Style Icon: MK

She gone Gatsby on me...

One thing clients often ask is that I categorize them into a "type".  "Just tell me what style I am and where I need to shop from now on," a busy, professional mother once pleaded with me. "It will make my life so much easier!"  

While this may work in some instances, it's not always so simple. We all have different facets to our image and dress sense. Our look and preferences are constantly evolving based on age, lifestyle, outside circumstances and influences...sometimes even a film we just happened to watch.  I even have a hard time categorizing myself  into any one particular style bracket. And I've known me a long time. I'm preppy at the core, but I love edge and a touch of boho...within limits. Nothing too busy. I guess that would make me a minimalist. So I'm a preppy, edgy, minimalist? Does such a style genre even exist? 

A tactic I've found effective is to refrain from looking at one’s own wardrobe to draw a conclusion. Our closets may not be representative of what we truly love because for whatever reason, we haven’t successfully channeled our likes into real-life.  Look to others in order to determine what gets your heart racing.  Most people can rattle off celebrities or socialites whose aesthetic they admire, the ones whose ensembles they lust after and think "YES...I WOULD TOTALLY LOVE TO WEAR THAT!" Whether or not we actually wear those outfits is a different story. Factor in lifestyle, age, body-type, budget, modesty preferences, resources and... we are limited. However, we can still aspire to be inspired, keeping in mind these constraints. It is possible.  

Pinpoint a person whose style you consistently love. We all have someone. It can be a celebrity, or someone you know. Then work backwards and figure out what elements of their look you really like.  Is it that they take risks? Is it that they can successfully mix prints? Maybe they have a similar look or body type to yours, making them more relatable to you. Is it the fine tailoring of their wardrobe that draws your eye? That they always look neat and put together? Or is it the effortlessness of their look you can’t get enough of? We all have different likes and dislikes, and being able to hone in on exactly what you love about a look is a valuable tool in developing your own personal style. 

This is a highly subjective exercise, so be really honest with yourself. It's got to be love at first sight. If you have to think about whether or not you like it, chances are you haven't found your style icon just yet. 

I'll give one such example for myself. I kinda fell for her without even realizing it. I always found myself eyeing and being helplessly, hopelessly drawn to her outfits. Not her beauty, but her street style (be sure to differentiate).  She’s visually statuesque and stunning, no doubt (she is the literal epitome of wearing a potato sack and still looking flawless. You get my drift). I fell head over heels, consistently across the board for every single look I spotted her in. The dialogue in my head went something like this:

• Her again? Why are her outfits always so on point? 
• I would so wear that. Like, in a heartbeat. 
• MMM-mm. This girl. YES.
• B**** stole my look! 

Just my luck, she happens to be a Victoria’s Secret model with ethereal limbs, porcelain skin, and the hanger-type physique designers favor to showcase their work. Despite her being an easy- to-hate ubermodel, I love her style. She's got the genetic blessing of looking good in anything she wears - yet she favors much more tasteful clothes than your average lingerie-model.  It's precisely why I covet her distinctly restrained element, and the fact that she keeps her overall look elegant and unfussy, versus provocative and trite.

Miranda Kerr is the ideal of preppy, minimalist, sporty-chic with edge, if this fantasy combo of mine ever existed. Whether on the red carpet or casually strolling the city streets with her baby boy Flynn, the girl dances the precarious tango of mastering clean and modern without EVER delving into boring. It's not easy. (Believe me, I've tried!) Since photos are indeed worth a thousand words, I'll stop writing and let you see. Then again, her look may not get your blood pumping the way it does mine...

So ask yourself - who is your style icon, and more importantly – what exactly is it about their style that really draws you in? It's the first step towards answering the age-old question: "what is my style type?"

Oversized, preppy-chic…with leather pants. I want every single coat this girl owns

 The queen of pairing quality basics with lust-worthy bags and accessories

Those Marant boots! And she's not afraid to repeat (re: coat). Love

Modern Hamptons #ootd

Did I mention I love her coats?

Not afraid of color. We'll see these shoes again...

B*** stole my look! In the infamous Marant sneaker wedge

Tone-on-tone. Sigh

Red carpet perfection 

The perfect touch of Boho. And there are those shoes again! 

                                         

   B**** stole my look! Minus the slit. We won't hold that face against her. 

    I almost cannot HANDLE  this one

Clean basics + Cool Accessories, Take 2

Love x 3

Maybe 2 people on the planet could pull this look off with a toddler in tow

Classicly ladylike

Written by Saba Ali - stylist, writer, and founder of SBD - Image Consulting

Comments? Questions? Leave below or email us at stylebydesign.sbd@gmail.com

Shoe Lineup: The Comfy, the Functional, and the Frivolous

I have an extreme love-hate relationship with shoes. They can either be the bane of my existence or the complete center of my obsession. Let me explain.

