New Beginnings & Mood Boards

What's in store for 2024

Dear Reader, 

After much thought (and many moments of imposter syndrome) I have decided to begin this venture into the world of fashion newsletters! Solidifying this decision is the fact that I have had a long time love of “getting dressed”. I don’t want to be over-zealous and say that this is a feeling I have 100% of the time, but honestly 95% of days I get excited at the prospect of picking out the outfit I get to show the world. It is my craft and clothes are my tools. In the interest of not over-saturating the shopping-guide-hyperlink-sale-purchasing genre of fashion newsletters, I will try to remain more focused on personal styling and inspiration. A mood board with a styling map key.

This styling love of mine has been a long journey. One of my first memories of feeling something from fashion was when I was in 5th grade and received a “fashion designer sketchbook” one Christmas from a craft catalog to which my grandma was subscribed. At that moment fashion felt tangible. I too, could create something beautiful! Even if it never left the realm of my sketchbook. Soon, I began to realize my expressions and ideas into physical things (i.e. real clothes I had input on). In middle school a Plato’s Closet opened up in my hometown. This was thrilling in a town very much lacking in “original” places to shop. This became a place where I could get my hands on all types of clothes, and the hunt was the best part. Sorting through packed racks to find something I identified with was my new favorite sport. I started taking pieces home and changing out broken buttons to new ones, cutting hems, painting on jeans- if there was any way I could alter something to be more personal, I did it. This was the moment (although I didn’t realize it at the time) that I started to really learn about personal style. 

 In the years since, I have devoured fashion magazines, made endless Pinterest boards, subscribed to a few style newsletters, am pursuing a career in fashion, and still can’t get enough! So here I am before you, just a girl who wants an outlet to talk about her love of putting on clothes.  

So in the interest of continuing this conversation on style, I give you my occasional musings and thoughts on styling. My goal is for this to be a conversation about staying inspired when we get dressed each day!

And in that spirit…

 I would like to kick off this inaugural post with my 2024 style board!

I’ve really put in the hours to perfect my Pinterest algorithm

I’m always very inspired by color! I love starting with that and then leaning in to layering and textures. I believe a guiding color this year will be red- it feels so fresh and honestly something I’ve not felt inspired to wear much until recently. I see it as the perfect contrast to the tan, brown, ivory, and light-wash denim-y blues that populate many of our wardrobes already. I also think it conveys femininity with its boldness and warmth, that feels very relevant to me right now.

See: RED

I find that accessories and shoes are such a great way to incorporate a new color in to your wardrobe. Also getting a basic silhouette that you love (i.e. crew neck tee or button down shirt) in that color, can be a way to naturally work a new color in to more of your outfits.

As far as layering goes, I feel like I’m drawn to anything that creates juxtaposition in an outfit. Now I would never go for being interesting over being actually wearable, so much of my draw and inspiration for that comes from playing up the basics. This is especially fun in transitional seasons, when the rules bend and we are at the whims of nature- outfit limbo (but in a fun way!). This year I am also looking to layering in less overt ways too. Layering texture or color in to a look with jewelry or a neck scarf or a belt. Mixing it up from my tried and true “sweater-over-shoulders” look, which will still remain in my styling arsenal, but also trying new things with layering!

I'm excited to try out more waist belts over my blazers and jackets! I have quite the collection and I think it will be such a great way to mix up the silhouettes I normally wear them with. Layering over sheer skirts and dresses has also been pulling me in since the Tory Burch S/S ‘23 runway collection.

And leading its way right in is texture. It’s very simpatico with how I’m feeling about layers; mixing yin and yang pieces together to make something more interesting. Think: soft knits with crunchy poplin and sturdy denim, stiff trench coats with white sundresses, structured blazers with smooth silk skirts, soft night gowns with leather boots- unpredictability. It all feels very whimsical and (the coveted fashion adjective) effortless.

Crispy, crunchy white poplin has been calling my name lately. I love the idea of wearing it with soft knit tees or cashmere, a great textural juxtaposition. I’m also very intrigued by incorporating sequins into some looks, maybe with denim to ground out the “glamor” of the sequins?!

So this is how I’m leaning in to 2024 (style-wise) and I hope that many of the adjectives I used to describe outfits (i.e. whimsical, effortless) apply to the way this year shapes up to be! Cheers to new beginnings and big leaps.

xx,

Taylor