Find Your Signature Style

Published in Marie Claire

Each of these four working women is known for her just-right personal style. Nab their secrets and create a look that's totally you.

LOOKING GREAT GETS PERSONAL: From pearls to peep toes, four women discuss their signature style.

"What I look for in vintage furniture is what I also want in clothes: great construction and a timeless design." - JANINE CARENDI MACMURRAY, INTERIOR DESIGNER,  AREA Interior Design

THE LOOK: Architectural


HER STYLE MANTRA: "Understated elegance that is absolutely beautiful but never screams, 'Look at me!' It's all about silhouettes." 


WARDROBE STAPLES: "Solid, neutral dresses, skinny trousers, and pencil skirts paired with colorful handbags, especially in Kelly green. I love buying heels--with stilettos and peep-toes, the higher the better."


SO NOT HER STYLE: "Pastels. Appliqués. Ruffles and frills. Any pattern that's not bold, graphic, or geometric. And if anyone saw me in yellow, they'd be very surprised."


HER INSPIRATION: "I was born in a Mexican silver-mining town, so I still wear lots of silver jewelry, chunky necklaces, and cuffs. What I look for in antique furniture is what I also want in vintage clothes: great construction and a timeless design."


PUTTING IT TOGETHER: "Just like a room, clothes have to be beautiful but livable. I recently decorated a bedroom all in black and white, and then added a bright-red chair. I do the same with splashes of color in my clothes." 


JANINE'S STYLE TIPS:
Declutter your closet as you would your home. You can have the best labels, but if you have too much stuff in the closet, you're never going to rediscover something.
Don't go head-to-toe trendy. Nothing's worse than walking into a client's home and being able to date it - the same goes for your wardrobe.
Wear classic pieces and try trends in your accessories. Remember: It's hard to change the couch, but it's easy to change the pillows.

"I like a dirty-army-green trenchcoat paired with sequins. I like that contrast." - AIMEE CHO, OWNER & DESIGNER, GRYPHON NEW YORK

THE LOOK: Playful/Quirky
HER STYLE MANTRA: "Eclectic, layered, overly romantic, and never polished. I'm OK with crazy." 


WARDROBE STAPLES: "Basic pieces in neutral colors - that way I can play with a lot of different textures and styles without it being overwhelming. I mix in vintage finds, like this lace top, or things with gorgeous beading, color, or a really special lining."


SO NOT HER STYLE: "Pants or jeans, especially low-slung ones, because they make me look short and boyish. Instead, I go for short shorts or a short skirt with tights and heels. And even though I like the look on some other people, I don't mix prints."
HER INSPIRATION: "Everything. In high school, I used to raid my parents' closets - take my dad's sweater-vests or work shirts and belt them, or my mom's equestrian blazers and costume jewelry."


PUTTING IT TOGETHER: "I like a dirty-army-green trenchcoat paired with sequins. I like that contrast."


AIMEE'S STYLE TIPS:
Experiment! It's hard to tell what goes together just by holding it up. Always try on potential outfits.
Don't leave the house if you're not comfortable--your clothes shouldn't be wearing you.
Ignore what makeover shows say about purging your closet. If something spoke to you once but you're not wearing it now, try it a new way--mix it with something different, get it tailored, turn it inside out!

"I wear a lot of tailored, fitted jackets with skinny trousers. A jacket can make an otherwise plain outfit look special." - JENNINE HANNAWAY, VICE PRESIDENT OF PR, REVLON

THE LOOK: Minimalist


HER STYLE MANTRA: "Clean lines. Lots of jackets, especially with military-inspired details. A jacket can make an otherwise plain outfit look special." 


WARDROBE STAPLES: "Solid pieces in gray, blue, black, or brown. Then I add a nice pop of color with a red shoe or hot-pink bag. I love scarves. And I wear a lot of tailored, fitted jackets layered over tanks with skinny trousers."


SO NOT HER STYLE: "Anything puffy. I don't feel comfortable in things that are billowy because they're overpowering. I don't wear one designer head-to-toe; I try to mix Phillip Lim and a great designer shoe with more affordable pieces from Uniqlo or Club Monaco."


HER INSPIRATION: "The sheer, neutral lip tints in our Beyond Natural collection - I think of them when I wear a sheer blouse under a jacket. It looks polished without trying too hard."
PUTTING IT TOGETHER: "Instead of wearing chunky jewelry, I'll take delicate pieces and layer them, two or three necklaces deep. And to change a work outfit to an evening one, I trade my big bag for a clutch and my flat boots for heels." 


JENNINE'S STYLE TIPS:
Don't worry if your personal style isn't defined yet; mine wasn't until a few years ago. It comes about as you get comfortable in your own skin.
Go shopping by yourself sometimes. You learn to trust your own instincts and not rely on what others think.
Even if you can't afford what's walking down the runway, take notice: It gives you an idea of what styles to look for in stores within your budget.

"I pick things up in different cities, so my wardrobe is kind of a souvenir chest." - HILARY HAHN, GRAMMY-WINNING VIOLINIST

THE LOOK: Classic
HER STYLE MANTRA: "Graceful and elegant. Since I perform internationally year-round, I need durable pieces that always look good, even after months in and out of a suitcase." 


WARDROBE STAPLES: "Gorgeous dresses and skirts. Ornate necklaces - but only if they lie flat so they don't get in the way of my violin. And since I'm standing for three hours daily while I play, I've traded my stilettos for 1- or 2-inch heels."


SO NOT HER STYLE: "Bright pink. Minis and skirts with high slits. Since my field is very formal and made up of mostly men, that's not the way I want to stand out."
HER INSPIRATION: "Fabrics like the beautiful silk I found in Japan and had made into skirts. I pick up things in different cities, so my wardrobe is kind of a souvenir chest. Oh, and my violin, made by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume in 1864."


PUTTING IT TOGETHER: "I've always been very young-looking; now I'm 29, but people think I'm in college. I like to dress as elegantly as I can so I'll look my actual age."
HILARY'S STYLE TIPS:
For a close fit, don't limit yourself to stretch fabrics. Buy structured pieces off the rack and have them tailored.
Clothes should never be binding or rigid; they should move with your body.
Take inspiration from men's clothes (for me, it's conductors' tuxedos) and look for quality construction.