More of My Personal Style

My Wardrobe is built around pieces that get a lot of use. I have way too many clothes- but I only have a select collection that I completely adore and hope to keep forever. here is a quick guide to the pieces I cannot live without:


Stripes, pegged jeans, Navy Boat shoes. My summer staples. These take up about half of my wardrobe. Classic, easy, fun. I bought my first long-sleeved nautical stripe in 2006 at a the Gap store near St. Sulpice in Paris. If I had ten of them I would wear that shirt every single day. no joke. I love it.

My parents always said to be prepared for anything. I always carry a huge bag. you never know when you will have a few extra minutes to sketch or read another chapter of that novel, or need to add or remove a cardigan. the huge bag solves that. I love this bag from Heritage Leather Goods. (I hope I get this for christmas) Normally I find vintage bags in antique stores. This may make me look like a Granny about to board a train- but whatever. That's just part of my style.

Scarves. I have worn them for years. sometimes I wear up to six at a time. sometimes I wear a bedsheet as a scarf. Sometimes I wear a long scrap of black fabric left over from when my little brother recovered an ottoman. I currently adore this really soft orange/red scarf that my brother bought me at H+M. It works great for every season- and because I am always wearing black or Navy- it matches every outfit i put together.

Bracelets. I go in phases of wearing bracelets and hating bracelets. I currently wear five. each of them given to me by a dear friend or found in a thrift store. They make me feel like a gypsy, or a bedouin. I like the sound they make when the metal ones clink together. They remind me that style is relative to time and place.

Trench! I adore trench coats. I have a trench coat that was my dad's in the early 1980's. He gave it to me just before I moved to Paris. It does not quite fit right- but it keeps me warm. When I was in Vegas last winter I bought a lighter weight/ slimmer cut trench at a thrift store. I adore that Trench too. I wear it whenever possible.

I would not normally be the ideal canidate for a motorcycle jacket- but a few years ago I came across one at a Salvation Army shop. It was great, the weather was cold, and I had a few extra bucks- so I bought it. Now it is one of my favorite pieces. I wear it whenever I want to feel like a badass. seriously. I love mixing things up by adding a bow-tie or penny loafers. My friend Kirstin said my jacket looks like it has been run over a few times. I like to think that it was once worn by one of The Sex Pisols. Either way- this jacket rocks- and now is a staple in my wardrobe.


I own twelve winter coats. I find vintage ones mostly. Duffel coats, military coats, pea coats... I have a slight obsession. One of my favorites is a grey wool trench. Sometimes I add a fur collar. I want to change the buttons out and switch them to gold buttons.

This is my basic look- necklace, v-neck, skinny pants, jacket or cardigan. I guess that is pretty standard nowadays. I have a pair of skinny orange pants. I have hilarious stories about those pants. Perhaps they need their own article.... so more on that soon.

Shoes. Wing-tips are my standard. Frye boots are my winter standard- the harness kind, in black. whenever possible I wear moccasins. Going barefoot is the greatest luxury ever.