Hey y'all!!! Without making this be a complete plug for my street style blog, Portland's Pretty, I'd like to share with you what I found to be the greatest hits of the night, street style-wise, in what was the kick off to a four-day fashion fest brought to you by The Mercury.

To see the rest of the pretty patrons click here to my blog Portland's Pretty...maybe you made the cut.

Perhaps I'm unfairly stereotyping here, but normally a beer event wouldn't inspire me with the potential for street-style photos. But, the Mercury's Malt Ball on Saturday, which combined a crap-ton of the region's best breweries with a crap-ton of the region's best bands, resulting in a surprisingly fruitful evening for Portland's Pretty blogger Marissa Sullivan (who doubles as one of the Mercury's account managers). According to her findings, the common consensus on what to wear to such an event is strangely near-unanimous: a hat, some glasses, and at least one thing that's blue.

• Marissa Sullivan

• Marissa Sullivan

• Marissa Sullivan

• Marissa Sullivan

As part of a giant marketing campaign on behalf of cotton (which everybody already likes), the cotton people scoured the entire country, documenting street styles that included cotton (99% of street styles include cotton). From this data, they were able to scientifically graph what each region in the US is wearing, and here's what they uncovered regarding the Northwest:

• Cotton

Wow, guys. Great job.

All sarcasm aside, though, they did have the good sense to team up with Portland photographer and Urban Weeds blogger Lisa Warninger, who is essentially tasked with judging the regional finalists, and the gallery makes for some Tuesday anthropology-lite. Not that cotton (Cotton?) asked, but I've gone ahead and selected who I think our top contenders should be:

• Cotton
• Jade Rose M. from Portland: All about the pants obviously.

• Cotton
• Priscilla P from Clackamas

• Cotton
• Brae L from Missoula

• Cotton
• Carly F from Helena, MT

You can check out the whole gallery here, just watch out for that big rough patch near the end that appears to have been taken at a college campus in Idaho. Yeesh.

I recently visited my old college town, Vancouver BC, where a significant margin of the population dresses like this:

• fashionpupilblog.blogspot.com

"East Van" is a little more hipster, and more closely resembles Southeast Portland (except they're a little more ennui about it).

• http://21arrondissement.wordpress.com

Whether you're getting your morning cup of coffee on Main street, or going to a house party in south Granville, everyone looks like they fell out of a black-and-white spring issue of Vogue. Fashion is even more important to them than affordable craft beer (I know, what?). Though most of us would probably prefer a good sour beer than the perfect, yet costly, pair of eggplant jeans, we could still take a page from the Vancouver style book (while we sip our Ninkasi).

Here are some of my favorite Vancouver looks that are totally Portland do-able:

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Stupidly simple, yet great. I love a good androgynous look, but with that tiny bit of flair that reminds everyone who wears the vagina around here.

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I wouldn't normally wear something like this, but I love her color combination. In the winter all I want to wear is something oversized with some toasty leggings. Jen Tam reinvented this wheel, and even took it up a notch.

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As far as men's looks go, you can't go wrong with this one (minus the necklace). This type of clean denim button-up with a blazer would even look good on Dick Cheney. I saw a lot of men wearing various shades of pants all around Vancouver, each looking hotter than the next. In these dreary months, we could all use that extra slap of "colour."

Minh Tran has long been a regular contributor to the pages and pixels of the Merc. I imagine he must go out eight nights a week, specializing as he does in the exploits of pretty party people, and yet he always seems composed and well rested, and supposedly has a day job, too. Some guys just don't need to sleep I guess. He recently published his vast archives of nightlife shots taken over the past two years. There are about four million of them, which you can peruse in full here, but if you have less than 45 minutes to devote to it, you can also check out an way-abbreviated collection of some of my favorites:

• Minh Tran

• Minh Tran

• Minh Tran

• Minh Tran

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A sea of colorful hair and clothing plus gender-bending glamazons all at a punk art dance party on a Tuesday night. Hell yes! This was the scene at the SSION show this past Tuesday at Rotture. A unique lineup that featured the charismatic House of Ladosha and local up and coming soul superstars Magic Mouth.

I grabbed my gold lame disco jacket and headed out to find some party babes. Here is who I found!

• Dave "Sam Adams" Mosier
• Sailor Josh

• Dave "Sam Adams" Mosier
• Love this shirt and the jacket is even better!

• Dave "Sam Adams" Mosier
• Party babe Bekah

• Dave "Sam Adams" Mosier
• Sea Punk Witch realness

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First Thursday always provides a great platform for the hottest people in town to rock their style, and last night was no exception. Prevalently on display was my favorite trend for any season: individuality. From the girl with a funky-chic spin on leather and denim layering to the guy successfully pairing a blazer with athletic sneakers to the girl personifying subdued '40s glam, the case for individuality was argued and won.

Check out some of my favorite looks of the night:

• Love her!

