Inspired By: The Series

It should probably come as no surprise that there are a few choice ladies who are my style gurus. I usually end up copying their every fashion move because they're just that chic. One of my absolute faves is my old co-worker Marina. Considering we started our careers seated next to eachother in a back office at Conde Nast, I can honestly say "I knew her when..." Now she's one of the most well-liked and respected fashion editors in the biz. Not only has she taught me the value of an investment piece and how to wear oversized accessories (among countless other rules of dressing), but I'm pretty sure her adorable daughter Gloria is even more stylish than I am. I've watched her with envy and now she's opening up to you dear readers about what gets her fashion juices flowing, what she's dying to wear, and her tips on how you can be as stylish as she is.

(photo: courtesy of Vogue UK)

Q) Your title at Style.com?
A) I'm a Senior Market Editor at Style.com. I cover the Accessories and ready-to-wear markets.

Q) Your favorite designers?
A) Lately I'm a little obsessed with Christopher Kane's work, his own label and Versus (we're talking Versace, here). I'm also in love with Mary Katrantzou's work...and of course my evergreen favorites: Miu Miu, Phillip Lim and Alex Wang. 

Q) Your favorite purchase ever made? 
A) I'm sure I'm forgetting something that I got years ago that I still have and wear. But I recently got a jumpsuit at Joseph that I've been obsessed over, I've been wearing it so often that my colleagues must be sick of it. The Celine Boston tote is also one of my favorite purchases, has such a classic shape and fits everything in it. (She's even toting the oversized bag in the pic!)

Q) Your favorite trend of the season?
A) For fall, I'm loving Isabel Marant's 60's look: cropped skinny pants, pumps and leather jacket. For Spring 2011, I cannot wait to put my hands on any colorful super bright item, from neon bags to Mary Katrantzou's crazy printed dresses. (Haven't heard Mary's name? Check her out!)

Q) How do you mix high and low? 
A) I tend to shop the cool designer items I want from season to season and mix them into my daily wardrobe. Since I cant afford to have everything be designer, I mix in the designer items with my Club Monaco and J. Crew's favorites. (Totally practical!)

Q) Tips for getting great style on a budget? 
A) Be smart about your shopping: only purchase something that you are absolutely in love with and are 100% sure you'll wear it a lot. That way you'll only have in your wardrobe things you are excited about it and you won't waste any money on things you will never wear. If you care about fashion, be aware of the trends before making any purchase, read fashion websites (style.com) and magazines. Getting to know what you want before you start spending also helps. Have in mind the items you already own and try not to purchase similar things (you can keep lists on your iPhone or jot them down in a notepad), otherwise it'll look you are wearing the same things over and over again.

Q) How do you know what to buy each season? 
A) I just purchase what I'm totally in love with and by now I already know my lifestyle and the type of items I'll get the most use of. Although I tend to like similar things, each season I push myself out of my comfort zone to try something new (new silhouette/color or shape). I'm not really a party girl, so even if I love a party dress, what would I purchase it for? I just get items that I can wear for work and then straight to dinner with my friends/husband. I make a practical decision before each purchase and since I work on all the shopping stories for Style.com, I already have in mind my favorite items months before it hits stores (JEALZ!). So when it finally becomes available I already know if I've grown tired of it, or if I really want it in my wardrobe.

Q) How do you set your style apart from all the other fashionistas in NYC? 
A) I don't really dress myself in the morning thinking of what other people might be wearing. One of the things that I love about NYC is the freedom that we have to dress the way we want. You can be totally dressed up one day and totally dressed down the other. I tend to dress for the day I have ahead of me, meeting with designers, appointments all over town, work followed by dinner with friends…that's what I think about when I'm dressing in the morning.

Even though she may have access to more designers than most, her tips and know-how can apply to anyone on any budget. Take some tips from Marina and stay tuned for even more Q&A's to come!