Evelina & Tedi

Describe your style.
Evelina: We listen to rap music, our style is entirely hip hop inspired right now. But we also wear other styles, we talk with our friends in advance and we all decide to wear the same style at the same time.
Where do you shop?
Evelina: My mum shops for me, she picks hip hop clothes for me, because she likes them.
What do you think about street style in Bulgaria?
Tedi: I like it, I think there is a huge variety which is great.
Something you would never wear?
Evelina: There's no such thing. I like changing my style.
Tedi: Ballet clothes.

Rado

What are you wearing?

I am wearing a jacket by Special Blend and the shoes are Circa.

How would you describe your style?

Loose.

Something you would never wear?

Metal-style looks are not for me.

Cool Bulgarians in Monitor Daily, 23 Nov. 2007

In its Saturday edition on 23 November 2007 the Bulgarian national newspaper Monitor Daily publishes an interview with Cool Bulgarians blog author about the idea for a street style blog, the process of picking and stopping people on the street, their reactions and about the styles one can see on the streets of Bulgaria.

A quiet sunday afternoon in Sofia art gallery

Ivan

Describe your style.

My style is influenced by the gothic rock and industrial.

How is your style accepted?

The people around me understand my style - at parties, where everyone is extravagant.

What do you think about street style in Bulgaria?

I like the fact that it's loose, easy-going and carefree. I don't like the mass trends, when everything and everyone is uniform.

Where do you shop?

There is a great store called "Metal Heaven" close to NDK, in the subway passage.

A queit sunday afternoon in Sofia Art Gallery

Velik

Describe your style.

I wear a lot of black. I like the industrial gothic-influenced style, avant-garde clothing, fetishized, with chokers, PVC materials and the like.

Where can you wear this?

Only at the parties that I make. I work here at the gallery (Sofia art gallery) and I cannot wear the exact styles I like.

Something you would never wear?

Pink. I hate it.

What do you think about second-hand shopping?

It's a good opportunity if you want to find cheap but interesting items. I think younger people in Bulgaria shop second-hand a lot. Shopping in the regular boutiques is too easy. And snubbish.

There's a good second-hand shop which I visit often, it's a two-floor store on "Slivnitsa" Str. close to "Luvov most", in Sofia.

Keath

Where are you from?
I am from the US. But I am currently working and living in Bulgaria. For six months now.
Have you ever shopped here in Bulgaria? I have never actually. It's quite difficult to shop here. Because the good quality clothes tend to be rather expensive here. But my wife shops for me and she sends me clothes over here from the US. I get most of my clothes on ebay. And they don't ship to Bulgaria so my wife sends them to me.

Iva

Describe your style.
I am now wearing a summer skirt, with tights, boots and a jacket. I like elegant clothes. I love black and white.
What do you want to buy next?
I want to buy a new pair of boots.
Something you would never wear?
Metal-style :-)

Ana-Maria

Describe your style
It's hard to define. I get inspired a lot by punk and grunge music.
For example, Curt Cobaine was stylish.
And I am a musician myself so I like to experiment with my style. I get lots of comments about it, mostly from my mother. She doesn't agree with it. As for my friends and the people around me, they like it, they think it's funny and crazy.

What is your opinion about the street style in Bulgaria?
The thing that bothers me about the street style here is the chalga-influence. I can't stand it.

Kiril

What are you wearing?

Jacket is "Kristina&Konstantin", the jeans are Levi's, the shoes are Diesel. The glasses are Jean Paul Gaultier.

Do you shop abroad a lot?

Yes, whenever I travel. I like shopping in Prague and Berlin.

Something you wouldn't wear?

Bulgarian designers ...with very very few exceptions. I cannot actually think of something I wouldn't wear.

What's the last thing you bought?

A pair of black and white retro shoes.

Can you recommend some good high-quality second-hand shops in Sofia?

Placebo, Muhomorka, well, they have sport style clothes mostly. And there's one on "Neofit Rilski" Str., it's a small garage shop.

Boyan

What are you wearing?
Shoes are Nike, trousers are Diesel, the belt is also Diesel, the jacket is from Japan - a friend of mine brought it from Tokyo.
What about the T-shirt? What does it say?
"MoviesMoviesMovies". I'm a Holywood star!!!! Ha-ha
What's the last thing you bought?
A bag.
What's the best deal you've had on clothes?
That was a J. Lindeberg t-shirt for only 40 levs, I think.
Something you would never wear?
Bulgarian designers.
And a tracksuit maybe. Although these trousers kinda look like tracksuit.

Tedi

How would you describe your style?
I don't know, I don't have a specific style. I like punk. I like customizing and creating clothes, mixing styles. My style is very much grunge and punk-influenced. Something you would like to wear?
Right now I would like a pair of huge combat boots with colourful shoe laces.
Something you would never wear?
Mini skirts, high-heel shoes.
What do you like about the street style in Bulgaria and what pisses you off?
I hate the chalga. I hate when 15-year-old girls dress like 30-year olds. It's stupid. You should experiment more and be crazy and extravagant and not care when you are a teenager. You won't be able to do it when you get old.

Stefan

What are you wearing?

Shoes are Emerica, jeans are Circa, the jacket is very very old, Bulgarian, no idea where it came from. The bag is Giordani, "it's from the mall!" :-)

How would you describe your style?

Street and college.

Something you would never wear?

"Trendy" jeans. And those shoes with super-thin soles.

