When it comes to getting dressed in the morning [1], my outfits have always been a mixed bag. My style has changed plenty of times throughout my life, and I think the people around me have noticed that. For example, one comment I'll never forget: "You look like a pilgrim from the 1600s," an intended tease thrown out by the boys in middle school who thought my Junkfood tee layered under a brown corduroy jumper with black-and-white striped tights was not a cool outfit, or perhaps outdated? Noted. The ridiculous and obviously inappropriate nickname "pilgrim" stuck around for at least one full year, in which I never wore those tights again, even though there was nothing wrong with them. My self-esteem has since improved. So, like, when my future brother-in-law tells me I look like "Britney Spears [2] way after her prime" (what does that even mean?) when I'm wearing my baggy cargos with chunky work boots, I shake it off, because I know I like what I'm wearing. Why else would I have put it on?
As a fashion editor, it'd be pretty phony to say I'm not influenced by trends [3], because they're really all I see and study on a day-to-day basis. It's somewhat impossible to be an avid shopper and be oblivious to the changing trends. But I'm learning that you can take them with a grain of salt and kind of acknowledge them, embrace one or two, then roll out your own signature aesthetic however you choose. That may look different every day. Some days, I may be mixing and matching prints with a paisley boho dress, and other days, I may be mixing and matching with those old black-and-white tights from middle school.
Even though there will always be undeniably chic accessories that seem to "take over" street style for a moment, like the Bottega Veneta pouch du jour [4], I feel like I have a duty; an obligation to myself to stop and consider whether or not I actually like those things. "If I buy that piece, will I be working my closet around it just to show it off, or will it fit into my closet like it belongs?" I ask myself. "If I buy that piece, will I look like everybody else?"
When you're just wearing what you like, it's obvious to those around you because you carry yourself with confidence, and watching other people do this inspires me to do the same. There are seven women I follow on Instagram who consistently inspire me to get dressed. I don't necessarily save their outfits in the hopes that I can re-create them with my own wardrobe. Instead, I add them to my mood board because their colourful, inventive looks give me the urge to reconnect with articles of clothing I've tossed aside for years [6].
These women — bloggers, stylists, entrepreneurs, and budding Hollywood stars — definitely dress for themselves first, even though a couple of them do work with a stylist. How do I know? You see, their outfits aren't consistently any one thing — be it sporty, preppy, or feminine — they're moods, and moods change. For 2020, I vow to dress more in tune with my mood, which for me means playing with colour. That's why you'll find that the ladies ahead don't just stick to one specific palette. They're constantly trying new fabrics, new prints, and new silhouettes. If that sounds appealing to you, you'll probably adopt some of my 2020 style icons as your own. Scroll through to learn about them all, then check out some of my own outfits moods.
Blanca Miró Scrimieri
Hailing from Spain, Blanca is the cofounder and fashion director at Vasquiat and La Veste, a clothing company boasting a whole slew of tailored separates in bold bursts of colour. In my opinion, Blanca's style is inimitable. She may own trendy pieces, but she wears them in such a way that you can tell she'll love them for years. Who cares if they "go out of style"? Blanca pairs unexpected colours and prints, oftentimes with out-of-season accessories that just work for her because of her confidence. You can tell she loves the finished result of every outfit. "Yes, when everyone is wearing sandals I'm wearing boots," she wrote under the above photo.
Storm Reid
The 16-year-old Euphoria [7] star works with stylist Jason Bolden, and together, they're paving the way to a red carpet with plenty of quirk and personality. When she's at an event, Storm is dressed head to toe in designer (take her appearance at the Moschino runway show, for example [8]), but her tendency to choose looks that are fun and often costume-like [9] is a clear choice, especially when you follow her feed and warm up to her street style, which is sporty meets unconventional.
Yara Shahidi
Yara also works with stylist Jason Bolden, so it's safe to say that if I were a celebrity, I might enlist him and his team to help me dream up awesome outfits, too. That said, while a lot of women in the spotlight have access to big-name designers that they can wear head to toe (think gown, shoes, bags — the works!), Yara mixes it up. She's not always in jeans or skirts; sometimes she tries mini shorts or asymmetrical trousers. Every day feels like a fresh theme for Yara, and I like to think the theme depends on her mood.
Emili Sindlev
Emili is a Copenhagen-based stylist, and her mix-and-match style has been compared to Carrie Bradshaw's [10] in the past. She has a clear talent for working with colour, commonly coordinating shades, prints, and textures you wouldn't normally see together. When I scroll through her feed, I suddenly feel an urge to throw on a handful of the brightest pieces in my wardrobe and walk out the door.
Nina Sandbech
Nina's a Norway-based fashion blogger with a look all her own. Almost every outfit she posts causes me to take a step back and say, "Whoa, so I can wear that over that?!" It's not just about the bright colours she's rocking that attract me to her style, it's about her attention to layering and her ability to put the focus on statement accessories that deserve the spotlight, without simply dressing in all black. That would just be taking the easy way out.
Imani Randolph
Imani is a freelance writer and model who clearly values comfort — she's constantly wearing amazing knit sweaters and sweatpants — but that's not obvious at first glance. Her bold style allows her to dream up simple outfits that seem next-level, whether because of the colour palette or the avant-garde pieces she'll try (think neon biker shorts with contrast stitching paired with a silk print scarf she ties into a tube top — like, what? Who'd think of that?). I begrudgingly click away from her feed when it's time to go to bed feeling inspired and planning outfits before I drift off to sleep.
Marie Jedig
Marie is a Copenhagen-based model and fashion blogger with the most playful wardrobe. She's successfully painted her own aesthetic on Instagram that's grounded in pastel-coloured squares, even when she's not wearing pastel tones. Her atmosphere decides her outfit, and vice versa — don't you just love that? I also appreciate Marie's decision to "put a hat on it." She's always experimenting with hair accessories that add dimension and flavour to her looks, including, but not limited to, berets, bandanas, oversize scrunchies, newsboy caps, and printed fedoras. Even when she's in sporty jackets and sneakers, she always adds a feminine touch, which doesn't necessarily seem like an obvious move, but it works.
Me Living Out My Fashion Resolution With Tips From My Favourite Colourful Dressers
Here I'm wearing a lavender denim co-ord set by Ei8htdreams with PVC sandals, plus multicolor tear-drop hoops and a tie-dye grocery bag, both by BaubleBar.
Here, I'm wearing a POPSUGAR at Kohl's button-front dress open as a top over lime Dickies cargo pants. I finished the look with a vintage pendant I stole from my boyfriend's mom and a lucite bangle to match my pink watermelon heels.
I worked with a Barney colour palette here, which feels a little childlike, but when I'm wearing denim cargos, I immediately tap into my youth. I carefully coordinated the hardware on my Boohoo belt with the buckle on my Parisa Wang minibag. It's a little detail I'm proud of but probably not so noticeable to anyone else — and that's fine by me.
