Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Caroline

Get to know Caroline, a contributing writer for Avant Gaudy and our “Chicagoland thriftstore expert!”

Where are you from?
Hinsdale, IL 

Where do you live now?
Oak Park IL, but soon Ukie Village in Chicago!

What is your profession/major? What school do you go to?
Dominican University 09: apparel design major, studio art & photography minor.

Professional goals:
To continue my freelance apparel design & sculpture, eventually go to grad school to be able to teach, and lastly open up a cute boutique!

Favorite movies?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Romeo & Juliet, Eyes Wide Shut, Little Children and silent films!!

What TV shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
True Blood. I love vampires!

What kind of music do you like? What bands are you listening to? 
Big Band and Swing, Spanish, surf/Polynesian, George Crumb, Animal Collective, Andrew Bird

What do you like to do for fun?
Thrift! Going jetskiing, playing tennis, going to restaurants and seeing live jazz!

Things you love?
Animals, flowers and mushrooms. They inspire me daily!

Favorite designer?
Jeremy Scott, Hussein Chalayan, Marc Jacobs, Chloé.

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
Tough, but I would say my large dark salmon colored ring.

How would you describe your personal style? 
Eclectic, vintage, textural, accessorized.

One thing you’ll never wear?
Flip-flops.

What is your most recent purchase?
A cookbook on flavored butter!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
London!

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
Cheese and pine nut hummus!

Your perfect day?
Wake up at 6:00 a.m., go out to breakfast, play on Lake Michigan, sew a dress in the late afternoon & then have a BBQ with the friends!

Guilty pleasure?
Researching astrology!

Favorite food/drink?
Freshly juiced blackberry limeade!

What are you an expert of/random knowledge?
I am attempting to be an expert at perceptions of women from 1915-present day. For now, I am just a 1920s expert! I also know a lot about baking!

What Web site do you have to check everyday?
Guilty of Facebook… and gmail!

Favorite Animal?
Leonberger! Or any baby animals!

Personal Quote:
“You love it.”

Meet another “Gaudy” Girl: Angela

The Artsighter recently interviewed one of our latest models, Angela, chronicling her struggles and triumphs as an “industry quirky girl.”

The original interview appears here, and is reposted below.

Self-proclaimed “former ugly duckling turned industry quirky girl” Angela McAdrian is a unique beauty – a model and muse who has challenged the fashion industry’s standards.

Born and raised in Chicago, Angela McAdrian, 20, wanted to model ever since she was little.  Like many young girls, she loved to wear make-up and get dressed up.  In 2004, her former boyfriend encouraged her to model, but she received harsh criticism and rejection from many modeling agencies in Chicago.  Agents brutally rejected her, centering on her distinct physical features – her teeth, ears and fair skin.  “I was about to give up,” says Angela, “There were a lot of criticisms.”

It wasn’t until she was offered a chance to shoot with LA based fashion photographer Nicole Anne Robbins in 2006 that doors began to open for her.  “She is the one that put me in the fashion world,” explains Angela, “She took me to a new level.  The criticisms greatly left after I worked with her.  Before, the things that I would get made fun of, I was [now] embraced for.”

“My artist statement is that I want to make so-called flaws be perceived as beautiful and sexy because I think that society has a warped perception of what is beautiful,” mentions Angela, “I believe the world to be a horrible, ugly place and beauty is my escape.  Lights of hope and hints of beauty make life worth living.”

Splitting her time between Los Angeles and Chicago, Angela has worked with top fashion photographers, designers, stylists and hair and make-up artists.  Modeling on over 70 photo shoots, her fashion campaigns have included Abigail Glaum-Lathbury, Avant Gaudy, Chi-Chi and the Greek, Genevieve Clifford, T.Saints and Verse Boutique, among others.  She says, “I am inspired by the artist I work with.”  She loves the fact that nothing is routine.

Reflecting on her experiences prior to modeling, Angela noted the irony of the compliments that she received.  She says, “It’s so weird.  Before it was, ‘Oh, we love your eyes!’  Now, It’s so different.  My mouth, everyone loves my mouth.  It’s my number one thing.”

“I believe that beauty is subjective.”

Angela McAdrian may be a “fresh face” but after her difficult start in modeling, her thoughts on flaws and beauty are what make her so refreshing.  She wants people to know, “I’m not perfect.  I make a lot of mistakes but I’m always genuine.”  What’s next for the industry quirky girl?  “I still haven’t found a Chicago agency.  I think it’s more fitting for me to do freelance.  I like fashion and I like art.  I like writing.  I would love to write for a magazine […] I want to write novels.”  I believe that anything is possible for the one of a kind beauty.