As an avid shoe shopper, I am in a constant mental struggle. The beautiful shoes, the ones that are like bejeweled pieces of art or a crash course in architectural asymmetry, are the ones I am always drawn to and want to bring home. But when it comes to actual wear, these lovelies get shafted. My life is not as glamorous as I imagine it to be when I'm in the middle of that coveted purchase. My existence revolves around dropoffs, pickups, local cazh dinners (to which I can maybe pull off a 2.5-3 inch heel...max!), and lots of cherished family time (shoes off!). Sadly, none of these activities call for four-to-six inch platforms of inefficacity as I sometimes wish they would. When I do wear them, the apparent intimidation I cause my flat footed friends sometimes trumps the excitement I feel pulling them on.

So lately I've tried to be a bit more practical, and have taken some useful mental notes on which shoes I actually wear, and why.  Here's a roundup of some of my most used and loved (with a few indulgent pairs thrown in for good measure) from the past few months of summer straight into my lineup for fall: 

The Two-and-Some-Inch Block Heel (Category: Functional)

These gals did not initially set my heart racing as other heels in my past, but after the firm decision to use mind over emotion, I bit the bullet and purchased...and have NOT been disappointed. Already a fashion blogger favorite, this shoe has gotten more wear than any of my heels all summer. And it's no surprise: the neutral color block, the balanced strap widths and not-too-dainty aesthetic, and most importantly, the lengthening yet not towering heel height, all make these my recent go-to shoe. Another plus? The white strap has actually stayed white, despite trampling, upheaval, and heavy wear. 

The Peppered Flat (Category: Comfortable)

Tired of gladiators and chunky straps, my inner girly girl was on the hunt for a dainty yet fuller coverage flat sandal for all my flowy summer skirts, dresses, and palazzos. Score with these lovelies. Subtley embellished, covered yet not too exposing (I still need protection to keep my heels and toes clean!), this shoe feels pretty yet effortless, two qualities that equate to constantly wanting, rather than forcing, a wear. 

The Psychadelic Wedge (Category: Functional)

My poor skirts, pants, and wide leg jeans. You know, the ones that have impossibly long hems and require a heel to prevent trudging them thru all the filth of the world?  I had been pushing them into the back of my closet for so long I had forgotten most of them existed. Tried as much as I did, I've never been big on cork or typical girly wedge sandals...they never quite fit into the preppy chic ideal I tend to favor.  Enter this god-sent shoe. Feels positively flat underfoot yet is constructed with a clean shape and modern structure. These have become the means for all those long lost bottoms to be reinstated into my life. Joy unparalleled!

The Edgy Nerd Moccasin (Category: Comfortable) 

Not much explanation needed here. These shoes are chic yet comfy, dressy yet casual, and they don't make my feet look humongous. Luxe pony hair coupled with leopard detail encourages the print-on-print phenomenon that is all the rage right now. These shoes are currently in the running towards becoming America's Next Top It-Shoe. 

The Spring Dream (Category: Frivolous) 

Aka my Spain shoes, I picked them up on a passing whim one rainy day strolling thru the gorgeously tiled streets of Granada. They were at that precise moment in time the shoes that were going to change my life forever (you know the feeling. That twang you get when you think you've finally met the shoe you've been waiting for all your life. Or that the shoe has actually been waiting to meet YOU. Happens to me about once a month). Simply looking at them invokes sweet memories of long lazy days, drizzle, tapas, and flamenco.  And it reminds me of those brave, inspirational, and hopelessly chic European women who walk everywhere in these types of creations all day long without a frown, alongside their short, smitten men.

The Non-Intimidating Pump (Category: Functional)

The low heel height, dove grey hue, softened toe, and suede exterior make these a downright approachable shoe in stark comparison to its often taller, patented, and pointier sister pump. Throw them on with anything, anytime. No brainer. 

The Barely There Bootie (Category: Comfortable)

The open style paired with the luxe suede fabric make this shoe a walking contradiction. The taupe shade lends itself to anything, and the criss cross detail give it some fun edge. Flowy bottoms and pops of color are a nice foil to this unexpected comfy pick.

The Husband Pleaser (Category: Functional)

These were a gift several years ago from my better half, and despite my first impression, the almost cone heel and buckle detail makes for quite a comfy shoe. I love them and will wear them with great gusto on special occasions, but the flashy red patent composition causes me to err on the side of caution before deciding to toss these on with just any ensemble. When in need of a mental boost or splash of color with an otherwise boring outfit however, these are the ones I consistently reach for. 

The Bejeweled Flat (Category: Frivolous)

Sure, they can lend themselves to almost anything (including ethnic wear!), but the double straps (4 in total) make these a painstakingly time-consuming pair to get on, and the bare look can cause dirty feet when worn in certain areas. Despite their flat heel and pretty aesthetic, I don't find myself reaching for them all too often.

Written by Saba Ali - stylist, writer, and founder of SBD - Image Consulting

Comments? Questions? Leave below or email us at stylebydesign.sbd@gmail.com