A Local’s Guide to Chicano Style in Los Angeles | American Women

(pulsating music)

I think people that try to take our culture

or try to find a fashion trend in it

are really like cutting corners with it.

It s very close to our hearts

but other people they just think it like,

looks cool or like it s really bright or really colorful.

They re like it looks edgy or something,

but it s a lot of hard work and a lot of creativity

goes into it, and it s like generations

of something that they re just stealing from us.

(skates rolling)

This is a drawing that my girlfriend made.

It s (speaks off mic) and Cesar Chavez.

It s like my wall of used-to-be pinup life.

That was like from when I used to play roller derby.

In high school I used to be like hello about

that pinup life, wake up like four in the morning

and like do my hair in victory rolls,

and like all the makeup.

Yeah, I m studying fashion design.

I m double-majoring, actually in fashion design

and Chicano studies.

If I want something that s really expensive,

I just come here and like pay a dollar

and like make it cooler and better and like

how I would like it.

They make outlets for everything s a dollar

for people that like even five dollars

is too much for a shirt.

I just need to hem these cause they re really short.

I m really inspired by people I see in my everyday life

that I see like cutting corners and getting creative

and finding out how to make something work

and make something look good for not that much money.

I m just like super into the flamingos,

and like how bright it is.

(laughs)

I m super-inspired by like stuff I see my Mom wear

in old pictures.

She has like a mole, right here, so I draw it too.

Like this is a glammed version of what I usually

wear to the skate park.

This is my street.

I live like down the block.

Gang violence goes up and then it comes back down.

It goes up and right now it s on the rise.

Like there s a lot of cool stuff down here too.

It s not just all violence.

Being from an immigrant family,

it s kind of (speaks off mic), like your family

has traveled so far for you to have

all these opportunities.

It s kind of like, something back-handed to like

not succeed and be successful.

I think that s the main drive for me to finish school

and try to do everything like so fast.

I got into skating, when I was like a senior in high school,

and then I started playing derby,

and them I started skating parks.

(skates rolling)

It s me (laughs).

Even has like my little broken nose.

It s like a bedazzled (speaks off mic).

My friend like had a photo shoot or something

and she s like this is not me,

this is so very you, so she gave it to me.

(skates rolling)

I call this like my angel side,

cause you just look like a sweet little angel wearing it,

and to me making this outfit, like the whole process.

This isn t actually my grandma, but it s a picture

we found at the swap meet, and that s literally exactly

what she looks like for real life.

Maybe that s her!

When I first got money, like my first thing that I bought

was a Celina CD, like I think I was like seven or eight.

She s like super-relatable, like someone you can really

look up to, especially like when you re a little girl.

Most of the people you re around are white,

and they don t understand you, like Celina understands you.

(bright music)

Bombed, as usual.

(chatter)

Like I know I jacked that F from

something I seen at my Mom s.

It took a lot for my family to come here

and sacrifice their home and their language

and everything, for like me to be able to have

opportunities and like grow.

Things that I wanted to do, a video shoot.

We re always getting (speaks off mic) a C-part.

Dress in cute outfits.

Dresses, shorts and frilly cute stuff.

We did that today!

(bright music)