“You don’t have to make a ton of money to live here … people choose to live in Austin because they appreciate the lifestyle.” “In Austin we really value small businesses and appreciate creativity in small places,” she said. “It’s such a vibrant city with all of that … There’s so many creative people here working and doing their thing.” “ all sorts of visual arts in Austin with the studio tours and gallery events constantly,” said Carley. Personal expression is a huge part of Austin culture, and not just in fashion. is a continuation of expressing myself in that way.” “For performances, it’s something that I’ve always done. “I come from a long line of families making costumes and being seamstresses,” she said. So for me, I want to be a heavy-duty drummer, so I wear leather boots and a jacket … We just dress the way we want the world to see us.”įor lead singer and guitarist Carley Wolf, that means being seen a unique artist-she makes a lot of her own stage outfits. “And feeling good is wearing something that fits you well and expresses the feeling you have about what you’re doing. “We want to feel good when we go onstage,” said drummer Jonny Wolf. Blues-rock duo The Ghost Wolves dress to match their sound, whether they’re taking the stage for SXSW (which they’ve played four times) or any other gig. It’s not just the audiences at SXSW who, as Shari says, turn up their style-it’s the artists, too. "People have become conscious that they might get their photo taken … they’re out and about to be seen and make a little bit of an impression." Shari credits style bloggers and photographers with creating a culture of festival fashion in Austin. That's not to say SXSW and other modern festivals haven't left their mark. "The dream of the '70s is alive and well in Austin,” she said. She referenced the influence of country music and classic rock ‘n’ roll, as well as the hippie culture of the 1960s and ‘70s. ![]() “You can’t talk about fashion in Austin without talking about the music,” Shari said. ![]() And while it might seem like the festival begat Austin’s unique style, the opposite is actually true-the city’s residents perfected their quirky-cool aesthetic long before SXSW became a major force in pop culture. We’re reminded of this title every March, when thousands of artists descend upon the city to participate in the South by Southwest music, film, and technology festival. This freewheelin’ outlook is partly thanks to all the creative energy humming around town: Austin’s known as the Live Music Capital of the World. It’s like people here are freer … it’s really live and let live.” Shari described this anything-goes style as, “more about being comfortable in who you are than about conforming to a national trend. Boutiques and vintage shops outnumber the big-box retailers, driving the trend towards individuality. In a way, people are forced to get creative with fashion. ![]() Instead, the images serve as a (very stylish) reminder of Austin’s offbeat culture. Street-style photos taken around the city capture dusty boots, mixed prints, and dramatically oversized clothing. ![]() Not that a T-shirt and shorts is the norm. "Even T-shirts and cutoff shorts and sneakers, because you’re riding your bike around, can just look so good here.” "People just look different here than they do anywhere else,” said Shari Gerstenberger, local stylist and owner of Charm School Vintage. This strangeness seems to drive every aspect of local culture, including fashion. Here, the lawn art is extravagant, the bingo is won with chicken poop ( seriously), and the 5Ks are run in gorilla suits. Austin is a city known for keeping it weird.
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