What do you like about the street style in Bulgaria? And what pisses you off?

I guess there's more that pisses me off. It pisses me off that most of it is mega-misunderstood fashion. Everyone is wearing what's "trendy"...I can go on and on..

Galya

What are you wearing?
Boots from an Italian brand (don't remember the name), the bag is Kangol, the skirt is H&M (bought in Germany), the jacket is Esprit.
How would you describe your style?
Urban.
Something you would never wear?
Azis-style.
Someone whose style you appreciate?
(her friend prompts: "Justin Timberlake")
Yeah, Justin Timberlake.
Would you shop second-hand?
I don't know. Depends.

Ivan

What are you wearing?

Shoes are Globe, the bag is Converse, it's from Cologne, and it's sold out, ha-ha!!! The trousers I bought in Plovdiv. I haven't customized them, that's how I bought them, with the safety pins and all.
How would you describe your style?
Patchwork.
(his friend asks what's that)
A patchwork is a collage. That's when you combine different styles and merge them into one.
Something you would never wear?
Those short jackets with fluffy collars and fur.
Something you would like to wear?
Maybe knee-length boots. If I ever wear boots they will be knee-length.
Someone whose style you appreciate?
My culture teacher, from the National High School for Ancient Languages and Cultures.

Military

Bobi

What are you wearing?
The jacket and hat are from Terranova, I am not sure about the jeans and shoes. I actually shop a lot at Terranova.
How would you define your style?
Trendy in general. I like wearing what's hot at the moment.
Would you shop second hand?
No, definitely not.

Stefan

Describe your style

My style is inspired by the music I listen to. I like metal. It's almost entirely metal-inspired now. And I recently started doing my hair this way, with spikes.

Rudmer

Where are you from?
I'm from Holland. But I've been living in Bulgaria for six months now.
What are you wearing?
Replay jeans, Converse All Stars shoes, actually everything is bought here in Bulgaria.
What do you think about brands in Bulgaria?
They are almost similar to those in Holland. It's easy to shop here in the new malls. But I sometimes have problems finding my size cuz I am very tall.
What colours are you wearing this winter?
I'll probably stay in the dark shades. It depends. It depends on how cold it's gonna be and I hear it's gonna be really cold.
Something you would never wear?
Skater jeans.

Pavel

Describe your outfit.

Shoes are DVS from Insomnia, trousers are H2O, hat is Fanatic, and the shirt is Camel

Have you ever shopped second-hand?

Yeah, totally. I got a great deal with an orange Russell Athletic shirt. There is a good quality second-hand shop in Ivan Vazov, somewhere around the market there.

Something you would never wear?

Charleston pants.

Niki

What are you wearing?

Shoes are Lakai, jeans are Lois. It's all mostly bought in Jordan.

How would you describe your style?

I have no idea.

Something you would never wear?

Tight pink tops. Or jeans that say "SEXY" on the back.

Hristiana

Describe your style
I hate brands. I like individual styles and individual items. I actually like to shop second-hand.
What about making your own clothes?
Yeah, somethimes. My mum helps a lot there.
Tell me some good second-hand shops here in Sofia?
There is one on Dondukov Str., close to the crossing with Rakovski.
Something you would never wear?
Short jeans skirt. Or tiny jeans shorts. Not for me!
What's hot this winter?
I will be wearing whatever I feel like wearing. I don't know. Last winter I was wearing crazy red necklaces all the time.

Tsvetelina

How would you describe your style?

I wouldn't describe it as anything particular. I just like to have something with a special accent.

What's hot this winter?

Natural colours. I will be wearing the clothes I have, and will try to have a strong detail each time, like a detail in a very strong colour.

Christina

What are you wearing?
I have mixed the style of two of my friends. The jacket and the pullover are borrowed. The trousers are from the Z-Outlet.
Describe your style.
It's different every day. Depends on how I feel.
Something you would never wear?
I wouldn't wear anything that's style-less.
What's hot this winter?
Grey, black, long coats.

Mixing and matching

"I would describe my style as chaotic. I like mixing different styles. Like, now for example, I am wearing a jacket by Burton and trousers which I bought in France, in a rather fancy store. So you normally might not mix things like that, but I like it."

Alexander

What are you wearing?
Shoes are Circa, the belt is Fred Perry, Horsefeathers jeans, the T-shirt is Whiteroom, jacket is Analog and the sweater I found at a bargain sale.
What's the last thing you bought?
I think it's these shoes.
How would you describe your style?
Careless, easy...
Someone whose style you like?
The vocalist of The Rakes.

Georgi

What are you wearing?
Sweater by Element, the shirt is Moritz, trousers - Benetton, Jack Jones shoes.
How would you describe your personal style?
Comfortable and carefree.
Someone whose style you like?
Slug /from Atmosphere/
What's hot this winter?
Darker colours, brown, jackets with huge fluffy hoods, Timberland shoes.

Zori

What are you wearing?

Sunglasses are Vogue, Jacket - Terranova, shirt by H&M, a Terranova bag, jeans and boots by Diesel, and the belt is Yes or No.

Who is your personal style guru?

Kate Moss. Her collection for TopShop is soooo cool. Pharelle. I actually can't remember them all right now. Nicole Richie

Something you would never wear?

Hmm...Plush trousers!

What's hot this winter?

Yellow and violet colours in Bulgaria and greyish-blacks in the West :-) Some kind of neo-grunge, I guess.