c-note style with mel chanté
poet, blogger + creative mel chanté has been up-cycling since she was a kid. we team up with her to fashion two fall looks for under $100.
how did you first get interested in clothes?
my father had his own clothing line. i remember going with him to the warehouse to help him fold t-shirts and hoodies he designed. that was my first introduction to someone taking something plain and creating art out of it. then, i started to buy old mom-jeans, men’s jackets and oversized sweaters and cut them up, bleach them, dye them lol. it was fun for me. i fell in love with the idea of turning something old or plain into something new, something my own.
what in current fashion is exciting you?
silk looks, sexy-ruffled sleeves, warm and earth tones. i’ve also been seeing more play with patterns, which i love. especially if they have that old-school-back-in-the-day-90s-vintage-fashion vibe.
how would you describe your style right now?
i like to mix-and-match retro, modern and relaxed feels. i’m a serious 90s baby! everything about that era—the culture, the fashion, the music, the authenticity—i love. it’s the core of my fashion influence.
what's your strategy when shopping at beacons?
first i look for pants—mom-jeans, high-waist—that have the right fit. next, i usually peruse for patterns, colors or textures that pop, like a cool blazer or sweater. then i always finish up in the men’s section. that’s where i’ve found a lot of my staple jackets that still get lots of compliments when i wear them today.
