Trendspotting: Portland Street Style
- BY Marsha McGregor
- IN Fashion
After the #Zenniroadtrip spent a few days in our home city of San Francisco, we were on the road again! This time, we headed up the coast to the awe-inspiring Pacific Northwest! After a brief stop in Eugene to visit the University of Oregon campus (go Ducks!), we made it our mission to cover the stylish streets of Portland. From Downtown to Old Town, the Pearl District to Southwest, we fell in love with PDX and its fashionable style-savvy locals.
Image credit: Marsha McGregor
Name: Hana
Occupation: I currently attend Portland State University where I’m studying Art History and Indigenous Nations Studies. I also work at Backtalk and get to be exposed to art being created in Portland.
Spotted: Backtalk PDX
Where are you from: I’m from Portland. I was born and raised here so I’m 100% local!
What she likes most about Portland: Portland is so unique! I’ve loved growing up in a neighborhood Sellwood, where the vast majority of people were deadheads and hippies. It helped shape my identity- I fully embody what my neighborhood represented twenty years ago. Unfortunately, the individuals I’ve grown up with are being forced out as the neighborhood has become increasingly desirable. The worst part about living in Portland is hearing about people relocating because they can no longer afford rent.
What she does for fun: I love having painting and wine parties with my friends. We drink a few bottles of vino and paint to music. Going out to dive bars where the bartenders and locals know me is my favorite thing. I have a few bars that feel like second homes. Jake’s Place in Sellwood has jell-o shots, pool tables, and air hockey. My other favorite spots are the Yukon Tavern, Kays, La Sirenita on 17th (it has the best veggie burrito), pizza from Escape From New York in Northwest Portland, and when I want to feel fancy I go to Huber’s for Thanksgiving (year round!). One of my favorite movies, My Own Private Idaho, was filmed in the bar there and I always ask to sit in the booth where Keanu Reeves disowns his ‘street father.’
Outfit: I’m wearing black riding pants from American Apparel that I thrifted for $20 at Crossroads. The sweater I’m wearing is actually my sister’s. Originally it was from Anthropology, but she got it at this weird store in Pennsylvania for practically nothing. My boots are Dr. Martens, I’m breaking them in and my feet hurt so bad after the end of the day! It’s cold today so I wanted to wear a sweater and this is actually one of my least creative outfits. Normally I dress a lot more eccentric. I like to mix in a lot of vintage pieces with new modern garments.
Personal style: I have very individualized style, I’m very picky with what I wear. I love quality, good fabrics that wear well and look timeless. Recently I’ve been wearing pants a lot more, although I’m a total dress girl. I combine vintage finds from Backtalk, House of Vintage, and the Goodwill Bins with modern pieces from Weekday, Backtalk (I work there, so I tend to get a lot of ideas for outfits from what I see on the mannequins), and other local shops like Frances May. I dress in what makes me feel happy. If I feel off, I wear sweat pants with a fabulous jacket and Stan Smiths. On good days I go all out, I have some fabulous faux fur jackets and retro dresses. This fall I’ve been wearing primarily vintage slips layered with turtlenecks. Portland is really eccentric and I never feel self conscious in what I’m wearing.
Where she shops: I’m such a shopper! I love House of Vintage, the Bins, Backtalk, Frances May, Crossroads, Weekday, and the Marketplace section of Asos. I tend to shop for deals and I’m really good at finding them. I get that from my mom.
What’s in her eyewear wardrobe: I love vintage eyewear! My parents own an antique store in Sellwood, called Rusted Rooster Antiques, so I always get first pick on all the new merchandise. I also go to a lot of auctions back East with my dad so I’m always buying new sunglasses. I favor a cat-eye silhouette with a colored lens in a pink, blue, or green tint. It all depends on the outfit of course! As far as eyeglasses, my everyday frame is cat-eye, I also like a tortoiseshell finish, something that adds to an outfit.
Eyewear: Hana completes her look with Zenni’s stylish statement-making, circular cat-eye frame with a tortoiseshell browline and gray-tinted lens.
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Image credit: Marsha McGregor
Name: Davey Shade
Occupation: I am the store manager of AT2. I’m also a musician. I’ve been playing drums for twenty years and have been teaching music for the past five years.
