My Style Heroes: Viv Chen
Exploring color genius, the gravitas of the jester cap, royal pages caught in snowstorms, and tender dismembered hands.
I’m sure most people reading this have already encountered
, the writer behind , if not because she is one of the most recognizable fashion figures on the internet then because I frequently attribute inspiration for my own fits and posts to her vision. Today, I’m nosing around her Instagram (with her blessing) to dry and decant some of her styling wisdom into a convent container, though I recommend checking her profile and work out more thoroughly for a bounty of brilliance—and happily, Viv doesn’t subscribe to the shameful school of “remaining apolitical” in her fashion writing, so there are more than just fit pics to be found: she decries the Western influencer-led phobia of bright colors, unpacks the reality of the fabled brand trip, challenges the racialized TheRealReal campaign against counterfeits, and more. Check Viv out, then come back here for a handy recap of her most straightforward style tricks!If you like these posts, please let me know by liking and commenting here or on Esque’s Instagram, subbing to the Esque Substack (this) for free, getting bonus posts for five bucks a month, or for ZERO DOLLARS, share (tag me if on IG so I can see and thank you)! If you share with three friends (or enemies), you’ll automatically get a free month’s subscription to Esque’s paywalled posts.
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The two things Viv does in her outfits that most directly inspire me are:
incorporating a timeless talisman or two into an otherwise current look, and
creating deeply evocative color combinations that feel like they’d bring Sanzo Wada, the creator of the infamous dictionary of color combinations, to his knees.
Timeless Talismans
To me, a talisman is an object imbued with some kind of activating energy, whether chaotic or calming (both can be useful when deployed strategically). Talismans tend to be vintage or antique, as a long life = more time on the spiritual charger, so to speak—I believe that the more events and owners a piece has passed through, the more ineffably interesting it becomes, even if its experiences haven’t manifested visibly in wear and tear or upgrades. Viv is an expert at sourcing pieces that not only vibrate with time-won aura but also, unbelievably, fit into her daily outfit rotation without a hitch.
I first encountered the 70s-does-Victorian hand belt last year after realizing the silken Maryam Keyhani iteration was based on a storied past, but Viv’s August post introduced me to the superior chain mail version (chain mail has since been shouted out by
as a harbinger of pre-capitalist yearning).The material’s slouchy fluidity contrasted with its fierce battleground connotations perfectly compliments the tender/eerie dichotomy inherent in the dismembered hand motif, but Viv’s post made me realize that while I had been thinking of the belt as an outfit centerpiece, it’s actually a perfect all-purpose seasoning: sling it, sash-like, across a peppy vintage sundress or a simple T-shirt and jeans, let it drape across the hips of a Going Out skirt—hell, you could probably loop it around your neck like a crunchy metal scarf.
Viv’s woven stand-brim hat in the above photo is another charged object with genre-straddling appeal: it can function as the warm-weather equivalent of a beanie, or it (perhaps with the addition of a hat pin or brooch?) can swing full My Fair Lady horse race (loopy, luxurious).
Building off a base of a voluminous peplum top in what looks like silk mashroo or dupion (I just love coarse, irregular silks for their durability plus the fact that their texture both deepens the dynamism of a fit and hides snags or marks more readily than charmeuse) and a similarly airy crimson cotton skirt cinched to one side, Viv adds two talismans. One is a pretty straightforward (and color-matching) Western-style bolo tie from a supplier I’m assuming she encountered on one of her many trips to New Mexico—the southwestern inspiration is a unique, unexpected through line in her outfits.
The other, however, is a complete wild card: a peaked cap in olive and yellow harlequin sporting tiny bells on its tips. It wouldn’t be unfair to ID this as a jester’s cap, but its muted color scheme, specifically the army green, brings a funny sense of militarism into the mix. There’s some salient commentary to be reaped there, for sure, but the cap’s irreverence actually translates into a bizarre gravitas when it’s used to punctuate an outfit that otherwise feels pretty straightforwardly contemporary and cute (not derogatory at all). I will also not here that, if you’re taking what you feel is a style risk, a handy trick is to pop on a pair of neutral sunglasses like Viv did above—maybe this is just me, but I feel like sunglasses lend an air of wry conviction to any look they’re paired with.
