Magpie Fashion Mavens

Let’s start with the Big Ones. Jackie O just had It. Preppy, classy, effortless. Loved her tidy little suits and pillbox hats — even though they would look a little costume-y now, the aesthetic informs the way I dress on a daily basis. And I loved that she wasn’t afraid to wear bold, almost boho prints; caftans; Egyptian-inspired jewelry and shoes (including Jack Rogers)!

Kate Moss is another huge inspiration, although I know I couldn’t pull off half of the things she wears. I’m too tidy and put-together to look so casual-boho — I don’t think I’ve ever had that “oh, I just threw this on as I ran out the door” look down pat. Still, is there anyone that can make a pair of skinny jeans and flats look cooler? I just love her unfussy rocker-chic look.

And then there’s Rachel Bilson. Kate Moss-esque, in a way — similarly “unstudied” and “unbuttoned.” She puts the cutest little outfits together but never looks saccharine or over-done. She also has my proportions! And if there was one person that convinced me that Wayfarers were the coolest accessory on the market — it was her!

And then there’s my secret fashion obsession: Kourtney Kardashian. I tune into the Kardashian shows (Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami) just to check our her outfits. She just has a good eye for bold prints and interesting ways of pairing different textures, lengths, and styles. She’s also savvy with her accessories — she never looks overdone or laden with jewelry; she’ll usually opt for one bold necklace or a super hot pair of shoes instead of piling everything on at once. I even loved her maternity style choices.

I also kind of Die of Nicole Richie’s boho chic look. I know the phrase has been horribly overused (especially in reference to Kate Hudson), but she really can pull off enormous, airy caftans; gold head pieces; floppy hipster hats; enormous turquoise jewelry — and just make it look effortless and, well, chic. I spent some time digging around for some of my favorite looks online and had a difficult time locating them, but here are a few, just to give you a taste:

Love the oversized Birkin; love the contrast of the Chanel coloring with the faded informality of her light-wash jeans; and love, of course, her oversized sunglasses. She’s never spotted without them.

I mean, can you imagine wearing a black fedora and actually making it work? Hats are by nature costume territory in this day in age (unless you are on the beach or at a horse race) — and she rocks it.

This look is just totally wearable — imagine for NYE or my bachelorette party? Perfect. And the there’s the whole issue of her hair. When she got this choppy bob:

I just knew I needed to try it at some point. I decided that I will grow my hair out until the wedding so that it looks long and lovely and, well, like ME (I’ve had shoulder-length and longer hair for as long as I can remember) — but my hairdresser (Eduardo at ILO Salon — he is UH-MAY-ZING) has suggested a “sleek little post-nuptial bob.” I can’t wait to give it a try. Speaking of hair — I know this was part of a get-up for some reality TV show spot, but I adored her look:

A more recent icon addition? Olivia Palermo, of MTV’s The City fame. Sure, she plays a villain on the show and seems a bit…icy, but this girl has got it, that compelling je ne sais quoi that turns heads and incites envy. I have a theory: if you can part your hair down the middle and still look drop dead gorgeous, you pretty much belong amongst the world’s most beautiful people.

Love the update-on-Veronica-Lake hair, lollipop-red nails, and big statement jewelry. Recall from my In the Blush post that she’s designed for Roberta Freymann. Here she is in one of her designs, totally rocking it:

No one does the bib necklace look quite liker her. (I also wouldn’t mind the Hermes Birkin she’s toting these days — pictured below.)

I particularly love this get-up — pulling a bunch of my favorite styles together (nautical stripes, big statement jewelry, Ray Bans, and a neutral bag) in one seamless, of-the-moment, right-on-trend-but-still-timeless look: