“There’s no need to dress like every-one else,” the iconic British supermodel Twiggy once said. “It’s much more fun to create your own look.” In the spirit of Twiggy, these fashionable Phoenicians set themselves apart with their singular styles.
By Lisa Van Loo | Photography by Chris Loomis
Anita Lang
By day, Anita Lang designs with intention for clients at her award-winning interior design firm, IMI Design. A similar intention bleeds over to her personal style, which is anchored in sophisticated femininity and accented by bold accessories, layered jewelry and often statement footwear. At home, she keeps an impressive collection of artistic, costume-type pieces, some of which may or may not find their way into her luggage when packing for her annual trips to Burning Man in the Nevada desert. A Phoenix Home & Garden Master of the Southwest, Lang dresses for herself, blending a dash of punk with a Western undertone for an overall commanding presentation inspired by vintage fashion and cultural nuances. “I pull the best pieces from multiple decades and create a look that represents who I am,” she says.
My style icon is Chemena Kamali, creative director at Chloé. I love what she is doing. It’s feminine, sexy and strong all at the same time.
The garment I get the most compliments on is my black, leather Alexander McQueen peplum jacket that I have now had for maybe a decade. It’s a classic, with the ethos of the late McQueen… the juxtaposition of hard with soft, decay with beauty. Every time I wear it, it’s going to get a comment. It’s such an iconic piece that mixes the edge of a moto jacket with the feminine flair of the peplum.
The last piece I purchased is the Chloé runway edition of the gold snake collar necklace. I could not stop thinking about it. One night, not sleeping, I found it online. Turns out it was the very last one in the country.
When I need style or fashion inspiration, I go to Vintage by Misty. She has the strongest and most curated design flair I know. I never leave her fabulous studio without something amazing to anchor my next outfit.
A trend I wish would go away is big logos.
Bob Hoag
For a guy who lives in blazing Phoenix, producing albums for musicians at his Flying Blanket Recording studio, Bob Hoag has an unfortunate obsession: jackets. He’s got about 90 of them, and all of them are vintage, primarily mid-century, which fit seamlessly with his ’50s/’60s vibe. He’s so dedicated to vintage apparel, he’ll scavenge for months for an item he needs, even if it’s swim trunks, to find it from a bygone era. Hoag calls his sartorial hunt “maniacal.” Despite that love for looks of the past, he finds guilty pleasure in the thoroughly modern Met Gala – the crazier and more ambitious the look, the better. One trend from the past that he wishes stayed there? Mullets. “Sorry, friends with mullets,” he says. “I lived through it, and it can go back to whatever wood-paneled basement from which it crept.”
I feel most comfortable in vintage head to toe, regardless of outfit, but if I had to pick one garment, I would say vintage USMC [United States Marine Corps] dress pants. I have like 10 pairs of them, and they are the pants I wear 90 percent of the time, so I guess I’m pretty comfortable with them.
At home, you’ll find me wearing a 1950s Beacon blanket robe – OK, I have three – that I obviously only wear at home, so I guess that counts. I really don’t own any modern clothing, so basically, I am all vintage both out and about and at home.
My Holy Grail garment is a vintage Chimayo jacket or a “grizzly” jacket, but I have never found either one without a price tag that would result in divorce. So, I guess either of those, found at an unsuspecting thrift store with a sane price tag. There’s also a very specific kind of 1930s leather, short trucker jacket that I love, and I do have a few of them. But I know there’s one out there, in a size that works flawlessly for me, with all my favorite features for that style, in a leather that’s super lightweight and supple.
I’d rather be caught dead than wearing anything made after the mid-’60s. But that said, I will also wear almost anything if it’s part of a bit. I have ’80s basketball shorts that are occasionally the most appropriate, inappropriate thing for the occasion.
The last piece I purchased is a 1930s Mackinaw jacket from Bozeman Vintage, which I bought in July.
John Reyes
It would be easy to assume that John Reyes views his wardrobe as a blank canvas of expression, since he devotes his life to creativity as an art curator and owner of Reyes Contemporary Art in Phoenix. And while he describes his style as that of a “workman… with an eclectic twist,” he draws sartorial inspiration from a classic handbook to create a reliably sleek and dapper look. His herringbone-patterned Tom Ford vest gets the most compliments. “It’s a classic pattern, but Ford makes it modern-looking,” Reyes says. “It fits like it is bespoke and can dress up anything.” With an eye and appreciation for high-fashion designers, he saves room for pieces that will individualize his presence while also offering comfort. Like his Levi’s. If he’s home, he’s almost always in them.
