Walking down the street on an overcast Sunday in New York’s iconic shopping mecca, SoHo, one often encounters one (or both) of the following. First, there’s the sneaker-clad clusters of tourists who seem to travel in groups of no less than four. Then, there are those in fresh-off-the-rack outfits from Zara—stylish, to be sure, but haven’t I seen that dress ten times already today? So, as you can imagine, encountering this Fashionista felt like a breath of fresh air.
The first thing that caught my eye was the unusual pattern of her top. Let’s be clear: gingham on pretty much anyone else looks like a picnic table gone awry. So she had already earned points in my book rocking those bold checks with style. Upon further inspection, it was the sharp angle of her top’s hem that was the most intriguing. By no means novel, designers like Marissa Webb and Ted Baker are showing styles similar to the asymmetric strapless top I spotted on this Fashionista. Unlike the tailored attitude and sky-high price tag of those designer versions, this Fashionista took her asymmetrical top and made it work for an everyday look. You can imagine this piece looking just as effortlessly chic when paired with satin trousers as it is with vintage Levi’s.
Our cutting edge Fashionista stepped out for a day of window shopping with trusted classics like red high-top converse and a pair of high-waisted trousers with cool metal detailing. These basics help to ground the dramatic cut of her top and make it a street style approved look.
How To: Get that distinctly modern look of an asymmetrical hemline without sacrificing half of your savings on an expensive designer piece that you might only wear once. Instead, try a top like this one from OAK to get a similar but more polished look. You can wear it to the office or out to dinner with your parents on days off.
