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Back in 2013, we introduced you to a new blogger named Courtney Trop of Always Judging, crowning her the next local tastemaker to watch. Fast forward to today, the local talent with LA's most-wanted eyebrows has garnered more than 250k followers on Instagram and a handful of cool collabs, from LnA to Snapchat.
Trop's latest project is with Cali favorite label Velvet by Graham & Spencer, offering a five-piece collection of retro-inspired essentials reminscent of what Stevie Nicks, Jane Birkin, or Joan Jett might throw on a chill day. Ranging from $86 for a graphic tee to $170 for a pair of boyfriend jeans with a frayed hem, the collection is set to hit Velvet stores and velvet-tees.com next February as part of the brand's spring 2016 collection.
Here, Trop exclusively gives us the rundown on each classic-driven piece.
Rihannon Graphic Tee, $86
"We worked really hard on the fit of this tee. It’s based off a vintage mens tee of mine. It has a longer sleeve than you usually see on a women’s tee and a slightly shorter body. It’s made from a crazy soft cotton slub. I wanted it to have a subtle sheer and Velvet knew the perfect fabric. Their specialty is tees so I’m not surprised they nailed it. 1987 is the year I was born, I think it was a good one, ha! I wore the prototype all over the place during the last Fashion Month and everyone wants one."
Blue Letter Jeans, $170
"These are the lynch pin of the collection. The collection started out as one pair of denims but then we couldn’t stop and it grew from here to the capsule 5 piece collection. I can’t remember how many vintage denims we looked at to get the exact hue. I was inspired by a washed out seventies blue, it reminds me of the ocean and the sky of California. Frayed hems are the way forward, I frayed my first pair of Velvet Denims years ago and keep coming back to the look, they look wicked with a pair of fierce heels and equally amazing with a pair of sneakers. I will live in these."
Stevie Denim Top, $99
"My favorite piece of the collection. This denim top is a perfect pale blue wash. We pored over denim swatches to find the exact right shade. It has a relaxed fit and a slightly boxy shape. I love the silhouette. I’ve been obsessing about frayed hems for years so wanted to incorporate that into the top somehow and we decided on the neckline. It pairs up with the jeans for a head to toe denim look and looks bonkers over the skirt. I can’t wait to wear this to death."
Dreams Peasant Blouse, $139
"I love the seventies, specifically Anita Pallenberg’s raffish boho sensibility and the ladies of the canyon vibe. I wanted to capture that with this top but make it super easy to wear and accessible. California was a big inspiration for me and this top reflects that because it’s laid-back and easy. I’ll be wearing it over denims, over a swimsuit or with pair of menswear inspired trousers. I love how versatile and functional it is."
Gypsy Denim Skirt, $148
"This is another super versatile and functional piece and I love the deep, saturated indigo. I’m a sucker for dark denim. I tend to veer towards menswear inspired looks when I’m getting dressed so I wanted to design an easy skirt that would mix up my closet. It has just the right amount of stretch."