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WHAT WE’RE WEARING VOL. 12: THE WRITER WHO FEARS NO COLORS

Style / 
September 2020

Collage of three images. First image: close-up of clear sneakers and Levi's logo socks. Middle image: Photo of Max Kessler standing in a doorway in his home. He is wearing all black and bright red socks. Last image: Close-up of terracotta Trucker Jacket hanging on the back of a chair.Collage of three images. First image: close-up of clear sneakers and Levi's logo socks. Middle image: Photo of Max Kessler standing in a doorway in his home. He is wearing all black and bright red socks. Last image: Close-up of terracotta Trucker Jacket hanging on the back of a chair.

In high school, Dockers® Global Copy Manager Max Kessler would sneak into his dad’s closet to take his clothes. Sometimes Max would come home and the clothes would be absolutely destroyed. Other times, he’d secretly get them tailored to fit him. He’s come a long way since then. This, in his own words, is what he’s wearing.

I’ve been interested in fashion at least since high school, though I don’t exactly remember why. For as long as I can remember, everyone on my dad’s side has been deeply into clothes, which probably has something to do with it.

I used to work for fashion magazines and it was a whole lifestyle— you ingested so much fashion content all the time. To this day, I look at every single image of every single fashion show and then make a folder of my favorite looks.
Photo of Max Kessler sitting on the steps of his front porch. He is wearing thick black glasses, a bright yellow Trucker Jacket, cuffed Levi's jeans, and black socks with black sneakers.Photo of Max Kessler sitting on the steps of his front porch. He is wearing thick black glasses, a bright yellow Trucker Jacket, cuffed Levi's jeans, and black socks with black sneakers.

As everyone at Levi’s® probably knows, I’m a big fan of loud colors, especially in jackets and sweaters. For me, jeans are very foundational, not statement makers. I usually wear 511™ Slim Jeans, 502™ Taper Jeans or 513™ Slim Straight Jeans as a base, then build an outfit from there.


Right now, working from home, comfort is key — especially up top. Normally, I’ll wear really elaborate tops, but through the pandemic, I’ve found that wearing something bright, matte and simple on top translates on camera well and still keeps me comfortable.

GIFs of Max Kessler's outfits.GIFs of Max Kessler's outfits.

I love the way this pink, oversized cashmere sweater works with this orange Levi’s® Made & Crafted® Women’s Trucker Jacket. I love a tapered jean, which I will always, always, ALWAYS cuff, because I love how cuffed jeans show off your shoes. For this look, I busted out my clear boots, which I like to wear with statement socks, like these Levi’s® socks with block letters.

This is a Levi’s® Trucker Jacket from a Creative Growth Fashion Show. Creative Growth Art Center is a non-profit in Oakland that serves artists with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities. Every year, they host a fashion show and brands will donate clothes for artists to decorate. I love how the paint splatters are fiery and gold on the front and more nature-oriented in the back. It’s a special piece that I wear when I really want to impress.

Photo of Max Kessler standing outside a brick wall. He is wearing thick black eyeglasses, a long white button down, a bright paint splattered Trucker Jacket, cuffed Levi's jeans, and black sneakers.

I love this Super Mario™ Trucker Jacket and how it’s so dense with Magic Kingdom characters that from a distance it could pass for an intense floral. I’ve been wearing it in virtual meetings and people really like it. I like the way that the stripes and Nintendo print clash, but also sort-of go together. I paired it with a loud shoe, because what’s better than a purple shoe with fringe?

Portrait of Max Kessler. He is wearing thick black eyeglasses, a vertical striped mock-neck shirt, and a Super Mario Trucker Jacket.

This is a hand tie-dyed sweater with another Levi’s® Made & Crafted® Women’s Trucker. I love its grey-ish blue color and the fringe from Malhia Kent, a Paris-based company that makes a ton of beautiful, unique fabrics you can’t find anywhere else.

Photo of Max Kessler standing in front of a tan wall. He is wearing thick black eyeglasses, a white and turquoise sweater, a Trucker Jacket with blue fringe on the sleeves, cuffed Levi's jeans, and black sneakers.Photo of Max Kessler standing in front of a tan wall. He is wearing thick black eyeglasses, a white and turquoise sweater, a Trucker Jacket with blue fringe on the sleeves, cuffed Levi's jeans, and black sneakers.

When I was younger, I’d see something that I wanted and immediately buy it. Now, as I get older and as sustainability gets more important, I really try to think about what I buy, buy less of it, buy more carefully, not get something for the sake of it or because it’s a great price. I try to think about how and if I will wear something again and again.


To me, a Trucker Jacket or a pair of Levi’s® is possibly one of the most sustainable things you can buy. A Trucker will pretty much always fit and will get me through any weather. It’s one of those things that you’ll wear forever. The same goes for jeans — I have jeans that I’ve kept for years and repaired over and over and over with different kinds of cloth. Both of those things get better with age.


My style used to be even more daring, if you can believe it. Since then, I’ve come to appreciate the beauty in solid-colored pieces, though I haven’t entirely left behind loud prints. I hope I never turn my back on color. I’d like to think I’ll be 80 and still wearing pink on pink on pink.