Boston’s street style is chic, urban, and everywhere. Photo by Martini Severin.
Boston is metropolitan by any standard. It is diverse, full of culture, and never lacking in things to do. Why, then, has Boston been panned as unstylish? In 2011, GQ dubbed Boston number one in their list of “The 40 Worst-Dressed Cities in America”, citing the sloppy attire of college students (whom they dub “hoodie monsters”) and the propensity of outdated “prep” style as great fashion sins.
What nonsense! While every city is host to some sartorial sins, Boston is a city full of style and fashion, as demonstrated by the burgeoning local blogging community, rich street style, and the growth of such institutions as Boston Fashion Week in the city. One need only walk through Boston to see that its citizens are urbane, stylish, and au courant.
The Quad sat down with one of Boston’s best-known style bloggers, Martini Severin of Beyond Boston Chic, for an insider’s perspective on what makes Boston such a stylish city. Severin started Beyond Boston Chic, in 2008. Since then, it has become an enormous success, gaining many devotees due to Martini’s engaging writing and beautiful photos both of herself and of stylish Bostonians sashaying down the street.
Severin, who has lived in Boston since the tender age of ten, finds fashion inspiration on the streets of Boston and around the world. Her work has achieved both local and international relevance–she has exhibited her work at City Hall and the Boston Center for Adult Education, and her photos have been lauded throughout the Web. Outside of Boston, she has shot street style photographs around the world — at fashion week and otherwise in places like Australia and Span, to name a few from this year alone. Why, then, does Severin make her home in Boston?
“There is fashion, style and beauty in Boston at every turn,” said Severin, “Today I was walking about and noticed this young man in peach colored jeans and canary yellow sneakers. It was a wonderful combination. Then there was an older woman dressed in black who had the most beautiful wave of silver hair. I think GQ may not have looked hard enough before declaring us the worst dressed city in the US.”
A stylish Bostonian leans on a bike. Photo by Martini Severin.
Indeed, Boston is not only the heart of original preppy style, but is also full of hip, downtown aesthetics. Part of this aesthetic diversity is, of course, owed to the city’s multiculturalism. “There are people from all over the world here. It’s wonderful to have so many cultures here. Just last week [my husband and I] were deciding between going out for Thai, Senegalese or Tibetan. I love Boston for its diversity in style, culture and food,” says Severin, who often photographs stylish Bostonians on the street of many cultures.
Boston’s music scene also contributes to the style scene. With bands like the Dropkick Murphys, the Pixies, Aerosmith, and countless others getting their starts in the city, Boston has deep musical roots. This inevitably generates a deep style impetus. Boston is a fixture on countless artists’ touring routes, attracting acts both tiny and extravagant—one need only attend one of these concerts to see the diversity of style present in Boston.
As the world’s biggest college town, with a significant portion of its population represented by undergraduate students, there is certainly a collegiate influence on the Boston style scene as well. GQ’s claims of undergrad sloppiness, however, only go so far. While it is true that many students spend a part of their time in sweats, Ugg boots, and hoodies (the main style offenders cited by GQ), there is a preponderance of style represented on Boston’s college campuses.
“There have been colleges in Boston since the 17th century,” says Severin. “Students add so much spice to who we are as a city.” She even goes so far as saying that her favorite time of year to snap street style photos rests between August and September when new college students pour into the city.
“I love it! I call August and September my style fest months.”
College students inject youth and diversity into Boston like no other city on Earth, creating an undeniable fashion melting pot. While it is true that Boston is not a fashion city in the way that New York, Paris, and Milan are, when it comes time for Boston Fashion Week, started in 1995, Beantown certainly does not disappoint. Local designers and artisans, many of them graduates from Boston’s numerous art schools, put their wares on sale in high style. Bloggers, photographers, and journalists show up in droves and celebrate local fashion with runway shows, clothing swaps, and glamorous parties.
And the style doesn’t stop at Fashion Week! Formal fashion events abound for the stylish set with events year-round. Severin will be hosting a fashion event called “To the Nines” on March 30th at the Boston Center for Adult Education. Ultimately, it’s Boston’s street style and blogging scene that defines it as a fashion city. Bostonians are hip, current, fresh, and vibrant—and that won’t change any time soon.
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