How would you describe your personal style as shown off in this outfit?
Eclectic. I love mixing unexpected pieces together, like these track pants with a button-down shirt. The more unusual, the better.
Has your fashion sense evolved alongside your professional journey?
Since I work in the retail industry, my fashion choices do tend to reflect whoever my current employer is. When I worked for Mata Traders, I definitely leaned into my quirky, vintage side. At Disney Consumer Products, I incorporated secondhand Disney apparel into my looks. And now working for JD Finish Line, you can certainly catch me in sneakers most days!
Are there specific designers who inspire your wardrobe choices?
Celia B by Celia Bernardo inspires the way I play with color and pattern. Otherwise, I tend to look to Instagram or my Pinterest boards for inspiration. I especially like to follow @bjonesstyle, @blaireadiebee, and @itsjuliettefoxx.
What are some brands you buy that are getting sustainability right?
I lean into Pact for basics because they use fair trade practices, organic cotton, and even have a Pact Resale site to extend the life cycle of their products. It’s not a brand per se, but I’ve been a customer of ThredUp for years. It’s one of the world’s largest online consignment businesses. I can find almost anything I want secondhand using their search features. They also work with big retailers like Banana Republic, Madewell, and Abercrombie & Fitch to give them a platform for resale, which makes it easier for those customers to give their purchases a second life. I love any small business that takes existing items and turns them into new pieces, like Indianapolis-based Mama Ochre. They do fun and creative things with screen printing and dyes.
What’s a fashion rule you always break?
I think I play outside the rules so often that I’m not even sure what they are anymore! That said, I constantly mix patterns, and I don’t mind mixing metals, both of which can sometimes be a no. If you stay within the rules, you tend to look like everyone else, and I’d rather stand out by taking risks. I stay away from trends for the same reason, and also because dressing trendy is typically not a sustainable choice.
Do you have any favorite pieces in your wardrobe that hold sentimental value?
It’s obviously not in my rotating wardrobe, but my wedding dress is extra special to me and hanging up for display in my art room. I worked for David’s Bridal my senior year at Indiana University, the same year I got engaged. The tailor there, Ernesto Lopez, knew I loved sustainable fashion. He offered to make my wedding dress for the Bloomington Trashion Refashion Show. We missed the deadline for the event, but he still went through with making the dress out of curtains and a tablecloth I found at the Salvation Army. It’s something I’ll treasure forever.
We all have that one outfit we reach for again and again. What’s yours?
I like the concept of having a typical “uniform” to reach for, especially for days where I’m in a hurry. For me, it’s usually some variation on mixing a graphic tee with nicer pieces. I love a graphic tee with a blazer, layered necklaces, and heeled boots. Or a graphic tee over a dress with lots of jewelry and sneakers.
What are your favorite local retailers to hit when shopping for clothes or accessories?
My main go-to’s are Clothes Mentor in Fishers, The Toggery in Broad Ripple, the 96th Street Wheeler Mission store, and the Goodwill in Castleton.