Meet the “Gaudy” Guys: Vincent

Get to know Vincent, the co-owner and creative director of Avant Gaudy.

Personal aspirations/hopes:
Run a fashionable online vintage clothing store.

Professional goals:
Let Avant Gaudy be as cool as the Renaissance Society.

Favorite movies?
Little Miss Sunshine and El Topo.

What T.V. shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
Nature documentaries

What kind of music do you like? What bands are you listening to?
Fantastic Mainstream, Milt Jackson Orchestra

Favorite/essential book?
House of Stairs by William Sleator

What do you like to do for fun?
Make cupcakes, stews and barbecues

Things you love? (People, places, things, etc…)
Bjork, Sonar, Gaudi’s architecture

Favorite Designer?
Rei Kawakubo

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
Visionaire 48 Magic

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
Vintage YSL shirt

How would you describe your personal style? 
The Emperor’s New Clothes

What is your most recent purchase?
Zamorano cheese and Pâte de coings

Guilty pleasure?
Making meals that take a long time to cook

What are you an expert of/random knowledge?
Issues on antitrust, general equilibrium, hedge funds, anti-Keynesian economics

Favorite Food?
Grilled Sardine Sandwiches by the Bosphorous River

What web site do you have to check everyday?
Women’s Wear Daily

Favorite Famous/Inspirational Quote:
Make mistakes.

What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy?
Khaki Jumpsuit

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Mariefe

Get to know Mariefe, the head merchandise buyer at Avant Gaudy.

Where are you from?
Phoenix, AZ

Where do you live now?
Chi-Town

What school did you go to?
Creighton University ’04, Business Administration, Marketing Major.  

Personal aspirations/hopes: 
I want to travel abroad and immerse myself into as many cultures as I can afford.  Realistically, I would like to be a personal styling consultant and have my own boutique back on the West Coast and live on the beach. 

Professional goals:
To bring in those dolla dolla bills y’all.

Favorite TV shows? 
Gossip Girl, 30 Rock, Lost, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Jeopardy, The Office and Project Runway.

What kind of music do you like?
Everything… I look to my younger sister to keep me up with what the kids are listening to these days. 

What bands are you listening to?
Radiohead, Elliot Smith, TV on the Radio, Yaysayers, Flaming Lips, Mason Jennings, She and Him, Secondhand Serenade, Rodrigo y Gabrielle, West Coast, anything Madonna but mostly her stuff from the 80’s, Girl Talk, Dispatch, The National, Dashboard Confessional, OAR, The Shins, Danger Mouse. 

All-time Favorite Songs:
(1) “Like a Prayer” – There is a car dance that accompanies this song.
(2) Bloc Party’s “Signs” – I secretly want to be part of the cast of Gossip Girl.
(3) Kelly Clarkson’s “Since you Been Gone,” on repeat screaming on the top of my lungs, in the car stuck in traffic.  

Favorite movies? 
Sound of Music, 16 Candles, Teen Witch and Grease.  Now you know I am really a 12 year-old girl. 

Favorite/essential book?
How to Score a Mega-Hottie (it was featured in the Twix commercial). On a more serious note, The Great Gatsby, I heart Jay Gatsby. 

Hobbies?
Bikram Yoga, hanging out with my friend’s dogs

What do you like to do for fun? 
Hang out with my friends and family doing any of the following:  day drink, go shopping, taking a long lunch outside and wine tasting.

“Things you love?”
People:  Other than my family, Natalie Portman, Catherine Zeta Jones, Wentworth Miller. 
Things: Filipino food. People laughing, but not at me.  The sound of someone biting into an apple. 
Places: Mission Beach, San Diego.  The Philippines.  

Favorite designers?
Marc Jacobs, Thakoon Panichgul, Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenburg, and Phillip Lim.

       

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
Lucky, W, and Cosmo.

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own? 
My mom’s engagement ring, I’ve worn it once as a right hand accessory. 

How would you describe your personal style? 
I love short dresses!  I am only 5’2 so they have to be above my knee.   Right now I’m into the Romantic/Goddess style dresses.  But really, it all depends on my mood and the occasion.  

One thing you’ll never wear?
Harem pants.

Style icon?
Kate Hudson, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. And my younger sister, Mariel. 

What is your most recent purchase?
Iridescent Mother of Pearl square ring that looks like a napkin holder and lays across three whole fingers. 

Do you have any style rules? 
Keep it simple, but accessorize! 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? 
Bohol, Philippines- a white secluded beach in paradise. 

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
My iPhone.