My style icon is my grandfather and Jean Paul Gaultier. I used to raid my grandfather’s closet for fitted blazers. He liked older fabrics like tweeds, linens and cottons. I always thought he looked so cool. Gaultier as a designer has the ability to bring together great things that are always fun, unique and definitely gender-bending. In the end, you have to have fun with your clothes, or
why bother?
I’d rather be caught dead than wearing dyed hair. Growing older changes your sense of style. You have to make decisions not just based on your fashion choices, but also your personal grooming. Best to embrace the “you” through the ages.
You might be surprised that I love vintage overalls. Torn, ripped and frayed, paint-splattered. I had a collection and sold them to a clothing dealer. I regret that decision. But it gives me a reason to get that “next collection.”
A trend I think is always cool is monochromatic dressing. It truly never goes out of style and is amazingly easy.
Natalie Perez
She loves food, fashion and fabulous prescription eyewear. And around Halloween, she even managed to make Freddy Krueger look cute. Natalie Perez, known on Instagram as The Fashion Brat (@phxfashionbrat), has coined her style as “shapeshifter maximalist,” and she regularly demonstrates her ability to weave together unexpected looks and bounce from one aesthetic to the next with ease. To this boundary-defying Gen Zer, style is a gift of unlimited expression, allowing her to show the world exactly who she is in a bold and ever-changing way. “I believe style should be fluid, adaptable and daring,” Perez says. A fan of grunge-era edginess, and averse to the baggy Bermuda shorts trend, she embraces fashion like her style icon, Rihanna, who once said, “She can probably beat me, but she can never beat my outfit.”
The last piece I purchased is the Bare Bones sherpa jacket from Dolls Kill! It’s incredibly comfy and has this amazing design that looks like a skeleton’s upper body, so when you wear it, you look half-skeleton.
I get style inspiration from my mom. She’s always been my biggest style influence, and I know a lot of my fashion ideas come from outfits I’ve seen her wear or pieces I’ve admired in her closet. Growing up, she always made sure we were up to date with every cool trend, and that sense of style has definitely stayed with me.
You might be surprised that I love Crocs! I think they’re really unique and stylish, especially the platform versions, character collaborations and bold prints. They’re also super comfortable, and I love personalizing them with fun Jibbitz charms. I’ve even styled them with outfits, and people don’t realize they’re Crocs until they take a closer look. They fit right in!
I feel most comfortable in high-waisted shorts, a shirt and my favorite cowgirl boots. Those boots are my absolute go-to. They make me feel confident and ready for anything, so I know I’ll have a great day whenever I wear them!
Tara Zieser
A love of and appreciation for fashion runs deep in Tara Zieser’s family, and it shows in her always-put-together appearance – even when working out. A full-time mom to two young children and author of Fit Cookin’ Good Lookin’ (tarasfitbook.com), Zieser likes to “sweat in style,” sharing her workouts and fashion-forward looks on her Instagram (@tarazieser) while reminding her followers that progress takes hard work, consistency and commitment. And when the weekend rolls around, she effortlessly wows regardless of her ensemble, be it a jewel-tone dress or a wrap top and trousers. When she needs fashion inspiration, she turns to magazines, bloggers or TV shows. Zieser keeps an open mind when it comes to fashion. “Style is an individual thing and is so unique, even the strangest pieces can be slayed,” she says. “Not too many pieces give me the ick.”
I’d describe my style as very versatile. During the week, you may find me in street wear with a bold lip. On weekends, you’ll usually find me in something sexy, bold or sophisticated. Weekends are for date nights or events or church. And I like to wear at least one statement piece no matter where I go.
The last piece I purchased is a sienna-orange, satin dress that has a plunging V neckline and open back. It was the perfect dress for date night with my husband.
I get my style inspiration from my mom. She has the best sense of style. Since I can remember, she has always had a unique wardrobe – from designer brands to up-and-coming designers, she’s always on point.
A trend I always think is cool is baggy jeans.
My Holy Grail garment is a Zac Posen double-breasted, metallic blazer dress.
About the writer: Lisa Van Loo
Michigander Lisa Van Loo published her first book in elementary school thanks to a program at her library. “The story was about erasers that were best friends, and I think the process must have ignited my love of writing,” she says. “My style wasn’t always well-received by my teachers, except for my English instructor senior year, whose encouragement kept my little writing fire burning.” Van Loo embraces a variety of personal styles in this year’s Profiles in Style (pg. 250), which spotlights five fashionable Valley dwellers. “I am so impressed with how my fellow Phoenicians put themselves together,” she says. Van Loo’s work has appeared in WIRED, Scary Mommy and USA Today. She also writes a Substack, which “focuses on women’s relationships with fear, discomfort and risk.” She lives in Gilbert with her husband and a blended family of five children and many animals.
