I spotted this MECA student with Ashley a couple weeks ago, who graciously stopped for a photo while schlepping a box back into school. Not only did I love his style (hello pattern mixing and peach cords!) but he told us that he was a jewelry designer. So look out for him on First Friday where he’ll most likely be selling his goods. 

And I’ll see you on the streets tonight…! 

What is it about the icon of our great state that looks so good? The rocky coastline? The unique shape? Either way, it looks even better in plaid. Bethany Hayes-Chute, the artist behind By Bethany, has been screen printing her own designs for two years. Her Maine tee’s have a rustic, sketched out feel and her New England tees are the newest hybrid (not on her site yet - but they’ll be at The Big Thaw!) All her shirt designs are hand-printed on apparel made in the U.S. So is her plaid state of Maine trying to get at something? “I wasn’t trying to say that everyone in Maine wears plaid - but I guess it is kinda true!” she says. 

This art school aficionado (she’s gone to MECA, Pratt and Mass Art) doesn’t just stick to Maine garb. There’s also her creature shirts, jewelry, floral designs and New England tote bags (just $12) that round out her array of goods. You can buy her goods online or visit her table at The Big Thaw. You can bet her table of t’s will be perfectly folded thanks to Nate - he taught her to fold them the “Martha Stewart” way during our visit. 

We spotted this MECA sophomore and Bangor junior in front of Monument Square’s soon-to-be-decorated tree. She’s a Chicago native that will have no trouble handling the cold days ahead. Her look was a quirky combination of tough-meets-girlie: a floral tunic with a ribbon around her waist, worn with pleather leggings and a motorcycle jacket.  This New England boy is wearing two winter wardrobe essentials: a peacoat and a pair of festive red pants. (Imagine the possibilities at holiday parties.) And of course, every fashionable couple needs sexy shades like red aviators and retro Ray-Ban’s.

Spotted at the corner of High and Congress, I first noticed the faded floral pants on this gorgeous young lady, a Mainer from York and a former MECA student. She was sporting a bandana, an embroidered shirt with lace underneath, a quilted backpack and a plaid shirt in hand - even with all the different prints and texturea, the look felt more fash than clash. Her boyfriend, also a Mainer and former MECAer, looked classically cool in a western plaid shirt and jeans. His main accessory was a pair of glasses tucked into his shirt, very smart for someone who might not have perfect vision. The best part was their laidback footwear — very broken-in flats for her and slippers on him. You can check out their artwork here and here. Unfortunately, they won’t be selling at First Friday’s anymore since they’re moving to San Francisco, but we hope they’ll be back soon.

And on an unrelated note, a huge thanks to Chantal for her sweet blog post about us. Check out the post here and her awesome shop here. The crush is mutual.