Your perfect day?
Laying out at the pool, shopping at Last Chance, sushi for lunch, wine with lunch, wine for lunch. 

Guilty pleasure? 
The bottomless bottle of Two buck chuck.

Favorite food/drink?
Any Malbecs, I’m not picky by the end of the night they all taste the same.  

What are you an expert of/random knowledge?
Saved by the Bell trivia, ask me, I bet I know. 

What web site do you have to check everyday? 
Weather.com, you never know in Chicago! 

Favorite animal?
Dogs, but not the little yelpers! 

Personal quote:
“Everyone needs a Sarigumba Surprise.”

Favorite famous/inspirational quote:
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life that he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” -Henry David Thoreau

What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy? 
A short Greek goddess style dress with a zebra print.

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Deborah

Get to know Deborah, the co-owner and CEO of Avant Gaudy.

Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I was born in Nigeria, though have spent much of my life here in the Midwest!

What is your profession/major?
I attend the University of Chicago and I study Political Science. I’m also very excited about fashion and run Avant Gaudy.

 

Personal aspirations:
I hope to live in the following cities in the following order: New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Berlin and Rio De Janeiro.

Professional goals:
I would like to become the CEO of a major fashion retailer such as Barneys – or create my own!

Favorite movies?
I love so many movies that I think it’s easier to just list categories. In order: French New Wave, New German Cinema and Scandinavian directors such as Ingmar Bergman and Roy Andersson. I am currently trying to watch every movie in the Criterion Collection. 

What T.V. shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
With all the movies I watch, I don’t have time for TV!

What kind of music do you like? What bands are you listening to?
I love bands that sound like Sonic Youth. Particularly, I am a big fan of the Secret Machines and Blonde Redhead. My all-time favorite song is “Loved Despite of Great Faults” by Blonde Redhead. They’re incredible to watch live!

Favorite/essential book?
Books are like movies for me; better explained in categories. In this case I go by author. I love everything by Foucault, Sartre, Camus, Nabokov and Toni Morrison.

What do you like to do for fun?
As anyone who knows me knows, I love to eat cupcakes. Does that count as a hobby?

Favorite Designer?
Helmut Lang, Alber Ebaz and Alexander Wang.

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
I read WWD every day.
 
Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
I can’t live without black pants.

How would you describe your personal style?
“Sarah, Plain and Tall.”

One thing you’ll never wear?
Sweatpants in public or Uggs in the winter. No matter how cold it is in Chicago!

What is your most recent purchase?
I haven’t shopped for myself in months — I can’t remember!

Do you have any style rules?
Black is always appropriate.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Any major city with reliable transit and a diversity of restaurants!

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
My iPhone.

Your perfect day?
It hopefully involves reading a good book and a long bike ride along the lakefront.

Guilty pleasure?
I could eat cupcakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I know this for a fact because I have tried.

Favorite food/drink?
Anything I can cook at home, and I am a fan of cold water.

What are you an expert at?
(Very) random political theory.

Favorite Animal?
Stray cats.

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Kate

Get to know Kate, a contributing writer for the Avant Gaudy blog.

Where are you from?
Born and raised in Chicago!

What shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
I am obsessed with Gossip Girl, Greek, and Dancing with the Stars. I wish I could dance like Julianne Hough!

 

 

Favorite Songs?
“Kylie” by Akcent
“Star Struck” by Lady Gaga
“Love Story” by Taylor Swift

Favorite/essential book?
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult and Twilight by Stephenie Meyer!

Things you love?
Person: Kim Karsdashian
Place: Krakow, Poland
Thing: Berry Chill frozen yogurt

Favorite Designer?
Betsey Johnson. Everything she creates is so fresh and unique, I love all of her collections. One of my favorite accessories is a black and white bag from her Betseyville line.

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
Teen Vogue and InStyle.

One thing you’ll never wear?
“Genie style” pants.

Guilty pleasure?
Starbucks’ White Chocolate Mocha

Favorite accessories?
I love anything with lace, pearls, ribbons, and flowers!

Favorite animal?
My dog, Caesar!

Favorite Famous/Inspirational Quote:
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt

What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy?
This red sequin blazer is one of my favorite items right now. It makes me think of Lady Gaga because she wears clothes that are bold and stand out.

 

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Julianne

Where are you from?
I was born in LaGrange and currently reside there.

What is your profession/major? (What school do you go to?)
I’m a senior at Lyons Township High School – a school with two campuses and 4000 students!

Personal aspirations/hopes:
Travel a lot, meet a lot of people, live each day to the fullest and try not to run into things and get big bruises.

 

Professional goals:
I want to work in the movie industry and produce, write and direct.

