When Amylu met us at Fontana’s in the Lower East Side for the photoshoot, we knew we were in for a treat. She had a lot of stuff and a friend (Blanca Vi, founder and designer for Frolain Hats) in tow to help style. Amylu was planning to put together a look before our eyes, completely from scratch, and had brought all the “equipment” needed for the job: bags of jewelry, a suitcase of clothes, a clothing rack, hangers, a suitecase of shoes, a case of makeup, and another bag of hats. I literally felt like I was inside Amylu’s closet, and for the better.
The photoshoot was energetic and fun, and I don’t think the iced coffees we all downed beforehand had anything to do with it. The source was clearly Amylu, for whom getting ready is a bit like the rhythmic dance portion of the Summer Olympics – there’s a lot going on, but in the end, everything falls beautifully into place.
For Amylulita’s shoot, we were welcomed to turn her wardrobe inside out, and now it’s your turn. Come along and see what happens when you Get Ready With Amylulita:
BEFORE
What do you typically listen to when you’re getting ready to go out?
For getting ready in the morning, I actually made a “Happy Morning Music” Mix. [laughs] So I’ve been listening to that every day. I gave a copy to my mom that she listens to on her way to work. It was actually made for an ex-boyfriend, but I realized that I really like it, so I don’t care that it was for an ex. I still use it.
The first song is Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” I also have “Downtown” in French, some Beatles and Beach Boys. . . They’re all about the morning and the sun coming out—very uplifting stuff. It makes you feel really good. I walk out of my house singing whatever song I left off on. It helps me get through my day.
For getting ready to go out, I listen to my own mixes when I’m done because I’m pretty proud of them. Depending on what kind of a night I’m thinking about having, I listen to the mix that matches. They make me feel happy and upbeat. They motivate me to get out of the house.
How would you describe your personal style in a sentence?
“Stylish, but comfortable.” I’m not a big fan of stiff or scratchy materials. I like soft and sheer materials, like lace, thin cotton—things that allow you to breathe and that have some give.
Is your wardrobe for going out different from what you wear when you DJ?
No, it’s pretty much the same thing, though if there is some sort of special theme related to my music set, I will wear an outfit that connects to it somehow. For example, I just DJed for a special event with this band called Something In Spanish, and their whole thing was this weird but cool, culty, séance theme. They had candles and creepy, ghostly kinds of things. The theme was very dark and strange, but at the same time, there was some pop involved. I ended up wearing a black 1950s-style, button-down dress with a collar. I did Siouxsie Sue-style eye makeup and black lipstick. Lately, I’ve been using glitter—not all over the place, but down the middle of my eye and coming down like a tear drop on both eyes.
Today, you’re wearing leopard print leggings. Are you really into leopard print?
Yes. I love leopard print! My bedroom has a leopard print rug, bedsheets, all of it. [laughs] I think it all goes back to my love of rockabilly and that kind of style.
And the black and white saddle oxfords you were in last night . . . are those a staple in your wardrobe too?
Yes. That was a new pair, but I have an older pair that I had been wearing a lot, but not as much recently. I had kind of put them away. I own a lot of shoes and many different styles. Sometimes, I will put some away and won’t wear them for a long time, then I kind of “re-find” them and start wearing them again. I found the oxfords in a second-hand store and they were brand-new, like nobody had ever worn them. They fit me perfectly, and I liked them better than the ones that I owned, so I bought them.
It sounds like a lot of your styles comes by way of vintage shops. Are there any particular stores or brands that you love and are really devoted to?
I don’t think I am devoted to any brands because clothes fit me funny sometimes. I have super long legs and a short torso, so pants don’t normally fit me correctly. I don’t like wearing pants in general. I prefer wearing dresses and skirts, tights, cut-off spandex leggings, etc.
I do really like Betsey Johnson dresses with all the florals and bright colors. I also like shopping at vintage stores like Beacon’s Closet because it’s huge and the people who work there have gone through the selections already and picked out things that could actually be bought. I do like going to places like Goodwill though, because sometimes I’ve been able to find really cool things that are one of a kind and at prices I feel comfortable with. [laughs]
Are there trends out there that you love or hate?
I really really dislike Uggs. They are just slippers. They’re fuzzy and a lot of people don’t wear them socks! [laughs] It doesn’t look comfortable to me. They get all dirty from the snow. . . I don’t know. I just don’t like them. I feel like people are wearing slippers outside.
I don’t mind the trend of those sandals with lots of straps and the Greek god/gladiator-style sandals. I’ve been wearing sandals like that for about the past 6 years, so I think it’s funny how all of a sudden this trend just took off and everybody has them.
In terms of things I really like, I LOVE plastic shoes!
You’ve come to the right place then, considering that I love Melissa shoes, cover them all the time on the site, and am wearing them right now, as we speak.
Yay!!! I like Melissa shoes. I actually found out about Melissa shoes when I was living in Madrid. I went to this shop and I saw little sandals that reminded me of some shoes I used to wear as a little girl. They were white with a pointed toe and a tiny kitten heel. They had a strap on the ankle and were textured and had lines . . . a bit like a wicker chair or a white picket fence. I loved them, but they cut up my feet so badly I ended up having to sell them.
I have another pair of shoes that are not by Melissa, but they’re plastic. They are clear, plastic heels with an open toe, a strap on the ankle, and a clear, red bow on the top. I call them my “Dorothy” shoes because they look like Dorothy’s ruby slippers, even though they’re clear. Today, I saw a woman at the Taiwanese festival with these shoes that compelled me to follow her with my eyes. I was just like, “Oh my God!” She was wearing pearly pink sandal/clogs on with wings on the ankle! I really wanted to ask where she got them, but I held back.
Yes, those are Melissas too. It’s a design by Vivienne Westwood. When I saw them, I remember thinking, “Oh no. I can pull off a lot, but not those.” Maybe with the right outfit . . . “
She definitely did. That shoe is so outrageous, that the less outrageous your outfit, the more they stand out—less is more. She was just wearing blue jean cutoff shorts and a pink, silk tank top that matched the shoes perfectly. That was it, and it looked great! I was impressed.
I’ve noticed that at almost each and every Nacotheque party and the various press I see about you, your hair color and style are different. Considering all this change, what has been your favorite style and/or color to date?
I’d have to say it’s when I had blonde hair and when I had brown and peach hair. I bought Cotton Candy Pink Manic Panic dye and I mixed Vampire Blood Manic Panic and made this peach/pink, almost apricot or salmon even. It was really cool. I put it on the underside of my bangs and followed it through to my hair, which is cut in an angle, on the one side of it that’s longer. I tend to get bored with my hair color, so I change it a lot. It’s like a piece of art to color and to cut, but also to look right on my face.
AFTER
Do you cut and dye your own hair?
No, just dye. I’ve been to a couple different places in the city to get it cut. I was going to a place in Greenpoint, which is a greaser place that’s known for doing pompadours. I started getting my haircut by a guy who was trained by Vidal Sassoon. But now I’ve started going back to a place that I used to go to that has mostly Japanese hairstylists called HairMates. It’s on St. Marks and Third Avenue.
The guy who does my hair there (who is not Japanese) totally gets what I’m asking for. He doesn’t look at me with three eyes when I ask him to cut my bangs shorter because I don’t want pretty long hair like every other girl who just asks for a trim. I’m like, “Yes, please shave that off.” [laughs]
- Retail DJ
