When a couple of friends from Wieden+Kennedy came to me looking for models for an International Women’s Day passion project called “Inner Feminine,” naturally I jumped at the opportunity. They were looking for seven different archetypes of women—but from a non-fixed, non-heteronormative, non-western perspective—to explore women power in all shapes, sizes, colors, and gender expressions. […]
Fashion
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Portland’s Pretty: Monuments: The Earth Expedition of Sun Ra at PAM
Was I familiar with jazz musician/poet/Afrofuturist Sun Ra before the Portland Art Museum’s recent exhibition? I’m embarrassed to say no, but man, what an exhibit it was! And the closing night was absolutely beautiful. Co-curated by Libby Werbel (founder of Portland Museum of Modern Art) and open-mic collective Deep Underground (DUG), the closing night ceremony […]
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Unmentionable: A Peek-A-Boo Recap of Portland’s Favorite Lingerie Fashion Show
The annual Unmentionable fashion show—billed as a “lingerie exposition”—is always one of the most enjoyable, cheeky style events of the year, and the eighth go-around was no different. The energy was popping off, with the sexy designs of Jane’s Vanity, COLTY, and Thunderpants working the crowd into a frenzy. Hat tips also go out to […]
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Portland’s Pretty: Sitting Down and Dressing Up with Chanti Darling
If you haven’t made it to the new Hoxton Hotel in Chinatown, you’re straight-up missing out! #Newyearnewyou, right? Don’t you want to hang out in beautiful spaces with beautiful people? I know I do! But even if you’re not interested in a staycation, there’s plenty to do, day or night. I found myself there for […]
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Bigfoot: A Skate Mag for Women
Bigfoot is a lady-run online skateboard mag for women. It was started by two friends who’ve been skateboarding for as long as Gen Z’ers have been alive, and named for the mythical creature always lurking on the outskirts—which is exactly what women in the ’90s had to do if they were interested in skateboarding. Last […]
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Remembering 2018: Raver Pants Makers, JNCO Jeans, Goes Out of Business
[Wow. The Mercury wrote A LOT of stuff in 2018, and here’s a post that we think is worth remembering from February 16, 2018.—eds] I will start this post off with the obvious: JNCO JEANS MAKE ME WANT TO STAB MY EYES OUT. They are an abomination of fashion, and are quite possibly the cause […]
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Portland’s Pretty: Satan Had a House Show
House shows: A necessity for music lovers under the age of 21. And it turns out they’re just as fun in your 30s—but I mean, duh, right? However, no matter how old you are, there’s one thing about house shows that never changes: annoying frat bros who show up reeking of cologne and almost ruining everything… […]
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Skate Shop Memories
When I was in the seventh grade, I made my mom drive to a skate shop in a neighboring town. The year: probably 1994. The perfume I wore: definitely Sunflowers. The tape I put in my mom’s car stereo: Luscious Jackson’s Natural Ingredients. So when I saw the yellow-and-navy Shawn Mandoli REAL deck with a […]
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Portland’s Pretty: Just Us Punk Rock People
I wasn’t even a high school freshman when the Dead Milkmen broke up, but that didn’t stop me from loving them. And by the looks of the very intimate crowd at High Water Mark on a recent autumn night, we were dealing with super fans only. The Joe Jack Talcum show (starring Joe Genaro of […]
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Lose Yr Mind Fest: Portland’s Pretty Punk?
In its five years of pairing local and national indie music, the Lose Yr Mind festival has never had a bad lineup. Liz Elder, who handles the show bookings for the Liquor Store, has her finger on the pulse of the Portland music scene. Among the heavy hitters of this year’s fest included MELT (one […]
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Blazer Boosters: Unaffiliated Trail Blazer Believers
For some, Trail Blazers fandom runs deeper than just flying the team colors, slapping a pinwheel on a car, and following them during the regular season. It’s a lifestyle choice. That true love for the Blazers can often burrow its way into other corners of an obsessive fan’s life. Got a passion for craft beer, […]
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Haunts: House of Vintage
When I moved here (almost 10 years ago) I’d often compare things in Portland to the city I once called home, San Francisco. So when my friend took me to Hawthorne and said, “It’s kinda like Haight Street,” I agreed. Haight Street, a once-mighty symbol of free love (and home to the Grateful Dead and […]