Mindy Tucker

I Love Your Style
Mindy Tucker
By Giulia Rozzi

Style is an extension of your persona. When you’re onstage exposing that persona, what you wear can say a lot about who you are. I think lady comics have some killer style, in this new column I’ll pick one fabulously fashionable funny female to invite us into her closet to discuss her style inspirations and maybe even offer up some garb for grabs.

This week’s style spotlight: MINDY TUCKER!

This week I decided to take things off the stage and instead look at a lovely lady behind the lens: Mindy Tucker. A delightful blend of Southern charm and New York sass, the magical Mindy is best known in the comedy world for snapping shots of shows, comics, and adding some creative color to the stage at Luca Lounge. She fell in love with photography after taking slides of her paintings to get into grad school. Many years and many photos later, she is truly a master of her craft. Her work stretches beyond just comedy pics; recently she finished a 12-foot mural for display as part of the Fleeting Pages pop-up bookstore in Pittsburgh. As someone lucky enough to have had my photo taken by Mindy, I can confidently say she is amazing. Mindy has a knack for capturing the true essence of people in portraits, she turns seemingly ordinary candid shots into extraordinary art, and she makes her photo subjects look and feel naturally beautiful. And speaking of beautiful, I’ve never seen anyone look so good wearing a camera as a necklace or lugging camera equipment while wearing a dress (fabulous, flattering, unique dresses I often wish I owned). Successful, stylish and sweet, Mindy Tucker is just purdy as a picture.

How do you think your style reflects who you are/what does your style say about you?

I like simple stuff that fits well. And I’m a pretty straightforward lady. So maybe that matches up?

Is your work/shoot wardrobe different than your day-to-day clothes?

Not too much.

What’s your favorite working/shooting outfit?

A dress that I can move around in pretty easily, and a pair of flats.

The above mentioned Fleeting Pages mural: Mindy Tucker

What’s your favorite off-work outfit?

Pretty much the same but maybe some heels instead of flats.

Everyday Mindy: Mindy Tucker

What are your style inspirations and/or favorite designers?

My friend Edan has THE BEST style. This has ALWAYS been the case. The girl was rockin’ perfect classic looks in high school. I learned a lot about simple cuts and layered looks from her.

Edan: Mindy Tucker

My friend Megan is a designer and she styles a lot of my shoots. She also makes me throw out stuff from my closet when I don’t want to. She shot that portrait of me and styled it and picked which dresses to put in. (She thinks I didn’t notice one long skirt that I put in and she took out, but I NOTICED Megs! I noticed! We are in a three-year struggle of wills about that skirt).

Megan styling the shoot & Megan on a calmer day: Mindy Tucker

What’s your favorite place to shop?

When I’m home, I scour the America’s Thrift Store in Alabaster and the Goodwill in Birmingham for vintage prints. In Brooklyn, I like Stella Dallas for great vintage that’s reasonably priced. I get jeans from Alloy because they sell in inseam sizes and nothing has to be altered later. And I LOVE the Lord & Taylor in midtown. LOVE.

What’s your most recent favorite find?

I got a simple jersey tank dress a month ago and am wearing it all. the. time. because it’s great for shooting and going out right after. My favorite vintage find is this dress by Albert Nipon.

The Albert Nipon find & Mindy with her BFF and fellow G.L.O.C. Carol Hartsell: Mindy Tucker

Have any on-stage or off-stage style pet peeves?

Mostly just wearing stuff that doesn’t fit who you are or is fussy. If it’s trendy, but you look terrible in it, it’s not fashion, it’s foolish.

If money were no object, what would be your dream photo or fashion splurge?

I spend all my money on equipment. My dream is this lens: http://bit.ly/agGOHk.
If I had any money left over, I would wear Stella McCartney every day.

Any style advice or anything you’d like to add?

I try on outfits with this question in mind, “Is it gonna bother me in an hour?” If a dress needs one of those feats of engineering bras because of a halter cut or cut out back or whatever, it’s outta consideration because I want to concentrate on either the photos I’m shooting or what my friends are saying. It doesn’t matter if you look great, if you’re distracted by your outfit, you’re missing out.

Lastly, got an item you want to give away, sell or trade?

There’s this dress I got at the Alabaster Thrift Store while I was still in college. Originally it was to be a photo prop and then get re-donated to the store. But I liked it and just couldn’t give it up. A year or two later, I noticed it was pretty close to this dress on the cover of an Irma Thomas record and I’ve never let it go. So, Irma, if this is your dress, lemme know and I’ll send it to you!

The Irma inspired dress: Mindy Tucker

If Irma is reading this and wants her dress back, please email Giulia.

See more of Mindy’s work and contact her to do some photo work at WithReservation.com