Inspiration can be found in a church basement in Queens.

Jan 26

And Marie Antoinette was present at my sister’s birthday.

Welcome to the Sunday newsletter.

An every seven days curation of touch sight taste and sound in relation to fashion and beyond. An accountability marker to maintain the never-ending curation of style, and to stay in contact with the senses through fabulous things.

This past week took me all over—Virginia, FiDi, Queens. All very reputable and independent states. And while, as always, there were lots of outfits to be worn, I found much more inspiration in my interactions during social settings. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your style is to get out of the closet, meet up with some friends, and just hang out.

Fevvers

Stella McCartney sent multiple fully feathered looks down the runway at Paris Fashion Week in 2025 — a bold choice. Upon closer inspection, however, we learned they weren’t actually feathers at all, but the invention of the first plant-based feather alternative.

“Fevvers, a new UK startup, aims to break that deadlock. Founded by textile artist Nicola Woollon and creative industry strategist James West, the company is developing what it calls the world’s first ethical alternative to feathers: a plant-based structure that just made its debut with Stella McCartney at Paris Fashion Week.” - Vogue Business

As a stylist, I have the incredible responsibility of moving my clients’ money and directing it toward different brands and clothing stores. This is not something I take lightly. With that, my eye is always on the fashion giants at large. I watch how they respond under political pressure, I pay attention to their presence in the stock market, and of course, I see whatever creative ideas come to fruition on the runway.

Watching brands that could survive anything—whether it be financial stress or cultural cancellation—make sustainable and creative choices for no other reason than their genuine desire for a more ethical industry is something I always feel is worth taking a moment to appreciate.

These pieces also sparked a sort of feather renaissance in my mind. It makes sense; with indie sleaze peaking in trend relevance, the revival of feathers wasn’t far behind. But maybe, sometime in the near future, we can indulge in the magic of Fevvers off the runway too.

`Indie Band Concerts in Church Basements`

Four days before my departure from New York back to Copenhagen, one of my oldest friends, Alex, texted me. My schedule was packed, and when he asked if I could squeeze in going to his boyfriend’s friend’s album release party in Ridgewood, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes before promptly texting back, “Yes, of course!”

I have a thing about concerts — which is that I don’t like them. I’m a huge music lover and can’t go a day without listening to music, so long as the playlist is a compilation of different artists and genres. I can usually handle only three or four songs live before all the sounds start to melt together and I find myself wandering in thought, wishing I were somewhere with a more accessible bathroom. Add to that the fact that it was a band I’d never heard of, and it wasn’t exactly my dream night out. But I would do anything for Alex, so I shut my laptop, hopped in an Uber, and made the commute from Brooklyn to Queens. What I experienced upon arrival was quite the surprise.

The concert was being held in the basement of a church. The most potent candle I’ve ever smelled in my life had somehow managed to make the entire basement feel warm and inviting. The lights were dimmed, and a tilted projector made a slanted backdrop that left the lead singer and guitarist squinting into the audience while the drummer in the back left corner was completely in the dark.

Synth sounds were coming from somewhere in the back, and a group of girls in the front—clearly the girlfriends of the band members—were jumping ten times more aggressively than the legato, optimistic music their boyfriends were making called for.

I was sizing up the basement. Maybe fifty people in total had come out, ranging in age from sixteen to sixty. The most confident of us were politely bopping our heads to the music. Little disco lights made the room glow, and for some reason, I felt at peace. I knew that after this, around 1:00 a.m., I’d have to head back home and keep working. But for the next couple of hours, I got to be here—in a church basement in Queens—with five people playing for me and a room full of others who probably also had somewhere else to be, but for whatever reason, this basement took precedence in their lives too.

`Bridal-wear for the Mortals`

I’m currently working with two brides, both of whom have impeccable taste. They hired me for four wedding looks, and every single time I have the opportunity to work on a wedding, I find myself a little jealous that I’m not the bride. Not because I want to be a bride, but because I want their outfits. Until this project, bridal brands, for some reason, felt completely off-limits to me.