The last talisman of Viv’s I’ll mention is this furry toque, which again, lends gravitas to two looks that would otherwise feel pretty conventionally 2020s-coded (though with a great sense of color, and as not a bow person, even I think the DIY boob bows are clever). I’ve always been hesitant to purchase a fascinator or vintage cap that lands on the fussy side of things because I don’t like to look “just so” and I’ve felt compelled to go full 20s-60s cosplay to “make [the hat] make sense”, but actually, popping one on top of an otherwise-current fit works like magic. I’d be interested to see what would happen if I pushed a fit even more casual and more androgynous than is Viv’s [current] style and tried to pair, like, cargos and Vans with a feathered beret. Whose closet sounds like this, because a) can I come play in it? and b) we should definitely be friends either way.
Clever Color Combos
It seems simple, but upon seeing the above photo, I got a physical craving to pair an optic white merch T-shirt with a crisply pleated, off-white, knee-length skirt. I always see people whose style I admire harnessing the power of the white/off-white pairing, but sadly, I know myself so well at this point that I tend to stay away from light clothing as a rule—I know I’ve blathered on about accepting scuffs and stains, but I’m JUST NOT QUITE THERE yet. Also, while functionally unemployed and traveling with minimal luggage, I can’t afford to allocate much closet space to easily-staining pieces (pit stains especially vex me). Anyway, it seems Viv’s T-shirt is from this New Mexico fast food joint, and it is quite perfect as far as restaurant merch goes. Reminds me of my B&H Dairy “CHALLAH! Por favor” cap—somehow, stained accessories bug me less than stained clothing? Anyway, a lipstick-red purse is the academically correct accessory for the above outfit, and Viv gets an A+ from me.
In an ingenious review of autumnal color combos that aren’t pumpkin spice-oriented, Viv calls out blue and brown, which then evolved into “cornflower blue and mahogany” as seen in the above photo, perfectly complimented by a pearlescent blouse that seems to harness the power of the aforementioned rough silk again—Viv is a known lover of Hai, if you’re wondering where to start on your silk-seeking journey.
Never in a million years would I have contrived to pair a dark emerald green with the hottest possible pink plus crayon yellow, but the trifecta’s effect is so instantly energizing, I think seeing it in the wild would actually make me jump and click my heels together like a demented cowboy Dorothy. Also, people often think to show off their socks with shorter hemlines or rolled cuffs, as above, but if you, like me, always feel a little silly with too short a crop, shoes with really low vamps like the above are also very useful in the sock-displaying department. Basically anything that would show toe cleavage (sorry) will allow for that steadfast pop of color without having to resort to continuous awkward posing or extremely deliberate styling to pick up the hem.
It’s crazy how different this pink is from the prior… a pink with a cool undertone is a match made in heaven with a yellow just edging on the border of chartreuse. I’m pretty sure Viv likes Clyde for headgear when she’s not wearing vintage.
Damson Madder might be dominating the navy-and-crimson field this season, but they have not yet discovered the secret trick to shifting the combo from “royal page caught in a snowstorm” to “royal page caught in a snowstorm who is going to be okay.”
N.B. the above combo reminds me of this wool coat with a cool pointy collar I found for under $80 on Depop.
But seriously, I hardly ever see a lilac so cool-toned, especially in the now-industry-standard red/purple combo…
…and I sure as hell never see such a warm, nutmeg-y shade in red/brown combinations! Viv outdoes us all in her sense of colors that mesh and/or vibrate against each other that clearly trace back to a sense of childlike playfulness and fantasy, made mature via silhouette and material.
Viv is such a supportive and generative presence in my online life, and I feel really lucky to know her—here’s hoping fate brings us together in-person soon! Don’t forget to subscribe to
for some of the best fashion writing you’ll ever find.<3 ESK
I love Vic’s style. She has an eye for excellent juxtapositions of colors, textures and patterns. She is a real pro. I’m personally very fond of any kind of whackadoo piece mixed with something more sedate.
Awesome feature, Esque!💕