Inspiration Board: Christy - Desert Tour

The end of summer always gives me that "summertime sadness", the feeling of warm days of laughter and outdoor music drawing to a close, the last moments of a fabulous party. I try to keep reminding myself that September is a beautiful month and that there's still time for one more road trip, one more sacred space for feeling like a founding member of a rock band crossing the country in a tour bus. Christy captured that feeling - with a slightly grungy, 90's vibe - in a 'shoot we dubbed Generation KO. It's a great one to draw on for style in these bittersweet, hedonistic days. I've re-envisioned it with a bit more of a 70's vibe, but I love Christy's take on it, so we'll explore that too. The main differences in the looks involve color and simple element choices. The basic premise involves a graphic tee and denim skirt. Note on the tee: Christy left hers all hung out and that works fabulously; other options are the casual half-tuck, or knotting it. If you're feeling the 70's thing, and loving the dry, desert-heat vibe, reflect that with your colors: blue denim (faded, distressed and worn are all encouraged; stay away from whiter, brighter, 80's-feeling acid-wash pieces), deep red (tan, mustard and olive are flawless alternatives) and caramel shoes. Stay summery with gladiators or chunky-strapped wedge sandals, or go for a more transitional look with ankle boots that reflect the American West. I love the idea of adding a touch of hot-rn fringe to the on-trend denim skirt to enhance the vibe and add a touch more dimension. Besides, fringe is fun ;). If vests aren't your thing, consider a fringed purse as another possibility. If you'd rather do it Christy's way, go for cooler shades: gray, black, taupe or dusty blue with a faded black denim skirt (*this could be done with black denim shorts, too!). I happened upon this fun Eagle tee at shopbop.com which would work nicely, but any broken-in, edgy graphic you have will do: band tees, tees with attitudinal witticisms, whimsical pics, even a plain, solid tee with a bit of wear or distressing  (don't hesitate to grab a cheap one and DIY some rips and tears) will do nicely. Christy finished hers with OTKs, which rocked hard! I'm a huge fan of the ankle boot look for this combo as well, especially at this time in the season. Swap out the fringe vest for a plaid tee (ps def consider adding a spiked, antiqued or hematite pendant, or a leather choker :)) and bam! - that 90's-rocker-playing-massive-festival vibe is yours to enjoy while your fame lasts ;)  Hope this inspires you to rock the last sets of summer, loves!