What are your closet essentials?

It’s funny: I was a strictly dresses-and-skirts girl for so many years, but lately I’ve been discovering the joys of denim (and yes, I recognize how utterly bonkers that sounds). For summer, I really love a tie-dyed tee worn with a super high-rise, stretchy skinny jean or denim short. Still, I’d say that a pretty floral dress with a classic white sneaker is really my go-to outfit. I signed up for Rent the Runway Unlimited at the beginning of the year – best decision ever – so I always have new ones coming into and out of my closet. 

What is your biggest fashion regret?

What I started college at NYU in the mid-2000s, I lived in the sock dress/leggings/cowboy boot combo popularized by stars like the Olsens, Lindsay Lohan and Nichole Richie. Not my finest fashion hour. 

You always splurge on, and you always save on…

I tend to splurge on coats and classic bags, which tend to date less quickly and are among the first pieces people notice when they meet you. I save on T-shirts, since they’re so easily stained and worn out – never spend more than $30 on a basic tee, people! And, oddly, shoes. Whoever said that pricey designer shoes are always higher quality, lied; many of my comfiest, longest-lasting, and most-complimented pairs are from Topshop and Aldo. 

What is one piece of clothing you wish you could steal from your 16 year old self?

I’m not sure if this counts because I do in fact, still own it, but I saved up all the money I made filing paperwork in my mom’s office one summer as a tween, and blew it all on a tiny log-covered Gucci bag, which I proudly carried every single day until high school graduation. I held onto it for sentimental reasons, but as a bonus, it’s totally back in style today!

What inspires your style most?

Celebrities, for sure. In high school and early college, when I was totally obsessed with The O.C., it was Mischa Barton; I even kept a folder on my computer desktop filled with images of all her outfits for inspiration. And for almost the past decade, it’s been Taylor Swift. (Insert “red lip classic thing that you like” joke here.)

Your #1 style tip is…

Find a style icon whose aesthetic speaks to you, and let their looks inspire your own. It’s super helpful when you’re low on outfit ideas. And don’t put too much stock into trends that don’t suit your style!