By Janet
Whenever I see a stylish gal, I always wonder: Where does she find her style inspiration? What beauty products does she splurge on? What important pieces does she think every woman should have in her closet? How does she get so gorgeously groomed? Well, instead of just wondering, I've decided to start asking--and I figured y'all might like to hear from these fabulously stylish ladies, too.
I'm delighted to introduce you to my truly fabulous friend Megan, a New England girl living in sunny southern California. Megan loves brunch, statement necklaces, Kendra Scott earrings, and the color blue. She's a full-time attorney (we attended law school together!), but finds time for all sorts of stylish adventures. Welcome Megan!
How would you describe your personal style?
“Classic sister raids funky sister’s closet.” I think that’s about right. Once the basics (usually a dress of some sort, plus a fitted blazer if it’s cool) are in place, it's up to my ever-growing collection of scarves, statement necklaces and cheeky earrings to finish things off. When it comes to accessories, I’ll try any color, pattern or material. Why not? I’m not a “jeans and a t-shirt” girl, mostly because I think jeans look like rubbish on me, but also because I just really like dressing up a bit. I once went to a BBQ cook-off in white pants and survived without a smudge. I've gone hiking in heels (though, for the record: I do usually wear tennis shoes for those sorts of activities). I’ll put on mascara for the plumber. I promise I wasn't born in 1935.
What trend are you loving this season?
I am loving a two fall trends: foxy and equestrian. Foxy as in the animal (the other kind of foxy is less a trend than a lifestyle). I’ve been eyeing some really fun scarves and tees with little printed foxes running amok, and it’s only a matter of time until I scoop one up. I love how mischievous the little guys look.
I'm also loving the cute equestrian-themed accessories popping up lately, like the horse-bits on jewelry and handbag hardware. And of course there are riding boots – those have been going strong for several fall seasons in a row, now. Never mind the fact that the number of times I’ve been on a horse is less than the number of fingers on my left hand (which is five, don’t start any rumors). Burgundy or wine-red is apparently “the” color this fall, and I’m observing that trend by drinking lots of red wine.
Where do you find your style inspiration?
I find my style inspiration in two places these days: my office and the internet. I work with a slew of beautiful and quite stylish women. Most of them are Los Angeles natives, and they really know how to shop. For heaven’s sake, they fly to Europe to buy French and Italian brands because they swear it’s upwards of 40% cheaper to do so. Let me be clear: I am so not even in that league, but I’ve learned a lot about the importance of tailoring and investment pieces – buying items that stay stylish and hold up for years.
I also find a lot of style inspiration on-line, particularly via blogs. So-called “style bloggers” make my morning blog-reading so much fun, and expose me to a much broader array of style and fashion than I find locally. I also appreciate seeing how both new trends and classic pieces look on “real” women. Style mags are great, but there’s so much going on behind the scenes in those shoots (re-sewing, clipping, and don’t forget the serious Photoshopping) that they’re usually a far cry from reality.
What beauty product do you always splurge on? What is your top drugstore beauty buy?
A shocking amount of money goes into pitching the latest “miracle cream” or change-your-life mascara, so it’s hard to weed out what’s worth splurging on and what’s not. Especially for someone like me, who is genetically drawn to try every new product out there (ask my Mum).
Luckily, lately I’ve narrowed the “splurge” category down to basically two things: (1) my Clarisonic, and (2) Jane Iredale Glow Time BB cream. The Clarisonic is an investment, but it has two really big perks: it makes even cheap cleansers work like magic, and helps your skin better absorb whatever you put on after cleansing. BB creams are fantastic, because they’re an all-in-one moisturizer, skin tone corrector and foundation. Some even have sunscreen. Jane Iredale’s BB cream is the best I’ve tried, and while it’s not cheap, a little goes a long way.
My top drugstore beauty buys are Cetaphil cream cleanser and Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunscreen. Cetaphil is so gentle, but when used with my Clarisonic it takes off every speck of makeup. I wear high SPF sunscreen every single day, and the Neutrogena Dry-Touch line is the only one I’ve found that doesn’t eventually bleed into my eyes and sting like crazy. It also provides broad-spectrum protection, which is a definite must.
What five items should every woman have in her closet?
A wrap dress, a cocktail dress, a fun scarf, a tailored sports-coat, and a pair of classic nude pumps. And Mommie Dearest was right: wire hangers are no bueno.
