Scrolling through 21 year old Jessica Bialkowski’s blog (or looking at her flickr, for that matter) is like entering a dream world where everything is light and sunny, sparkly and sprinkled with a sort of ethereal cuteness. What stands out for me is her photography. Though her site is more personal diary than self-proclaimed “fashion blog,” there is still an emphasis on fashion and clothing. In Jessica’s photos, she captures clothing on its own, out of context, as well as in complete outfits she wears day-to-day.

What did you dress like in elementary school and how has your wardrobe changed since then?
I’m pretty sure back in primary school I just wore jeans (I think flares were cool back then, right?) and plain tops and that kind of thing. I don’t even really remember it that much because fashion wasn’t a huge focus for me, but obviously I have changed since then! For a large part of my teenage years I pretty much exclusively wore black jeans and band t-shirts, but since then my style has evolved to incorporate a lot of different things that I’m interested in (though I still wear band t-shirts occasionally) and I think it’s still changing and evolving now.

You seem to have a liking for bows, lace, and other little details in clothing now.
I think I always tend to gravitate towards clothing with a little extra detail, or if I’m wearing something plain I will add accessories to spice it up. I really feel like the details are what make or break the outfit and it’s where someone’s personal style really comes through. Floral dresses are a dime a dozen, but if it’s got a pretty lace collar or you match a cute belt and shoes with it, then you’ve created a look instead of just wearing a dress, y’know? Small details here and there make a big difference to an outfit and the overall impression that it gives people, so I always try to include a little something special whenever I get dressed.

What do you think contributes to shaping your style?
I think everything contributes to it. You can find inspiration anywhere - online, in the street, in the media, through music, books, or movies. I think generally my style is influenced by all of these things and by whatever happens to cross my path, but at the end of the day it’s my personal taste that brings individual elements together, and I am the one who shapes what I see into something that truly represents who I am.

We’re so used to seeing bloggers who only write about their outfits and clothing, and it can remove their personal styles from the contexts of their lives. How did you decide to incorporate a personal diary with a style blog?
For me it was more of a question of incorporating fashion into my personal journal because I have always used LiveJournal, so it was more about writing before it was about fashion. Even now I think my journal is still more life-orientated than fashion, but since the way I look and present myself is an important and fun part of my life, naturally it has become more prominent in my journal. At the moment I’m only working part time, but the industry that I want to get into career-wise (the management side of the music industry) tends to be pretty open-minded when it comes to style, so I don’t feel like that would hinder me too much.

You love op-shops (or thrift stores) and buy a lot of second-hand things. What do you like about buying used and vintage items?
There are several things I love about buying second hand items compared to new. Firstly, it’s the thrill of the hunt. You can walk into any chain shop and know exactly what you’re going to see, but when you go to an op-shop you can find just about anything - clothes, shoes, books, records, jewellery, perfume bottles, cute little ornaments, anything. It’s always a surprise and sometimes you walk away empty handed, but sometimes you find a real gem and to me that is much more rewarding than going to your local shopping centre. Secondly, I love that whatever you find is more or less going to be unique. There is probably more than one of it in existence, but chances are you will be the only person you know who has it and you can show your sense of style by picking out something that’s different to what everyone else is wearing. I also love that especially with the older items you find, there is a sense of history behind them and you never know what they have seen in their lifetimes. Op-shopping is also one of the only ways you can track down vintage fashion, even if most of it has to be hemmed! I also love the idea of recyling clothing instead of just buying new ones and throwing everything away - that’s quite important to me given the state of the environment and the impact that factories and large-scale manufacturing have on it. And of course, I love that op-shops are so much cheaper than regular shops. This is the first year of my life that I haven’t been a student, so money has always been tight with me and it goes a lot further when you’re spending it in op-shops!

Jessica’s Top Ten Style Influences (in no particular order)
1. Taylor Momsen: I’m talking about her current style here; there are certain outfits where I think she’s gone wrong, but on the whole I really love her look and how strong it is for someone so young.
2. Carrie: She seems like a really sweet girl and we have a lot of things in common, particularly when it comes to our taste in fashion.
3. Alexa Chung: A cliche response, maybe, but nonetheless justifed.
4. Alix: She is always so elegant and sophisticated.
5. Louise: Very sweet and girly but often with a bit of a dark twist that I love.
6. Blair Waldorf: Again, cliche, but utterly adorable.
7. The TV show Skins: Particularly Effy, Cassie (though there was always something a little off about her), and Emily.
8. The movie Grease: Ever since I was little I have loved the clothing in this movie, and whenever we went to the video shop I always wanted to re-rent it and watch it over and over. Not only do I love the girls’ clothing, but Danny Zuko is a BABE and I’m still in the process of convincing my boyfriend to try greaser hair.
9. Classic film stars who reflected the style of their time, i.e. Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Anna Karina, etc. I’ve grouped them together because I can’t pick a specific one.
10. Vintage Pin-ups: I just love the femininity of seamed stockings and garter belts.