The bridal industry is growing at an exponential rate, and with that, wedding weekends—and their wardrobes—are expanding too. It used to be rehearsal dinner, wedding, done. Now it’s welcome drinks, pre-parties, the wedding itself, second looks for the afterparty, breakfast outfits, farewell outfits… the list is endless. Whenever I’m given the honor of participating in someone’s wedding, even if it’s just providing a bit of styling, I’m always completely blown away by the sheer amount of wedding accessories

Juliet caps, in particular, are a wedding trend I’ve loved watching from the sidelines, and I’m anxiously awaiting their yearly pivot into mainstream fashion this winter. Although it’s not something I could ever see in my own wardrobe, it’s a style so versatile and unique that I just can’t get enough of it. Also — can I wear a veil to get coffee?

`Wood`

Interiors are something that sneak into style incessantly. The way we decorate our bodies is often parallel to the way we decorate our homes — and what better time is there to refresh and take stock of our spaces than when we’re approaching winter?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the blend I want to achieve: mid-century nautical, traditional Southern, trendy art collector chic — and whatever other meaningless jumble of words I can come up with to define my home décor style. The thing I keep coming back to though, is so simple yet so dynamic: multiple different shades, grains, and hues of wood.

I’ve also been using my clothing as home décor. There’s a random hook poking out of a brick wall that’s turned out to be perfect for displaying my thrift finds.

Thirty, Flirty, and Femme

My sister turned thirty this past week, and for her birthday, my mom and I threw her a surprise Marie Antoinette–themed party. Kylie and I had been talking about her thirtieth for years. We often discuss our interpretations of femininity as children — how we both harnessed and rejected it based on our own perspectives.

When Kylie discovered femininity around the age of eight, she verbally and aggressively shut it down, telling our parents she wanted no part of it as a way to avoid attention. She asked them to call her a boy and began wearing only sweatshorts and t-shirts until high school. I, on the other hand, saw femininity as a tool to avoid attention — and I dedicated my ten-year-old existence to pruning and perfecting my image so I wouldn’t become the subject of criticism. I believed the best way to fly under the radar was to play the game quietly; Kylie’s philosophy was to disregard it altogether and take herself out of the running. We both wanted solace — peace from the pressure of being a girl — but we pursued it in completely different ways.

Because Kylie was considered a tomboy for most of her life, she grew up despising pink, dresses, cakes, and anything she’d been told was “girly.” And now, as an adult, my sister is perhaps one of the most loudly, divinely feminine women I know — whatever that means. For her 30th, we wanted to give her a celebration of the identity she’s come to settle into, and to indulge in all the “girl” moments she didn’t get to have as kids, slumber party style.

My dad, who’s a carpenter, and my uncle, who’s an electrician, helped hang fabrics from the ceiling and mount a vintage fabric chandelier. There were lavender cupcakes, cosmic brownies, cheesecakes, and zebra cakes. Everything “adult” was immediately squashed by its immature counterpart.

I set up a bonnet-making station where guests could create their own fascinators. When we were growing up in the church, on holidays they would send the kids to a room to make little hats out of paper plates. The tables then overflowed with feathers, beads, markers, and lace and so I set them up the same way now. We even made a bonnet with the top cut off for one of my cousins mohawk.

`Outfits of the Week you May Have Missed`

`Style Exercise of the Week`

For this week’s style exercise, I want you to think about the most audacious piece you own—whether it’s an heirloom piece of jewelry, a gigantic tulle skirt, heels you can only wear for five minutes, or any other impractical yet immensely fun item hiding in your wardrobe.

Then, pair it with one of your wardrobe staples. This could be a t-shirt, a tote bag, or sneakers—anything you feel comfortable in that gets a lot of mileage. From there, look at the outfit and ask yourself which of these three main components—color, texture, and shape—are missing. Add a piece accordingly and finish off the outfit however you see fit.

I’m currently working with a client who has a mental block when it comes to pairing high-maintenance and low-maintenance pieces together, and it got me thinking about all the wonderful, coveted accessories and clothes we all have hiding that just aren’t getting the wear they deserve.

So take a look at what you’ve got, do your exercises, and don’t forget:

Style is everywhere—don’t miss it!

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