Friendly Fashion Features: Quirky Freedom with Ruby

Pineapple Shorts - Revival / Black Turtleneck Top - Paper Scissors 

Ruby, meet blog readers. Blog readers, meet Ruby. Welcome to the fourth and final (for now) instalment of my Friendly Fashion Features series. From the moment I met this cool cat I knew that I wanted to get to know her and her full-of-life personality. When I initially asked her to participate in this shoot she was quite bashful and exclaimed that her style was 'so mainstream'. To me that seems crazy as I don't believe there to be a mainstream style in existence. We all dress ourselves in a way that expresses our feelings for ourselves and attitude towards the value of visual representation; some of us care more than others and that matters none. 

Floral Skirt - Fern Apparel / Denim Vest - Chic-a-Booti

Throughout Ruby's outfit selections, you will notice her staple garments: black turtle neck, Dr. Martens, frayed denim vest, denim overalls, tortoise shell Ray-Bans (yes, they are prescription) and a classic red lipstick. Each outfit also expresses Ruby's personality through the addition of quirky patterns and styles. 

Denim Overalls - Chic-a-Booti / Tropical Blouse - Thrifted

It may sound like I'm stereotyping but Ruby grew up in a coastal region which one could also say is reflected in her chilled out style; see excess of floral prints and washed denim. Ruby told me during this shoot that her mother who also liked to op shop. I think we (being those of us who didn't) all wish that our mums were cool like that. I feel like portions of Ruby's throwback style reflect the way she grew up. 

I feel Ruby also has the mentality that when she finds garments that are out there and quirky at a fine price she goes for it. A lot of us find statement pieces but often mull over the purchase for a long time before we return and collect. Because of the nature of Ruby's wardrobe she has the ability to buy items and be sure that they are going to wearable. This is something I truly envy. 

Prescription Ray-Bans in Tortoise Shell

Blue 'Azure' Rimmel Nail Enamel / Revlon Lipstick

Dr. Martens 8-eye - Thrifted

W/A 2012 Holographic Brogues - Wittner

I hope it's become clear throughout this post that Ruby's style is an effective combination of staple and statement items. The basics in her wardrobe are so effective at their 'basic' job that she can fashion them into amazing outfits with the more eccentric pieces. The shoes that she chose to feature are no different. Both classic in style, brogues and Dr. Martens 8-eye boots, the are equal expressions of Ruby's personality. Ruby, like myself, chose to buy a pair of already warn Dr. Martens. For myself, it made me feel as though they were coming to me having already walked a long life on someone else's feet. The holographic brogues are a classic with a modern twist entirely appropriate to Ruby's style. 

This feature on Ruby's style portrays a certain moral. If you base your wardrobe in classic staples you have the freedom to buy bold prints and fabrics without fear of owning nothing to wear with it. It might be blindingly obvious to you but somehow I never learn to follow this mantra. So thank you, Ruby, for reminding me of what I always forget and then regret. 

And thats it for Friendly Fashion Features (for now). I hope you've enjoyed this series of posts and look forward to potentially more in the future. All four of the girls I have featured are some of my nearest and dearest and I love and respect all of them to infinity and beyond.

Happy Sunday,

Erin xx