- Stephanie Fereiro

Gemma Correll is a UK based illustrator and creator of What I Wore Today (Drawings) - a favourite website of many a Wornette. Here, we chat with Gemma about outfit illustrations, zine making and tie-dyed leggings.

How did you dress in high school?
Well, at school itself I didn’t have a lot of choice, since we had to wear a uniform. But outside of school, I was into the “indie” style of tight band T-shirts and flared jeans- although I did also go through a hippy phase (tie-dyed leggings!) which I’d rather forget.

What is a typical workday like for you?
Well, it kind of builds up slowly. I am not a morning person, so I start the day checking my e-mails and guzzling coffee. After that, I run errands, walk my dog, go to the post office… After lunch, I’m ready to work. I’ll usually work from 2pm until 1am, with breaks for food, coffee and pug cuddles.

Shoes I Want / Good Hair

Were there any specific inspirations behind creating What I Wore Today?
I really enjoy looking at things like Lookbook and all of the Flickr groups where people post photos of their outfits, but I’m not so much into posting photos of myself online. So it made sense to draw myself in my outfits instead. It’s a good exercise in regular drawing more than a real desire to show people what I’m wearing (since I don’t have a particularly huge wardrobe or maverick fashion sense).

What do you believe to be unique to fashion illustrations that can’t necessarily be conveyed with an outfit photograph?
I think it’s to do with the style and the sense of self that comes through in a drawing. Photographs can get a little homogeneous whereas drawings show more of the person who drew it, whether they are an “artist” or not.

How do you decide which of your own outfits to draw? What makes an outfit illustration-worthy?
It’s actually more about how much time I have to draw. But I try to avoid drawing the same thing twice so it’s partly about that too. Also, if I have a new (to me anyway, since I buy my clothes mostly from charity shops) outfit I’m more likely to be excited about drawing and posting it.

You’ve also created a few zines – what is your favourite thing about zine-making?
I love zines because they don’t have a specific agenda. There might be a theme or a set size, but I draw them for fun rather than for work, which means I free up my drawing style and I’m more likely to experiment with techniques or media. Sometimes, I just have a lot of ideas that I want to get down onto paper, somehow and somewhere, and a zine is a great way to do this.

Gemma’s Top 10 Zine Makers
Mel Stringer
Craig Atkinson / Café Royal
Pacolli (Patricia Colli)
Ward Zwart
Will Bryant
Lizz Lunney
Kate Bingaman-Burt
Deth P Sun
Pikaland
Tom Gauld

- Hailey Siracky

Designer Josiane Perron recently launched her eponymous label, and has now launched three collections of elegantly constructed vintage-like women’s garments, all made entirely in Montreal.

How and when did you get into making clothes?
At the age of ten, when I would amuse myself tracing Betty & Veronica comics, I decided to make a job of it. I was fascinated by Betty’s ability to make her own clothes and by the scope of Veronica’s closet.

What was your personal style like in high school?
I passed through a classic phase, a vintage phase, and a designer brands phase. In high school my personal style was marked by a transition from grunge style to skater, but there was always a touch of Britpop. My biggest influence at the time was music, especially Elliott Smith and Blur.

What’s your favourite item in your wardrobe?
My Second yoga jeans! The slightly tiedyed wash is superb, and they’re incredibly comfortable. It’s a real addiction, it’s impossible to wear other jeans once you’ve tried yoga jeans. The only thing that beats my yoga jeans is the pleasure and lightness of wearing a dress.

What are your biggest influences when you design?
The 20s and 60s remain by far my biggest influences, but it’s above all ambiances that give direction to creating each of my collections. These ambiances come from places, images, blogs or TV shows like True Blood, Six Feet Under, and Mad Men.

What inspired your last collection?
My spring-summer 2010 collection is inspired by hot summers and the 60s-70s. It has a bit of a folk, western allure in the white, grey, khaki, mustard and red tones. A bit of flowered print, fringe, recovered buttons and flounce give the collection a feeling of lightness.

Josiane’s Favourite Designers…
Wren
Orla Kiely
Marc Jacobs
Paul Smith
A.P.C.

…plus a few of her favourite up and comers
Dace from Vancouver, for their simplicity and dreamy brand image. Their ambient video clips are unforgettable.
Betina Lou in Montreal, for her magnificent and feminine dresses inspired by yesterday’s muses.
Noir Bonbon from Vancouver, for the comfortable materials and a simplicity always underlined by fascinating details.

Interview by Emily Raine
Photos by Karine Perron

Artist Justin Tan contributed to issue 10 by creating a super cool reinterpretation of Don Cherry’s suit. His work combines crisp black lines with textured planes of colour; a style that can rival Cherry’s any day. WORN’s need for a fact-checker became evident when, after the copy was printed, I realized Justin’s name was misspelled - our sincerest apologies, Justin! I caught up with him to enlighten WORN readers of the work of a man who is, contrary to what may be printed in the magazine, named Justin Tan.