Spotted: AT2, Downtown Portland
Where are you from: I have been in PDX for three years now and currently live in Northeast Portland. I was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. (East coast kid for the win!).
What he likes most about Portland: Portland, the big town or small city, depending on how you look at it is very community oriented. It stands out in that way. People find their place in the individual neighborhoods. I love the local bar, local grocery store, local way of of life. That’s what I appreciate about Portland.
What he does for fun: I love our music scene in PDX. It’s wild here. You can be in a jazz club one night while the next night brings heavy underground hardcore. I also love to get out of town to hike, explore, and be in the wild. I enjoy checking out all of the new coffee shops, bars, and of course, craft beer.
Outfit: Style is another Portland thing that seems to have a mind of its own. Today I’m wearing a pair of raw, selvedge, tailored Levi’s 511 jeans with a vintage white tee from Animal Traffic. My shoes are Red Wing Iron Ranger boots and I also had on a hand-me-down red beanie [not pictured]. My outfit is simple, to the point, and classic.
Personal style: I prefer quality over quantity. Most of the products today that are “fashion forward” are poorly made. Breaking, tearing, and not meant to last a lifetime. I would rather spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of boots or denim that will last me forever then buying something that is the same price that falls apart. Give me a couple well made, quality pieces over a lot of poorly made items any day.
Where he shops: Mostly I shop locally, however I am somewhat of a denim head and find myself ordering a lot jeans and other items online. As mentioned before, I don’t feel the need to walk into, say, the mall or big box store for new items because mostly I find the distinct lack of quality in these stores.
What’s in his eyewear wardrobe: My eyewear collection (or lack thereof) contains mostly items I’ve picked up at vintage shops. I do have a pair of older sunglasses that my grandfather gave to me, however I am honestly scared of breaking them or losing them so I rarely wear them out. I would love to own a really nice pair of glasses as well as a new pair of sunnies to have as a daily wear.
Eyewear: Davey is wearing Zenni’s antique-inspired circular frame in a warm, copper-toned hue.
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Image credit: Marsha McGregor
Name: Marcelina Delgadillo
Occupation: Retail sales at Animal Traffic in Portland.
Spotted: Portland’s West End
Where are you from: I am originally from a town in Southern Oregon called Klamath Falls. Although, I’ve lived in Portland for three years, I still wouldn’t consider myself a local because there’s still so much I need to see and do here.
What she likes most about Portland: I love all the things to do here because I’m from a town where there weren’t many options in terms of shopping, restaurants, or events to attend. I also love how accessible everything is and how close the Columbia River Gorge and the Oregon Coast is too!
What she does for fun: I love thrifting, going to coffee shops, and attending music events! There’s also a lot of art you are exposed to at art galleries and all over the city streets. There’s cool art exhibitions open on ‘First Thursdays’ of every month around downtown Portland.
Outfit: My white shirt is from Steven Alan and my black jeans are Rag & Bone. My slip on shoes are by Intentionally Blank and my beanie is from Animal Traffic, where I work. My jacket is from Levis and recently it’s been my favorite fall coat. I’m always a sucker for black and white because it’s so easy to pair those colors together and then add a statement piece or pop of color in with my accessories. I like to keep things simple and classic for the most part.
Personal style: I would say that about 75% of my clothes are thrifted or vintage while the other 25% are higher-end clothing. I like combining the two because I get to create really cool outfits by mixing current trends and adding in my own twist with the vintage vibes. I also think it can get unbelievably expensive with only purchasing higher-end clothes so I like to balance things out. I love staying on top of trends and trying to incorporate them into my daily wear, but I don’t like to copy them exactly. I always add my own personal touch.
Where she shops: As I mentioned before, I love thrifting! I go to local thrift stores and vintage shops whenever I can. I love House of Vintage on Hawthorne, Buffalo Exchange, occasionally Crossroads, as well as Goodwill. I always try and keep in mind how much they are selling the item versus how much it’s actually worth. It’s so easy to overspend on vintage and secondhand items because they’ve become the new thing. So always think twice before you buy, especially if you have the excuse that you found the perfect item you’ve been looking for. When I have a little more money, I like to shop at places like Frances May or Steven Alan.
