Looking Shady in Chain Gang Chic — Dan, Rittenhouse Square

It's not so much that I like Dan's look in these pictures as I admire its audacity. Dan clearly is not someone afraid to have his own style. We often claim to appreciate that quality in people — and it's a nearly universal element of fashion industry discourse— but in practice, few of us do. We have a word, after all, for people who truly stand out from the crowd: crazy. And that's not something most people aspire to. Dan, of course, is not crazy. He's a cool guy with some interesting thoughts on fashion and style. We talked about street style bloggers and how people he knows dress up just for them these days. In New York, that is, not Philly. His look, drawing equal parts influence from hobos, convicts, railroad conductors, and the Rat Pack, pushes at the boundaries of uniqueness without overstepping them into his own private La La Land.  

Dan bought these coveralls at a flea market. The loafers are covered in pointy rubber spikes. What else is there to say?

Notice that I shot these images with the sun rather directly overhead. It was around 1pm, earlier than I usually shoot, and with good reason. The light's better later in the day. I thought the shade worked kind of well for Dan, though. It adds to the mystique.