Perhaps we should do away with the concept of good or bad taste. After all, the best taste is the intimate kind, the kind that offers you a look into someone’s raison d'etre.
Last week, I wrote about how to tell the difference between muses and influencers, the reigning difference being that muses inspire creativity, while influencers inspire replication. But lest you think that all I do is complain about our lack of individualistic style, this week I wanted to give a dollop of well-deserved attention to a few of the women I know with fabulous intimate style.
These are people whose outfits I would never try to emulate, because even if I painstakingly recreated them piece by piece, I know I couldn’t. People with distinct viewpoints, who pair things together in unexpected ways, and have an aesthetic touch too precise to be replicated.
Here are a few modern muses in my rolodex, alongside the last item they bought that exemplifies their style. (And I’m dying to know… who are your modern muses? Let me know in the comments).
, founder, Earl EarlHer last purchase: “I got this sheer, bright red old Céline skirt on The RealReal (ed note: similar here), and it has quickly become my biggest wardrobe MVP. I love that it's BRIGHT and graphic, but also minimalist, and cool and artsy, but also feminine. It's like every good thing rolled into one skirt. It looks great with statement tops, or with simple button downs, or with a big cotton Babaa sweater... I cannot stop wearing it - to the point where I saw an identical one pop up on TRR in blue and I almost bought it so I'd have a backup. Lately it's the answer to every outfit conundrum I find myself in - it's just always the right choice.”
Djuna Bel, Stylist & Creative Director
Her last purchase: “My brain is still in vacation mode so I bought a bunch of items for vacation that felt a little extra but could also carry me through an LA heatwave. I went a bit crazy on Louisa Ballou dresses because I’ve been a fan for a while. I have two lanes; jeans and t-shirts and slightly extra over the top.”
Ramya Giangola, founder, Gogoluxe
The last thing she bought: “In a world where we are inundated with images on social media and from brands there is this pressure to look a certain way, conform to the norm, have all the latest it pieces, and to a certain extent I also fell into that mold for a moment (hello quiet luxury) …. But I recently met Eric Schrader from Junkyard Jeans and he’s pretty much the go to collector of the best vintage denim in the world and many denim designers go to him for inspo. I love that denim truly represents Americana, and the provenance of each piece tells its own story. I bought a pair of vintage multi panel wranglers from Eric that are REVERSIBLE ! They are from the early 70’s and fit like a dream. My favorite new purchase, and helping the planet to boot. For me it’s about truly finding your own personal style, mixing up price points and expressing yourself in this way. Somedays we are up and others we are down but clothes can make us feel like us (and maybe better on those bad days) and I want to embrace that more and support women to feel good about themselves even if it’s just about an amazing new pair of vintage jeans!”
Kate Driver, founder, West Haddon Hall
Her last purchase: “I bought a 1970s Hungarian beaded skirt at a vintage shop. I like it because it's one-of-a-kind but really comfortable and easy to wear. I wore it all summer with a t-shirt, a light sweater, or a sleeveless tank with flat sandals and a mess of jewelry.”
Tal Waksal, founder, All Three
Her last purchases: An Hermes silk tote (similar here) and leopard pants inspired by Nicolas Cage
Her style mantra: “‘No feeling is final’ is a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem “Go to the Limits of Your Longing”. The full quote is: “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.”
No feeling is final - I like expressing myself in many ways. I play with my outfits a usually showcases the mood I'm in.”
Priya Shukla, Fashion Executive
Her last purchase: “This is the most recent thing I bought. It combines 2 things I love the most: black and feathers!! I also love the lace up detail in the back, it’s a useful piece as I will wear it year round. On its own in summer, and under a blazer or coat in fall.”
(And if you do want to try in vain to copy her, you’re in luck. It’s on sale).
🖤