What’s in her eyewear wardrobe: I wear prescription glasses and I tend to have a classic plain pair and a more crazy pair. I always have to go with a bigger frame because my eyes are so big and that’s why I fell in love with so many of Zenni’s eyeglasses styles. I also love any tortoiseshell frames. They’re probably my fave.
Eyewear: Marcelina looks super stylish in Zenni’s ‘Bodega’ frame from our North Coast Collection. This vintage-inspired, square frame comes in a striped green acetate finish, which is perfect for the Pacific Northwest!
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Image credit: Marsha McGregor
Name: Freya Flavell
Occupation: I am a graphic designer and illustrator. I also sell cupcakes and toys here in Portland.
Spotted: Shopping on SW 10th Ave. in Portland
Where are you from: I am from a town near Melbourne, Australia. I moved to Portland for love and have been here eight months! Sadly I am heading home to the motherland soon.
What she likes most about Portland: I love variety of trees and flowers, the view of Mt. Hood, the bridges, the houses, the food, the vintage stores, the mixing pot of interesting people, and the bicycle accessibility. I love you, Portland!
What she does for fun: On my days off, I take my bike out and do the rounds to my favorite secondhand stores, and treat myself at the only place I’ve ever found a gluten-free doughnut, Back to Eden Bakery.
Outfit: My hoops are a recent buy from Red Fox Vintage, my top is a Melbourne made and designed by FME Apparel. My skirt is a quilted number from Lucky Vintage in Ballard, Seattle. My tights are the same tights I wore to my school formal almost 10 years ago, I think my Mum bought them at Target. My Blundstone boots were a five dollar offering from the thrift store gods back home. They are Australian made in my birth place, Tasmania. And my bag was a find from my favorite PDX store, Sugar Mountain. Today’s outfit is pretty indicative of my overall style – a pop of bright color, slightly underdressed with a nod to the mod.
Personal style: I would describe my style as ’70s bumpkin meets modern witch. As a fashion lover, I consider it my duty to indulge in my hobby as ethically as possible so I’d say probably 99% of my wardrobe is secondhand! I am inspired by anyone who is embracing their own personal style and also icons Iris Apfel, Björk, and Jane Birkin. Comfort, warmth, and color are my priorities.
Where she shops: I shop at thrift stores, vintage boutiques, weekend markets, consignment stores, Facebook groups, and Etsy. The thrill of the hunt is what makes me love clothes! I also have a number of new and secondhand items from the Melbourne-based brand Gorman, my favorite being a vegetable-print puffer jacket. I love putting together outfits with items that have come from a variety of places and that remind me of a distinct point in my life, a season, or even a song I was really obsessed with when I bought it. I always consider getting dressed as an opportunity for storytelling.
Local Recommendations: In Portland, I go to Workshop Vintage for retro pieces and the amazing new and old jewelry collection. Sugar Mountain for unique and affordably priced vintage wonders, Zig Zag Wanderer for vintage basics, Bristlecone Vintage for more classic pieces and denim, House Of Vintage if I want to be overwhelmed by what feels like a massive garage sale (I found a fantastic yellow leather motorcycle jacket there the other day!), Red Light to peruse the extensive ’70s maxi dress selection and Magpie Vintage for immaculate era pieces. I also drop into Backtalk every now and then to check out what the local designers are up to!
What’s in her eyewear wardrobe: I mostly go for round or retro-inspired shapes. I own a pair of gold rimmed, yellow-tinted, Lennon-style sunglasses that I found at a thrift store in a rural Australian town which seem to be a good fit for my small face. I’m currently on the hunt for something a bit more bold, preferably tortoiseshell. I also like to imagine that I could pull off some badass cat-eye frames in bright pink or green glasses! I’ve never worn glasses of any kind but maybe Zenni has changed that for the good!
Eyewear: Freya is wearing Zenni’s vintage-inspired, round ‘Pico’ glasses from our LA Collection. With a two-toned finish in tortoiseshell and caramel complemented by an amber gradient lens, these mod frames have super-chic, retro appeal.
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Check back soon with the #Zenniroadtrip as we take on the Great State of Texas with stops in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin!
What’s your favorite Portland street-style fashion look? Let us know in the comments below!