Favorite movies?
Once, Shakespeare in Love, Legally Blonde and Mean Girls.

What TV shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
Too many! Gilmore Girls, The OC, Gossip Girl, 30 Rock, The Office, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Privileged, Heroes and many more… 

What kind of music do you like? What bands are you listening to?
I like a lot of Indie music – Death Cab, The Stars, Ingrid Michaelson. Some of the bigger name bands I like are Radiohead and Coldplay.

Favorite/essential book?
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

What do you like to do for fun?
I’m in charge of a TV show at my school which I write and direct, so that takes up a lot of my time.  I also have a job working with little kids.

Things you love? (People, places, things, etc…)
Accessories, fun colors, little boutiques that no one’s heard of, London, Hollywood, my cell phone that barely works and writing.  And since he’s dead now, Michael Jackson. 

Favorite Designer?
Gotta love Chanel.  I also like lines by Juicy Couture and Free People.

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
InStyle.

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
My braided golden belt because once it goes on, it makes all my outfits look really put together.

How would you describe your personal style? 
A lot of people say I’m boho girly. I don’t think I have a certain style, it really just depends on my mood.

One thing you’ll never wear?
CROCS!!

Style icons?
Kate Hudson and Rachel Bilson.

What is your most recent purchase?
A cardigan from Gap I got on sale – I like it because it goes with everything.

Do you have any style rules?
Don’t cross over clothing items that don’t belong together –  don’t wear a fancy skirt with a hoodie.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Stars Hollow – too bad it only exists in Gilmore Girls.

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
Water bottles.

Your perfect day?
Mani/Pedis at 10:00 a.m., eat a salad and drink lemonade by the pool, go shopping, eat at a sushi restaurant, go out for ice cream afterwards, come home and watch TV reruns under the covers.

Guilty pleasure?
Listening to the song “Pokerface” by Lady GaGa.

Favorite food?
Chocolate ice cream.

What are you an expert of/random knowledge?
I can memorize birthdates and numbers.

What web site do you have to check everyday?
Facebook of course.

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Anika

Get to know Anika, the Avant Gaudy summer Buyer.

Personal aspirations/hopes:
For someone to answer the question: “Remember Anika?” with “Is she the one with great style?”

Professional goals:
Become a buyer.

Things you love?
Laughing, shopping, dancing and Andes mints.

 

Favorite Designer?
Ah! Do I have to choose?! I will have to go with Marc Jacobs, he never disappoints.

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
My brown leather jacket from Zara! I cannot wait for the weather to get a little cooler so I can throw it on over EVERYTHING.

How would you describe your personal style?
Feminine with a hint of grunge.

One thing you’ll never wear?
A thong. They are a curse to women.

Style icon?
Ashley Olsen.

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
My computer.

Your perfect day?
Everyone oversleeps on Black Friday except for me.

Guilty pleasure?
Any reality show on VH1. SO trashy.

What web site do you have to check everyday?
My Gmail. It is my only form of communication.

What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy?
The watercolor dress.  I was at the photoshoot for this piece and when the model was wearing it, it looked absolutely stunning! I love it! 

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Nayla

Get to know Nayla, the Avant Gaudy summer Business Analyst.

Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I am from Cairo, Egypt. I’m currently living in Chicago.

What is your profession/major? 
I just graduated from the University of Chicago, where I studied Economics and Visual Arts.

Favorite movies?
I can’t think of an all time favorite, but some movies I never get bored of watching are: Closer, Amelie, Once, Napoleon Dynamite, The Big Lebowski and Chocolat. I also really liked: The Sea Inside, Lost in Translation, American Beauty, Trainspotting, Revolutionary Road, Pulp Fiction, Mulholland Drive and The Usual Suspects.

What T.V. shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
I am currently watching 30 Rock and I love it! I also like Seinfeld, The Simpsons, Southpark and Sex and the City.

What kind of music do you like? What bands are you listening to?
I was listening to Nirvana and Elliott Smith earlier today and I’m listening to Wilco now. But I like many different bands, and I love listening to stuff I’ve never heard before. I can’t say I have a favorite song, band or music genre. 

“Things you love?” (People, places, things)
I love meeting new people, I really enjoy going out to dinner with friends, trying new restaurants, and traveling and visiting new places. I also love sitting on the lake across from my apartment in Hyde Park and watching the Chicago skyline.

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
I would have to say Vogue.

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
My high-waisted short black skirt because it can be worn in summer and winter, with tights and without, and matches with almost everything in my closet.

