Local Style: Nod
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When it comes to guy style in this town, there was no doubt who should lead the charge as the first male profile for Local Style. Nod Norkus, one half of Boulder shop Nod & Rose Storehouse, is responsible for infusing some much needed panache into our Teva-filled town. I love his approach to everyday dressing and putting the effort into looking good as an extension of your self-worth, and it’s so refreshing to hear a man say it. Read more about Nod below and visit him and his beautiful wife Elizabeth (and coolest dog in Boulder, Annie Lennox) at 1220 Spruce Street in downtown Boulder.
How would you describe your personal style? Rugged, masculine, iconic. I’ve always been into films and so I probably get a lot of my looks from the leading men of the past and present.
What is the most prized/favorite item in your closet? Deus Ex Machina raw indigo denim jacket. It fits as tight as a shirt and is the perfect layer for so many different looks. I’ve had it for about a year and half now, so the indigo is starting to break down around the stitching, but overall has really maintained its color.
What is the best style advice you’ve given or received? “The way you approach dressing will change if you treat every day like a special occasion.” I feel like some people only try and look good if it’s a special occasion. They don’t think they are worth looking cool or don’t believe they can pull off stylish because others will judge them as, “trying too hard”. Life can be short and uphill, so I feel like putting a little effort into your wardrobe and having fun with it is one of the easiest things you can do to bring satisfaction to your life. You as a person are worth celebrating every day, so carry yourself like it and I promise others will begin to catch on and celebrate the awesome person you are as well. Plus if you drop dead tomorrow what do you want to be found in: that outfit you just threw on “cause it doesn’t matter” or the outfit you put on because you’re worth it.
What are your favorite local shops? I tend to get a lot of influence from shops when I travel. From LA to Nashville to NYC, but Stag in Austin is my all time favorite. On Instagram I follow North Menswear in Laguna Beach, Reserve Supply Co in Houston and Individual Medley Store in LA . And then locally I love the collection of shops off of Spruce St. near us. Zeal Optics is always lively, it’s amazing to have that sort of selection under one roof and to know they are building the entire international company out of the back of the store is remarkable; Lon Little Shop has one of the most curated modern design shops I’ve ever seen and then Cedar and Hyde Mercantile is just beautiful; when I make my millions and need to accessorize my home I know where I’ll be heading. And finally further down Spruce or really off of East Pearl I could spend hours in Madelife looking at the furniture, art, home goods and jewelry.
What is your favorite decade for fashion? I love the decade we are in now. I’ve always been heavily influenced by the 60s and 70s, but this decade has reintroduced the best of the 20s, 40s, 60s, 80s, 90s and 00s.
Fill in the blank: I wouldn’t be caught dead in ___? Denim with ornate stitching on the back pockets…or white tennis shoes… and to elaborate more I would never wear ANY athletic shoe with jeans and especially not white ones…unless they’re a canvas style like Vans or Converse Chuck Taylors, which proves the point that every fashion rule has its exception.
Who influences or has influenced your personal style? Movie icons like Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling and then music guys like John Lennon, Keith Richards, Bob Marley, The Avett Bros., Beck, Father John Misty, Jack White, both of the The Black Keys, Ben Nichols from Lucero, and the National and Wilco as a whole. Overall I’m also influenced by the Moto/Surf culture.
What are some of your other interests/hobbies? My dad was and is a great drummer, as was his dad, so of course I’m a drummer. I’ve played drums with a couple of bands called The Hinges and Ghost Town Revelry in Charlotte and have been playing with different guys here in Boulder. So that’s something I hopefully will always do. I also played football at Duke, so despite my best efforts, I really love following the game and especially the pro game and Carolina Panthers.
What is your biggest fashion steal? Everything is a steal, I take the Rolling Stones approach to fashion.
If money were no object, what is the first thing you’d buy for your closet? Does a motorcycle count? I’ll always love the Norman Russell chambray shirt, we retail it for about $185: it’s made from the softest Japanese chambray and cut and sewn in LA with a limited run of around 200. This shirt will go with everything from dark selvedge denim, to a casual suit to board shorts at the beach.