NEW! Madison Mannequin: Artistic Expression

Guest blogger Alexandra Graves is an intern here at Madison Magazine and my eye on the streets for all things chic, eccentric or otherwise inspirational. So check back weekly for the latest “Madison Mannequin,” posted every Tuesday from now on. Lex will be conducting all interviews and providing commentary for this special weekly segment.

UW–Madison art and graphic design student Vivian Cruickshank, twenty, was her own canvas at last Saturday’s boiling hot Farmers’ Market. Her medium of choice? Bright, breezy pieces like this pink sun hat and print sundress from Appleton’s Forever 21, where Cruikshank works during the summer.

“Clothing is an art,” Cruikshank says, adding that she looks for interesting patterns and colors to round out her signature style, which she describes as “really fun, yet classic.”

Flourishes to her cool canvas included splashy earrings (also a Forever 21 find) and a white patent tote from baghaus.com. Take a page out of Cruickshank’s sketchbook and start your own closet gallery this fall—Forever 21 is coming to Madison!

NEW Blog Segment: Madison Mannequin

Do you like street style? Do you love to people-watch? I sure do. I'll frequently go up to stylish folks and tell them whatever I like about their outfit that day. It's sort of my way to brighten someone's day a little, as well as garner chic tips on how to wear something. You see, a fashionista is always looking for inspiration—whether she's at Sardine, walking down State Street or (for me), doing an interview.

So with that, I welcome you to the weekly installment of Madison Mannequin.

My guest blogger is Alexandra Graves, an intern here at Madison Magazine and my eye on the streets for all things chic, eccentric or otherwise inspirational. So check back weekly for the latest “Madison Mannequin,” posted every Tuesday from now on. Lex will be conducting all interviews and providing commentary for this special weekly segment.

Read below for what Lex wrote this week!

I Like Your . . . Genes & Boots

Jeans and boots always look great together, but Carleen Wild and Ailee, seven, have more in common than sophisticated Saturday looks—they’re mother and daughter.

“She’s got her own style,” says Carleen (who's anchor at NBC 15), but Ailee says her mom helps her choose outfits like the leopard cardigan and pink cowboy boot combo she was sporting at the Dane County Farmers’ Market last Saturday.

Even if you don’t coordinate as well as these two, don’t forget to spend time with your first fashion icon this Mother’s Day.