Shelley’s Style Statement: Graceful Grit

Shelley- you look fantastic in texture and color.  I see why you’re drawn to couture- what this aesthetic communicates about you is meaningful to acknowledge.  My research shows you in quite a bit of black, which actually works beautifully with your skin tone, but isn’t the best for communicating the confident, worldly, storyteller who’s boldly changing the equality trajectory for women everywhere.  The powerhouse I talked with on the phone will be well-suited with a bigger, bolder style.  

I pulled some of my absolute favorites of you to use as a jumping off point for your lookbook.  

Normally, we curate an out-of-the-box Style Statement but the words Graceful Grit (courtesty of you) actually provides a great baseline for the type of aesthetic we pulled together for you.   

With that, my chief recommendation is to infuse rich texture and vibrant color into your wardrobe - especially the outfits you wear socially, get photographed in, and use to present you and your mission to the world.  

On our call you coined “pop-of-wow”- I love this standard for you. In your lookbook I show you how I suggest building a bridge between a pop-of-wow and a refined palate of textures and colors.  

I will explain the shift I’d like to make with your wardrobe in the context of a paradigm shift.  What if, instead of infusing a pop-of-wow with a great shoe or necklace, we view YOU as the pop-of-wow and allow your entire outfit to communicate the powerful pop-of-wow presence you have?  This means eye-catching statement outfits similar to the gorgeous white, pleated-sleeve Valentino dress you wore at Advertising Week in 2016.  Did you love the way you felt in this ensemble?  To me, it captures you beautifully.    

Click the image to shop these looks via Polyvore.  

Outfit One: Texture can be either visual or tactile.  Here we use feathers and snakeskin to pop against the matte black and pink.  This would be a really beautiful, but simple, on-stage outfit.  Simple studs and a chain add just enough polish to the bold, vibrant ensemble.  The sweater has a self-tie belt that will bring some shape and waist definition in a really flattering way.   

Outfit Two: I adore this dress for you because everything about it says grace and grit!  Leather-and-lace is as contrasty as naughty-and-nice :) The dress will show off your great legs and arms while creating awesome movement on a stage.  The waistline is distinct, but after looking at photos of you, I feel confident it will sit at the right place to drape over your midsection- the waistline may need to be brought up an inch to flatter your shape.  My hunch is that you’re a spring (maybe neutral summer) color classification so the gold jewelry will pop against your great skin tone.

Outfit Three: I added this 'casual' outfit in because it’s a silhouette you’ve looked great in before.  The blouse is intentionally long with detailed cuffs to extend the jacket.  The short, box shape of the jacket will hit just above your high hip which gives subtle, but necessary, waist definition.  I added this great M Gemi sneaker, not knowing if you’re a sneaker girl, but to introduce you to the brand because it’s fantastic and I think it could serve as an edgy pop to use in place of a ballet flat.

Outfit Four:  I couldn’t find a photo of you in a patterned blouse but these little mini patterns do translate to visual texture so I’d love for you to give them a try.  I mixed black and navy here to create contrast but keep the outfit dark and sleek.  As with all of your outfits the tactile nature of the fabrics are all incredibly different but blend well together- this is key to allowing the outfit to really procure YOU as a pop-of-wow! 

The best outfits suit the wearer SO well that there isn't this disconnect between who someone IS and who they look like. Sometimes we call this being visually neutral- when an outfit perfectly captures your best and bravest version, there's no room for distraction, only easy communication regarding who you are and what you have to offer.

Shelley- my overall goal is to elevate the sleek, well-dressed image you’ve created for yourself by incorporating, and most importantly combining, unexpected pieces and textures.  Our conversation left me visualizing this gracious and dynamic woman who needs to demonstrate the true depth of who you are.  You’re full of soul, stories, knowledge and ENERGY.  What better way to demonstrate this than with outfits that set a standard for how dynamic and worldly you truly are? I had a blast creating this for you, thank you!