Style spy

Perhaps they were there for the love, or maybe just a cocktail and a quick turn on the dance floor. Whatever the reason, last week's First Friday mixer at the Museum of Fine Arts drew a sizeable crowd that was checking out one another just as much as the art on the walls. We dropped by to see how Bostonians attired themselves for a night at the museum.

JOSH THADEN, 30

Occupation: Medical student

Resides: Brookline

Tell me Josh, are you a vest man? I think I am. I like them a lot.

How often do you pull out your vests? Usually once or twice a week, mostly on the weekends.

What do all these vests say about you? It says I'm a little bit dressy? It's hard for me to describe. I just like the look of it.

Are you here because you're an art lover, or because you're looking for love? I'm here with my girlfriend, actually. We came with our roommates. I had heard about these and always wanted to check it out.

I had this perception that this was a night for single folks. Well, we're here with some single folks.

So you're playing wingman. Nice. How do you describe your style? I don't really know. [Turns and asks his girlfriend, who says something about casual, classic, and "sexy professor," which prompts blushing.]

Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas this year? Any vests? I did get a vest. How did you know?

LOREDANA PADUREAN, 33

Occupation: Visiting PhD scholar

Resides: Cambridge

I can tell your dress is Marc Jacobs. Yes, the shoes are Fendi, and my gloves are Intermix.

I've been complaining that people don't dress up when it's cold, but that's clearly not true in your case. You don't want to get me started on this.

I guess since you're from Switzerland you can't use cold as an excuse not to dress well. There's no excuse for that. Ever since I've moved here, people have asked, "How can you walk in those heels, it's not comfortable." For me the first attribute of an item is not comfort; I want to wear something that represents me. The way you dress is the first expression of who you are. I don't think because it's cold you need to wear repulsive clothes.

How do you describe your style? I think it's edgy. I try to take very classical pieces, but always have one item in my ensemble that is very edgy. I always wear heels. Never flats. In the same way you have to wash your face in the morning, you have to put on heels.

AYANO STRICKLAND, 35

Occupation: Health consultant and youth worker

Resides: Cambridge

How do you describe your style? Loose first comes to mind. Not the juvenile, baggy pants kind of thing. But I like to have room in my clothes. I don't consider myself size large or extra large, but that's the size clothing I wear. I wear clothes I can move in because my extracurricular activity is to dance. I like house music.

That's an interesting way to choose clothes. If I don't feel like I can dance in it, I don't wear it.

Are you dressed for dancing tonight? Tonight I have two birthday parties. I decided to wear a sport coat. I recently came back from my grandmother's house. I was looking at old photos of my grandparents. They were my age in the 1940s and the 1950s. Everybody wore a hat, and a suit, and a tie. I'm trying to reconnect to that.

What places do you go to dance? I'm a househead, which is deep house music, not to be confused with techno. Utopia Boston, which is at An Tua Nua, is one of my favorites.

WENDY WEISS, 29

Occupation: "Corporate side of interior design"

Resides: Back Bay

How do you describe your style? To me, style is when what you're wearing looks like you put some thought into it. I like things that look funky, but put together. If that makes any sense.

That kind of describes how you look tonight. What are some of your favorite stores? I'm a shoe-aholic. So I like consignment shops, where I just got a steal. Vintage Versace pumps. They're really cool. I'm always looking for a bargain, so I frequent Marshalls and T.J. Maxx.

Is the Boston Design Center a stylish place to work? It's pretty casual. There are some people who you can tell put more time into what they wear, and there are people who come into the design center dressed like they're going to the grocery store because they have a lot of ground to cover when they're there. Everyone has fairly good style.

How much time a week do you spend combing the aisles for bargains? I shop just about every weekend, or at least browse. See what sparks my interest.

AMY CARLSON, 26

Occupation: Speech pathologist

Resides: Newton

I love that you're wearing a full-length dress, I think it's the only one I've seen tonight. We were going to get dressed up no matter what the weather was like tonight. It's dressy, but it's also warmer than a shorter skirt.

Where is it from? It's from the Limited, actually.

Is that one of your favorites? I tend to shop at the typical mall stores. The Limited, Express, Banana Republic.

Do you have any style icons that you look up to? I like Jennifer Aniston. I think Heidi Klum has really good taste as well. She always looks incredible.

So are you here looking for love? Maybe.

OK, I won't stand between you and romance any longer. One more question. What are your favorite hangouts? I like the Joshua Tree in Allston and Dolce Vita in the North End.