How would you describe your personal style? 
I would say somewhat casual and simple. I tend to stick to neutral colors and make my outfits more interesting by wearing lots of jewelry and colorful scarves, shoes and bags.

One thing you’ll never wear?
I would never wear a Northface fleece!
 
Style icon?
Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chloe Sevigny.

What is your most recent purchase?
I just bought a transparent cream-colored shirt with a frilly collar yesterday.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Probably Rome, but I don’t speak Italian so I would have to learn it first. Or maybe Paris or Barcelona.

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
Coffee.

Your perfect day?
Being on the beach all day.

Guilty pleasure?
Sitting in bed all day and watching movies on my laptop.

Favorite food or drink?
Coffee, diet coke or red wine

What web site do you have to check everyday?
I have to check my gmail email every time I see a computer! Some other websites I check often are:
The Sartorialist – its my favorite street style blog
BBC

Some other websites I love:
FFFFound!
Exactitudes
Learning To Love You More
Aparment Therapy
Art Letter
WebUrbanist
Multicolr Search Lab

What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy?
This beige wooly cardigan because it is so soft and comfy, and it can be worn with anything.

Meet the “Gaudy” Girls: Anna

Get to know Anna, the Avant Gaudy summer Stylist intern.

Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I am originally from Henderson, Minnesota (population 910) and now live in Hyde Park.  Don’t make fun of my “MinnesOHtan” accent or my feelings will be hurt and my ego bruised.

What is your major?
I go to school at the University of Chicago and am planning on majoring in Public Policy, Economics or some other stuffy field of study. 

Personal aspirations/hopes?
I aspire to be able to free-style rap, dance the Melbourne shuffle and get rid of my goofy accent. 

Professional goals?
To do something other than sit at a desk all day and get crusty and old.  If this plan fails, then I am becoming a trophy-wife.   

Favorite movies?
Beauty and the Beast and Ong Bak Thai Warrior.

What TV shows are you currently watching/still addicted to?
I don’t watch all that much TV—I have no time!! When I am back home, though, I watch Kitchen Nightmares and a lot of Antiques Road Show.

What kind of music do you like? What bands are you listening to?
My musical tastes are all over the place and my favorite bands are always changing.  I really enjoy electro music and fuzzy garage rock.  Right now, though, I am obsessed with Hank Williams. 

Favorite/essential book?
I love The Awakening by Kate Chopin.

Things you love?
I purchased a vintage electric-blue Schwinn Cruiser in January.  I named her Sally.  It is easily my favorite possession/best friend right now. 

Favorite Designer?
I love Ivan Grundahl and Alexander Wang.  The ethereal and sometimes ghastly aesthetic of Alexander McQueen and Christian Lacroix inspire me as well.

Favorite fashion/beauty magazine?
I love W!!!  I currently don’t have a subscription, but I love how I can tear out the huge editorial pages and post them on my bedroom wall as decoration.  My apartment is sporting a rather lovely collage at the moment…

Favorite clothing item/accessory that you own?
I have this great yellow parrot necklace that my sister picked up at a garage sale for a quarter.  I had to beg her for a week to let me swap ten items of my own jewelry for it.

How would you describe your personal style? 
Eclectic and bright.

One thing you’ll never wear?
Ugg boots.  Never. Ever.  Or Crocs—they are truly the vilest entity on the planet.  In addition, any type of polo shirt that has the small, yet blatantly obvious monogram of any kind of aquatic avian, our national bird, or of a moose. 

Style icon?
Agyness Deyn. 

Do you have any style rules?
Just go for it!!!  I feel as though a lot of people complain that they can’t “pull off” a certain ensemble.  Even the most atrocious thing can be made into a wearable outfit when worn with confidence.  I raid my mom’s clothing from the 80s and even dig through our dress-up box at home. 

Obsessed with/can’t live without?
National Public Radio programming: Car Talk, The Splendid Table, A Prairie Home Companion, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, and This American Life—I would surely die without it.  

Guilty pleasure?
Seeing that I was tagged in photos on Facebook.   And eating Nutella out of the jar with a spoon!!  Another weird thing that I enjoy is dry Ramen —the crunchiness of it was really comforting during finals week. 

What are you an expert of/random knowledge?
Back in Minnesota I used to work at Toody’s Sweet Treats, a soda fountain, hence I can make the prettiest banana split/sundae/milkshake you ever have seen. That is a promise.  I even tried it in the UChicago cafeteria once….

Favorite Famous/Inspirational Quote:
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift.”
-Steve Prefontaine

What is your favorite item from Avant Gaudy?
There is this great striped blouse that ties into a big bow in the front—I got to wear it at our showroom opening event and I absolutely fell in love with it!