Everyone knows Paris Fashion Week is EVERYTHING. Paris is the home of haute couture and where the who's-who of the fashion elite attend the most exclusive and elaborate runway shows. Street style trends continue to be a mahjor influence over today’s fashion, so here’s a look into a few of my favorite looks fresh from the scene:

• Mr. Newton
• Everyone's fave celeb-you-stylist R.Zoe looking super MILF'y chic in Paris

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• Anna Della Russo looking out of this world in D&G

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• Loving the plum geo-pattern on this leggy babe

• Mr. Newton
• The Clarins Sisters looking smashing as per usual

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• Tricky silhoutte done right

• Mr. Newton
• Sporty fab

• Mr. Newton
• Biker babe sass

I snapped this style shot of Cody on a particularly warm evening in Southeast. However, as one friend pointed out, "it's always winter in Cody's soul." Not completely true, but funny. Cody channels the dark side in a thrifted skull tshirt and Henrik Vibskov pants. Find Henrik Vibskov at amazing Portland shop Stand Up Comedy and, regardless of what outfit you wear, enjoy these last days of summer heat.

With vendors like L O W E L L, Julia Barbee, Reif, Clever Nettle and Octopus Books, Portland's annual Mississippi Flea drew a sexy, styling crowd. Here are some snapshots:

Sarah of Sea Echo stopped by with a freshly designed clutch tucked under her arm and a freshly dyed lavender coif. Also, her Solestruck boots sort of re-define our concept of the buckle shoe. Hot.

Anja's Blue Hawaii vibes and sweet smile break my heart a little.

With pastels and brights in heavy circulation, Kim of PDX Black Lipstick Co. kept it minimalist goth, black lipstick and umbrella included.

And this guy was representin' the lady of the hour Lindsey Reif, in one of her signature turbans. HOW do you make that turban look so good Arian? Could be the motorcycle...

Wednesday night at Edgefield, a multi-generational crowd of fans guzzled beer to the sounds of a flawless ZZ Top concert—props to them for developing personas that keep them looking like the coolest dudes in the room throughout decades. (There's a review of the show on End Hits.) Meanwhile in the crowd there was a mix of cute young rockers, middle aged norms, bikers, groupies, and lifers. Check out a sampling of the whole circus:

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From hippies, to hipsters (and everything in between), this past weekend at Outside Lands music festival was a sight to be seen. San Francisco is one of my all time fave places to visit, the eclectic mix of styles and overall big city vibe made for the perfect weekend of music, fashion, and loads of fun. Here are a few of my favorite looks:

I love club hopping around town during the summer. There is always some cute outfit passing me by!

Here is what I found on my latest outings:

• Coco Madrid
• Local Producer SHK THT

• Coco Madrid
• Techno Enthusiast Dara Heath

• Coco Madrid
• Tube Bartender Das Liebe

• Coco Madrid
• Some hottie that works at Nike who apparently designed this shirt. Trying to holla at him!

This week Holocene and myself teamed up to do a screening of the classic '90s movie Clueless.

Here are some of the babes who showed up!

• Coco Madrid
• Cher look a likes

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• Costume contest winner Johnathon

• Coco Madrid
• Classic! Baby Doll and Knee Socks

• Coco Madrid
• Two peas in a pod!

The Alberta block is bumpin'. Abrahams & Duffy just celebrated their 1 year anniversary, Garnish expanded with a new NW location, The Shoe Store opened shop 2 months ago and dreamy designer Alexa Stark recently launched her first brick n mortar venture on 14th and Alberta. Dang!

A few days ago I stopped by to say hello and capture a few photos of Alexa's new space. Here, she delivers a fierce squint in one of her own designs,

Alexa curates a slam dunk selection of emerging designers alongside her own line. Here is an excellent article on why it's a GREAT idea to support designers like these. Thanks to Alexa for making it easy. Check her out soon.

Had to work late but was able to make one BBQ before I went home for the night.

Portland style, I just walked into a backyard House party that had beats, babes, and the Popeye's Chicken I brought.

Here are all the hotties that I found!

• Coco Madrid
• My spirit animal Ryan Lass

• Coco Madrid
• Vice Device lead lady Andrea

• Coco Madrid
• Gaycation resident Mr. Charming being charming

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For today's entry I am going to quote fellow dreamer and rainbow enthusiast Kermit the Frog:

"Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me."

Check out these kindred spirits:

Feel the rainbow connection, folks.

We wear hair on our heads every day, folks. Every. Single. Day. So it's pretty important that it looks good. Well, these folks have what I call OMG HAIR. This occurs when I spot a particular hairstyle and do an "OH MY GOODNESS your hair is rad!" double take. Well this happened twice recently. Check it out:

Two tone, asymmetrical hair is sort of new wave and very cool. So is her necklace from Tender Loving Empire.

This guy was freshly coiffed and informed me that his hairstyle was inspired by Tupac in Juice. Were you that cool when you were 11? Didn't think so.

Now go get your OMG HAIR on!

Sure, black is classic but I dig this trio's voodoo twist on the staple. Check out the deets:

"I am Magical Motherfucker"? Yeah, awesome.

Check out these ska shoes, sheer maxis...

...and this David Higgs ring snagged from Paxton Gate.

They are like a sexy coven, right?