretty hot!
Outfit details: Jacket, no label (thrifted); shirt, Anne Klein (consignment); tie, Wembley; jeans, Levi’s (women’s); shoes, Sorel; belt, no label (from Jolley’s Ranch Wear in Cedar City, UT); belt buckle,
Flight Path Designs.
Saturday:
This is my weekend day-to-day, and you don’t even want to know what percentage of my closet plaid occupies. Great for everything from gardening to catching up in a cafe. My photographer Claire and I had fun finding places to shoot in the hotel, and couldn’t resist this little forest.
Outfit details: Hat, Urban Outfitters; plaid shirt, Par Four; purple shirt; Merona, belt, no label (thrifted); pants, Arizona Jeans; shoes, Converse (thrifted); belt, GM (thrifted).
Yay Mira! Congrats on being featured and looking fab, as always! <3, Your favorite Tyler fashionista
Thursday’s outfit is my favorite, but I’m also a huge fan of Friday’s belt buckle.