Do you remember your first impressions of Don Cherry’s style? Would you be interested to see more people emulate it?
The first time I saw Don Cherry was when I was a little kid watching Hockey Night in Canada. I wasn’t really interested in people’s style back then, so my impression of him was probably similar to Mr. Dress Up. Just an older gentlemen who dressed funny. I wouldn’t like it if more people dressed like Don Cherry. I really appreciate the effort he puts into his wardrobe, and that’s kinda his thing. If more people did it, then it would lose some of it’s appeal.

Tell me a bit about your illustration of Mr. Cherry.
Well, the idea behind my illustration is an ageless Don Cherry. From what I remember as a kid, Don Cherry looked the exact same when I was 10 as he does now. He doesn’t seem to get older or anything, I mean, can you picture Don Cherry wearing a track suit to go mall walking followed by bingo and 4 o’clock dinner? That picture just seems ridiculous; that would make a great illustration though. But for me, I had fun imagining Don Cherry being alive in a future where Hockey is played across the galaxy and there’s like one Earth team, and they play Saturn’s team or Mars’ team. Galactic Cup instead of World Cup. I’ve really been into space and the galaxy lately too, so this was a great way to work some of that great imagery into an illustration.

You used style to re-imagine Little Boy shoes, what role did clothing play in the branding concept?
Well I think the clothing that I chose for that rebrand project is key to the look and feel of the whole concept. If the clothing isn’t right, it’s just a bunch of people with toy guns, it looks cheap rather than simple and stylized. Clothing can say so much, there’s really only a few hints need to convey a utopian futuristic idea: which is shiny pants and matching turtlenecks. Super simple, but it just brings to mind all those old costumes from Logan’s Run, 2001 Space Odyssey, classic Sci-Fi. Drawing from key elements like matching uniforms and shiny silver, the clean white institutional look is all you need to sell the idea. The clothes really sell it.

How did you dress in highschool? Is it different from how you dress now?
When I was in highschool I dressed more or less like a skater. All my friends skated, and we all snowboarded and all that, so that was the look essentially. I kinda missed out on a lot of the fads in highschool because I just wasn’t too into the looks, or couldn’t afford the looks. There was this phase where people would wear Diesel jeans and Iron Maiden shirts…like the idea of rich metal heads is so contrary and hilarious, I guess that’s why it worked for people. Emo style was really big too, I’m really glad I never latched on to that. Though, my personal favourite style that I latched onto in a big way were the Adidas tearaway track pants in 5th grade. If you had those pants, you were the boss, you were in. I didn’t really start developing a real style until later in highschool around Grade 12, pretty much when hipsters and that whole indie Urban Outfitters look starting to come in. The great thing about this was clothing didn’t look expensive, it wasn’t necessarily about brands, it was more so about unique pieces of vintage or really classic looks. You didn’t need to have a lot of money to look good. Before that it seemed like the advertising message was about buying expensive clothes and letting people know it. Now it’s all about un-labeled, simple, almost un-branded clothes, I like that. That’s pretty much how I dress now, I don’t like the classification of hipster, but it probably is the closest thing to a style stereotype that would describe me. I don’t have any super ultra skinny jeans or anything, my legs aren’t thin enough, but I have numerous cardigans, haha, so does that make me a hipster?

How do you choose what the people you draw are wearing? Does it have anything to do with what you think their personalities are?
In my illustrations I tend to chose clothing that looks very timeless. I don’t want my illustrations to be dated by the clothing in it, for example, I would hate if someone could look at my illustrations and say something like “This illustration must have been done around such and such a date because that’s when this certain style of shirt was popular.” So I mostly draw really non-descript clothing that could be from like 1900 to now. Sometimes I do find that clothing can tell the story of a character, and in those cases I will pick specific styles, or palates to reflect that. Because my newer illustrations have a limited colour palate (often just greys with 1 or 2 accent colours), I choose colour for the whole illustration that communicates the mood I want to set, so I’m not necessarily thinking specifically that the coat will be red or anything like that. Colour is more of a broad decision rather than a specific choice.

What are some projects you have coming up?
Actually I’m on a bit of a break from taking new projects. By day I work at an interactive agency in Calgary called Critical Mass, and I’ve been loving my work there, so it’s been keeping me really busy and happy. I’m also in a season of my life where there’s lots going on in my personal world so I’m content to be more casual about the illustration work that I do. Right now I have the luxury of picking projects that I’m truly interested in, and at the moment, nothing has really interested me. I plan to do some art shows in the next year, but that’s all in the works. For now i’m just really content to take it a bit easy.

- Hillary Predko