JENNA RUSSELL

To begin with, I’ll say this; fashion puts me to bed at night, and wakes me up in the morning. It’s often the answer to all of my questions. Having a bad day? Go shop. Need some cardio? Go shop. What day of the week is it? Doesn’t matter, go shop. Just kidding, I’m not that one sided. However, fashion is an extension of self… so I take it to heart.

From a very young age I started taking interest in the industry, I’d spend hours learning the names of models and designers, I’d sketch dresses and watch award shows with such commitment to see what went down the red carpet. I think if it were even possible, I knew too much for my age at the time. Still to this day I find importance in knowing the different sides of the industry, as it’s all a culmination of hands from every end of the spectrum. The brand that I most identified with from the very beginning was Chanel, and it quickly became a religion to me. I respect the dedication of keeping Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s legend of simplicity, and the immaculate attention to detail that goes into each individual piece on display at the Grand Palais during Couture week. It really is something I pull into my everyday style, simple, classic, chic, but always a bit embellished.

For me, a new pair of shoes can turn an entire day around. It’s nearly impossible for me to walk through Nordstrom without letting at least four different pairs break my heart! While I find it nearly mandatory for every girl to have an incredible collection of heels, I think one of the most essential parts of a wardrobe is a good solid pair of sneakers. You can never go wrong with a pair of “sneak sneaks” as I call them. As much as I love my heels, I often find myself reaching for the comfy kicks as my go-to. I proudly display my collection of all black sneakers next to my six-inch heels; the combination is pretty yummy.

Inspiration for me comes in so many forms: music, movies, art, but most of all people or fictional characters. For instance, if you combined Penny Lane, Lisbeth Salander, and Victoria Beckham’s wardrobes, it would probably look pretty close to mine. Toss in a couple pieces from the witch hiding out in the woods and you’ve nailed it. I know what you’re thinking, it sounds terrifying, but I assure you… despite its bipolar appearance, it’s quite magical. The second biggest inspiration for me is music. Music has an absolutely massive influence on me. Much like my taste in humans, my taste in tunes is pretty eclectic. I’m listening to something all day every day and that controls my mood. With just one click of a button I can go from being my grungy leather and denim self to being in the mood for a chic, cosmo-drinking, upper-east-side ensemble. It’s that easy. I wonder what that says about me… Anyway, I really dig people who document their day-to-day outfits. It's probably my favorite thing to see scrolling through any social media feed. Inspiration at it's finest!

I have some pretty barefaced advice to give for people when shopping. I suppose you could say I’ve got a lot of fashion pet peeves… It’s simple really; if you don’t listen to the band, don’t buy the t-shirt. Don’t buy something just because it’s a trend, especially if it doesn’t flatter your figure. Big trends are cool but don’t pile them all on. If I see a girl wearing a camo-flannel-leather-denim-beanie combo (it has happened) I immediately retract any thoughts of “well dressed”. Keep it simple, keep it easy, and keep it effortless.  Don’t pattern yourself after someone just because they’ve got thousands of Instagram followers, I see so many people trying to be exactly like one individual all too often. I think it’s so important to be yourself. Take things from different characters and make them your own. Individual style is something to be admired, not duplicated. Be whatever version of yourself you want to be, just be YOU.