When you make your living on the streets of a city, you can’t help but keep a close eye on the weather and the many moods of Mother Nature…and so far it’s been a doozy of a summer in New York…Biblical torrents of rain…long dry spells…an earthquake(!)…and in late July, a good old-fashioned New York summer heatwave. For some reason though – when insanely hot weather hits – I get excited and can’t wait to be out and about. Instead of sitting by the air conditioner or taking off for the beach, I grab my camera and hit the street. One thing that I like about a heatwave is that it makes New York feel more like old-school New York – the New York of Taxi Driver, The Warriors, and Summer of Sam…back when urban summer worries were more of the blackout/riot variety…rather than the I-hope-the-line-at-Starbucks-isn’t-too-long-because-I-could-really-do-with-a-Trenta-iced-skim-decaf variety.
Another thing that I like about a heatwave was probably best summed up by The Fresh Prince on the track “Summertime” when he said, “The weather is hot and girls are dressing less…” Even though he’s from West Philly (approx. 95 miles away), I think he seemed to have a clear understanding of the appeal of summer in the city!
Anyway – here are my 50 favorite street style looks from the heatwave in New York City – all shot by me over the course of 3 consecutive days – July 21st (97 degrees), 22nd (104 degrees), and 23rd (100 degrees) – summer twenty eleven. I’m heading out now to pop a water plug just for old times sake… xo
