Looklyn: Serving up easy grace and hard conversations

By Johnny Cirillo

Street style isn’t the same thing as fashion. It’s … more personal. It’s rooted in self, an outward expression of attitude, vibe, swag, panache, aspiration, time and place. In this semi-regular series called Looklyn, we hold a mirror up to the borough to show us how we dress now … and what it tells us about who we are.

Here, photographer Johnny Cirillo introduces us to Alyssa, who who wants to advocate for survivors of sexual assault. Read more about her below.

Name: Alyssa Clarke
Age: 21
How do you identify: She/her
Occupation: Fashion PR and marketing
Where are you heading?: I am on my way to grab coffee at Copper Mug with a friend.
Fashion inspo: I am inspired by fashion from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘90s. I really like mixing elements from each decade and putting my own twist on it. More recently I’ve focused on unique silhouettes, prints and colors!
About the fit: Most items in my wardrobe are secondhand, gifted, or prized purchases. I love supporting women owned small brands—like my top from Sandy Liang or my sneakers from Collina Strada x Reebok. My beloved handbag is Tom Ford era Gucci, 1998. My pants are from the recent Marc Jacob’s sample sale and I actually got my shades in a gift bag from the SS’20 Marc Jacob’s runway show. My blazer and headscarf are from ASOS—I chide myself for the rare fast fashion purchases. I try to make my wardrobe as sustainable as possible.
About me: I am a full time fashion business student working in PR and marketing, as well as occasional freelance writing. Aside from fashion, I am passionate about using my platform to advocate for sexual assault survivors and bringing awareness to the faults of the criminal justice system—a series I call “The things we don’t talk about.” It’s been an ongoing conversation with my supporters on TikTok.