Stefan Campbell Presents: Eric and Becca on Their First Date

This is Eric, a guitarist and music major at Hunter College, with Becca, who works for an advertising company in Chelsea. They are both 22-year-old, born and raised New Yorkers on their official first date, complete with hair twirls and the classic “yes, I’m listening to your every word” forward-leans. It was very Marcia Brady and The High School Jock. I spotted them on January 24 at 7:25 p.m. at Le Pain Quotien on 17th and Seventh Ave. while I was editing the portfolio of photographer Enrico Dungca. Eric, whose personal musical style is “electro-folk,” and Becca met in 9th grade when he was dating her then (and still) best friend, however she always thought he was “cute,” she confessed. They were together for hours having coffee talk (I wonder how long they texted and IM-ed before deciding to meeting up face to face) then next off to see Juno. ( Most of us know how Juno’s first date turned out with her high school crush.)

Anyway, what caught my eye about these two was what I call the Leo/Gisele effect, meaning she was completely pulled together, working a total look while he looked as if he rolled out of bed looking effortlessly HOT… a walking high meets low super-couple. But as we know there is no such thing as effortless when it comes to your style here in Manhattan, no matter how disheveled you may be. Eric told me that he owns maybe three pairs of jeans but these Paper Denim & Cloth ones were his best and most expensive that he wore to “impress” her. And it seems his oddly polished ”Oh-Shucks”-ultra-washed-working-class-hero-in-a-plaid-shirt-meets-Spiwak-skater-kid-model-boy-in-high-top-Vans-with-white-anklets seemed to be hitting all the right spots with Becca. I mean what true girlie girl wants her dude to out-dress her?

And dressed she was. Her not too head-to-toe look suggested an air of “I wear this when I don’t care how I look” (a classic line from It’s a Wonderful Life), when a young girl is clearly looking well dressed but does not want to appear as if she tried). She was wearing a vintage-y Anna Sui-type dress from Intermix (I love Anna’s dresses… buy her clothes!!), an amazing burnt orange hooded toggle coat outlined in fox fur (Mr. Mickey and PETA don’t kill me for loving it), Chanel nerdy-chic specs (all the cool fashion nerds own a pair), the classic quilted Marc Jacobs bag in luscious chocolate brown… all while wearing real jewelry courtesy of her mother’s jewelry box. Oh, and did I mention the texturized, distressed shearling-lined, mocha-brown, knee-high motorcycle boots? This girl was all designer. Anna Wintour and Amy Astley take note: Teen Vogue is working. When I asked if they will see each other again she looked him square in the eye and answered, “Most definitely.” He concurred with a nod followed by a Tom-Cruise-in-Risky-Business devilish smirk.