As the season starts to swelter, street fashion takes a more easy-going, laid-back approach. Yet for these individuals, that doesn't mean compromising on style.

Take a gander at this week's subjects, who are creating their own looks.

More >>

Crystal Lee is a fashion designer, seamstress, stylist and all-around bad ass. Shunning the corporate world in order to follow her passion -- and avoid beige nylons -- she is pursuing her love of fashion as a student at the Art Institute of Colorado. Her line of super-easy, fly and breezy clothing will make its debut this Sunday at Beta.
Since Crystal Lee's Block Party will also mark the launch of CRLeedesigns.com, Lee is pulling out all the stops for a sunset runway show like nothing Denver has seen before, featuring hairstyling by Ed Gillespie, a photography collaboration with Rosco Guerrero, and a cameo from hometown hero Bo Scaife of the Broncos. Crystal Lee designed, crafted and poured her blood, sweat and tears into each outfit.

We caught up with the visionary to get the details on her fashion world:

More >>

It's difficult to say exactly what "mod" means in 2012. Even when the movement reached its zenith in London in the early '60s, the definition wasn't clear: not quite hippie, not quite punk, not quite English, yet not quite American, either. Inventing a sort of bohemian dandy aesthetic, the mods wore pork-pie hats, listened to jazz records, gobbled down amphetamines like pac-man and rode Vespa scooters through London, on their way to fights with "the rockers." Ah, but some would say that's not quite right, either. In its evolutions from the Quadrophenia/mod-punk revival of the late '70s to the Britpop aesthetics of the mid-90s, what's considered mod has gone through many changes and titles -- yet, like the Supreme Courts definition of pornography, you know it when you see it.

Here in Denver, the mod lifestyle of high fashion, scooters and record-collecting has been growing, due in part to groups like the Denver Vintage Reggae Society, whose events allow people to get dressed up in mod (or skinhead, ska, northern soul, etc.) gear and dance to records made before most of them were even born. And this Friday, May 18, you can check out these bohemian dandies yourself at the Mods Mayday 2012 event at the Skylark Lounge, featuring DJs spinning ska and northern soul, as well as live music by The Manxx and The Sonic Archers.

Westword reached out to Mods Mayday 2012 event organizer Steve Antonio to discuss scooters, music and shopping for mod clothes in Denver.

More >>

No broom, though.

On Saturday, when a collision of cultural celebrations -- the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo -- had people sporting big hats and sombreros all over town, one person's style statement definitely topped all others.

Every witch way.

Here's a look at this week's Denver street style.

More >>

There are a few places where women without hats would seem dangerously close to naked: a Baptist church, the Kentucky Derby and Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee celebration. And for a hat to appear in conjunction with the latter -- the Queen, in her sixtieth year of Queendom, is known for her elegant headwear -- is possibly the highest point in the millinery world.

More >>

All photos by Britt Chester

There was great fashion, loud music and heavy-pours, and probably some hooking-up and broken hearts: Yes, it was Derby day again in Denver! Apparently, there was also a horse race in Kentucky or something, but those people are all backwoods rednecks, anyway. There were giant hats to be worn, people!

Did we mention there was great fashion?!?! Below are a few memorable outfits, fits and faces of the Kentucky Derby parties we snuck into over the weekend.

Also see:
- Downtown Derby Debauchery
- 138th Kentucky Derby at Chloe and the Lobby

Now, onto the memorable Derby'ers.

More >>

Jessica Christie

DapperGirl owner Molly Barrett.

When she set out to create the online clothing retailer DapperGirl, Molly Barrett drew from her own experience, and the difficulty she encountered finding clothes that fit. But "fit" wasn't just about the physical aspect -- Barrett wanted her clothes to encapsulate her style, personality and who she was -- inside and out. "I saw a need," Barrett says of her own search for more gender-versatile clothing. "I was looking for clothes that present as masculine and fit women well."

More >>

"A heavy metal punk rock outlaw."

When the sun goes down, nocturnal Denverites emerge and turn up their style swagger. Take a look at this week's trendsetters and rule-breakers -- caught in their natural environs of East 13th Avenue.

More >>

vixensandangels.com

Things have changed quite a bit on the strip of 13th Avenue between Washington and Pearl streets over the last few decades. (Even mainstay Kelly's Superette closed up shop last week.) But even with all the ebb and flow of gentrification, Fashionation has maintained its black-painted storefront at 613 East 13th Avenue, a destination for music-inspired clothing and off-kilter acoutrements since 1987.

And next month, owners Paul and Pam Italiano will throw a 25th anniversary celebration of this little counterculture institution, with an in-store appearance by Ministry and more.

More >>

It could be a holdover from Earth Day -- or even 4/20. This week we spotted many people on the street sporting the color green. But more savvy fashionistas looked to film or music for inspiration.

More >>