Omahype: The Omaha Events Calendar

Written by Laura Burhenn

Earlier this summer I sat down and watched — finally, in their entirety — two classic films I can’t believe I hadn’t seen yet: “Thelma & Louise” and “Annie Hall“. I had known the style all along. I mean, how could you not? It’s iconic. It’s been riffed on by designers and fashionistas, it’s pervaded the pages of magazines and the stages of rock clubs for decades. The thing that appeals to me most about these women is their androgyny. And that’s not to say their sexuality is ambiguous. It’s more of a masculine/feminine duality; both coexisting together, the one accentuating the other. I’ve always loved women with a masculine edge: boots, bruises and sweaty brows accessorized with little lipstick and some nail polish chipped around the edges; it tells you they’re not afraid to show off their sex and get their hands dirty. Probably goes all the way back to my sixth grade obsession with Georgia O’Keeffe. I mean, here’s this artist painting these intensely feminine images, all sunset pastels and bone whites for the most part. But the woman behind it all? Beautifully stark, slightly masculine, an inscrutable gaze in her eyes that tells you she’s miles deep — a very different kind of American beauty than you’ve ever seen.

These are the kinds of women that inspire me. And I’ve been paying tribute this summer in my style: cut-off, high-waisted jean shorts, neck ties, vests (both mens’ suit-style and denim varieties), bandanas, boots, long skirts, wide-brimmed hats and big southwestern jewelry. When I mentioned trying to capture this spirit to my friends Sarah (gorgeous fashionista and purveyor of style blog fashflood.com) and Jess (beauty and brilliant photographer and designer in her own right), they thought we should do something big with it. So we put our brains together and styled up a little cinematic story in four scenes: Girls On The Run. One part “Thelma & Louise”, thick with the spirit of all kinds of killer babes (yes, I’m referencing that amazing Icky Blossoms’ song and having some fond memories of the inaugural Omaha Girls Rock camp), an undercurrent of an eternally sweaty summer tour (see my round-the-world-and-back-again dates with Bright Eyes), and a nod to the crossroads Americana that is Omaha, Nebraska, we imagined girls with both grit and glamour out hunting down summer fun. You better believe PJ Harvey’s Man-Sized is blaring out of that stolen car stereo.

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Chapter 1: BACKYARD EXPLORERS
“I’m coming up man-sized / I want to fit / I’ve got to get / man-sized” 

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Sarah: striped dress Marc by Marc Jacobs, triangle metalwork earrings by Sarah Brown, leather and turquoise cuff by DEAN, black leather and wood platform sandals by Jessica Simpson. Jess: black lace-up oxfords from Urban Outfitters. Laura: turquoise feather necklace by Kendra Scott, blue leather wedges by Kanna. 

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Chapter 2: RAIL YARD RUNAWAYS
“I’m heading on / Handsome / Got my leather boots on” 

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Sarah: black and white knitted shorts from Urban Outfitters, black leather and wood platform sandals by Jessica Simpson. Jess: straw fedora from Arizona Trading Company in Kansas City, Missouri. Laura: hat by Diesel.

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Chapter 3: CAR THIEVES
“Got my girl and she’s a wow / I cast my iron knickers down” 

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Jess: sheer maxi dress and “frontier” boots from Urban Outfitters. Sarah: bikini by Geronimo, blue button up shirt from Gap.

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CHAPTER 4: Gasoline Girls
“Douse hair with gasoline / Set it light and set it free”

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Laura: Con Dios t-shirt, denim vest by Levis. Sarah: black tap shorts by American Apparel. 

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CREDITS

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 All photographs shot in Omaha, Nebraska, by the indomitable DP Muller with hair styling by the lovely Rebecca Forsyth. All clothes and accessories vintage and thrifted unless otherwise noted.

  
Annie Hall, Thelma & Louise and Georgia O’Keeffe

Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik, Jess Ewald & Laura Burhenn