Vintage fashion can easily find its place in any modern wardrobe. I myself am an avid mixer of the old and the new, it works like a charm. I was lucky to find Ivana Kobasijevich, a 21-year-old nursing student from Bosnia, leaving the Student Center after investigating graduate programs to continue her education in nursing. I was first struck by her vivid red hair, and then thrown off by her use of vintage pieces. Ivana had created an edgy way to combine vintage finds with modern staples.
I will first focus on Ivana’s red hair. Color is so important in one’s physical appearance. There is a lot of psychology in the colors we choose to wear, or in this case, color our hair. I asked Ivana why she chose red and she told me she “changes her hair color often”, but red is her favorite color. She also explained that her hair might be a mixture of baby blue and lavender next week, a different look from last years dread locks. With Ivana’s constant evolution of hair color, it illustrates how color can affect how one feels or how one wants us to think we feel.
With Ivana’s eclectic mix of vintage clothing and new items, she is successful at creating her own style and it’s hard for me to put her in a category, a good thing. Ivana told me she likes to stand out and look different from others. Her vintage dress was black with a white lace neckline that added a quaint, antique touch. She combined this look with a mustard cardigan and black leggings with gray slouch boots. She explained that she generally wore grays and blacks (neutrals) because her hair compensates for any lack of color.
Each aspect of Ivana’s unique style was not an accident, they are conscious decisions made by her. Even the more subtle details like her tattoos and pierced nose, which add a lot of edge to her look are added elements that she must consider when she creates an outfit. With her close attention to detail and consideration for how each part of her style will match, or clash, I find she is successful at creating that standout style. Her use of vintage is on par and knows which new items are worth a pretty penny.
Ivana tells me she shops at Pib’s Exchane in Sugarhouse to find most of her vintage articles. She also heads to the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City to shop at stores, like the Bastille, that carry one of her favorite brands G Star (g-star.com). I was so inspired by Ivana’s choice of red used to express herself that I wore my bright yellow sweater the next day; a huge breakaway from my neutral ways.
