The Clothes In Your Closet #020
Feat. Rosie Mae in Carrie Bradshaw pedal pushers, Gossip Girl pants, and a killer list of vintage/secondhand shops
I met Rosie Mae, a designer, sustainable fashion consultant, and magazine archivist, back in January at a vision boarding event hosted by our friend Colette. I immediately wanted to style her. Rosie’s got a super cool look—colorful, eclectic, layered. A mashup of vintage designer, secondhand, repurposed pieces, and her swimwear line Rosina~Mae. Every item in her closet with a story, speaking not only to her distinct POV, the kind that’s hard to find in these algorithmic-blanded days, but also her championing for a more just, ethical fashion industry. A gal after my own heart ~
Like I do with all my wardrobe styling clients, I asked Rosie to pull pieces that she loves, but doesn’t wear a lot. Scroll below for outfit ideas featuring: plaid pedal pushers, a kooky Italian shirt, a navy wool skirt, blue flare pants (from the Gossip Girl set), bright yellow pants, and…one of her ethically-made bikinis.
Enjoy xx
God Save the Pedal Pusher
First up, these plaid pedal pushers, a style that’s been getting a lot of attention this spring. Like skinny pants, people have a lot to say about them. “Ick!” “No!” . . . but just you wait. Although this “new” (old) trend has taken longer to latch on than fashion writers have predicted, we’ve been hit with juust enoughh Instagrams for this idea to seep into our consciousness and start to feel right. Myself included.
I went for a Patricia Field-inspired look, referencing a hodgepodge of visuals lodged deep inside my brain of Sarah Jessica Parker wearing little cropped pants and a heel on Sex and The City. It’s a super flattering combo. Just makes the legs look divine, and I like the juxtaposition of the punk-ish pants and ladylike heel. Kind-of Vivienne Westwood-like. I wanted a graphic tee, and latched on this vintage white and black top to play into the pants. It has a great, slubby worn-in quality, the kind brands try to sell to you new, but is never as good as the real thing (buy your graphic tees old, people!!). I circled through a few blazers—Rosie has so many good ones—and landed on this plaid Escada. It felt right to go all in, plaid-on-plaid.
I kept the glam v-neck choker Rosie was already wearing, grabbed this vintage Fendi bag from because I liked how it referenced the colors in the blazer, clipped on these chunky gold “Chanel” earrings, and lastly, topped it off with a Rosie signature: a vintage Nicole Miller tie worn as a headscarf.
Little Louis Gets an Upgrade
Next, this kooky Italian shirt. How good is the print?! I sifted through Rosie’s pants and pulled these cognac brown ones that have a delightful crop that pairs beautifully with the white pumps, carrying on the subtle ladylike vibes from the look above. To Rosie-it-up a bit, I added this chain heart belt, clipped languidly at the hip. I like how the excess material moves as she walks. Kinda like a lasso. I kept the choker, and added this little Louis bag that Rosie jazzed up with a heart necklace and pastel unicorn charm. She does this with a lot of her bags. Like this one.
Then, we grabbed some mis-matched gold and pearl earrings. I’m such a fan of this—it’s the perfect way to repurpose lost earrings, which I have a few of. Try it out by wearing pieces that have a similar material and/or stone. We finished the look with one of Rosie’s handmade headbands. She makes them with reclaimed fabrics.
Spring, in New York
The assignment was: style this navy wool skirt. It was decidedly different from Rosie’s more colorful, statement pieces. I used it as a base—piling a sheer pink blouse on top, and this incredible trench coat that I nipped at the waist with a wide pink belt. I absolutely loved the shape of the coat over the a-line skirt—it felt very ladylike, which was an emerging trend, but also fresh because of the coat’s swishy fabric and neon swatches.
I played with a couple of shoes, landing on these pastel ones to lean into the colors above, and this mint Courrèges bag. Kept the choker, the mis-matched gold and pearl earrings, and the headband—I love a through-line with accessories—and voila!
Let the Pants Do the Talking
Rosie got these bright blue flare pants working on the Gossip Girl set. So good—I knew I wanted to do something with them. I was playing around with this lavender 1970s dress that reminds me of an Alice McCall one I rented from OpenClosit a couple of years ago, and decided to pair them with these pants—something about the oversized collar with the flare appealed to me, plus I liked the color combo. I unbuttoned the bottom five buttons to hit at Rosie’s natural waist, and wrapped a white belt around the dress, cinching it with a loop instead of the actual buckle because I wanted the belt tighter, and also, because I preferred the look of the wrap around.
Alone, the top, bottom, and belt felt incomplete, so I topped it with this vintage Emanuel Ungaro blazer that Rosie had personalized with embroidery. It works because of the blazer’s shape—which she had altered to fit perfectly by Dejavu NYC & Tailoring—and the white in the fabric and the purple in the thread play into the colors of the belt and dress.
I finished the look with Rosie’ little Louis, these vintage Dolce & Gabbana pumps that shes just thrifted from The Salvation Army—I liked how the brown grounded the outfit—kept the choker, kept the earrings, and nixed the headband for these exaggerated cat-eye sunglasses with a hint of orange.
Dress & Pants, Part II
I wasn’t done with the pants, and I was on a roll with the dress/pant combo, so Rosie pulled out this kelly green dress that she was thinking about getting altered because it didn’t fit her quite right, but unbuttoned! as a top! It worked.
I tried it with the white belt, but it was too heavy visually; Rosie suggested this clear belt with little flowers. Perfect. I cinched it higher above her natural waist because I wanted to create this little triangle of skin—nice balance to all the fabric.
Then I went with her chunky black Dr. Martens to ground the visual weight of the floor length dress and flared pants, kept the choker and earrings, and grabbed this Anna Sui bag that Rosie rented from Pickle. Lastly, Rosie pulled this colorful heart-shaped ring, and chunky, bobble-filled bracelet she got from a friend, and hot pink sunglasses.
The outfit worked as is, but I wanted a coat because it’s still cold in NYC, and I liked how this faux-fur Acne one added visual warmth (and actual warmth) to the look. and finally—let’s throw on a scarf. I liked the darker green with the coat, dress, pants, and the way it looked tossed over her shoulders. Sometimes more, is more.
Slouching Her Way Through SoHo
Okay so now I was loving the coat, and Rosie had these bright yellow pants that she wanted me to work in. I liked the idea of the hem puddling over her Dr. Martens—reminded me of something Philip Lim did right before COVID. I wasn’t into it at the time, but four years later, it felt right. Funny how that happens. I paired the pants with this striped Ralph Lauren blouse styled loosely with just the top two buttons buttoned and the sleeves hanging out of the coat. Loved that little detail.
Now I was ready for a necklace change. Something simple—this chunky silver snakelike one, just peeking out of the scarf. Rosie grabbed her white Pucci sunglasses for the final touch, and she was ready to go.
We’re Not Over Barbie Yet
This skirt was a Robyn pull. I saw it while I was going through Rosie’s closet and just had to do something with it. One doesn’t come across shimmery pink mini skirt everyday.
I liked the idea of pairing this sheer turquoise blouse with the skirt, and layering on one of Rosie’s swimwear tops. I went with this reversible turquoise one because it created a slightly monochromatic effect, and styled it over the blouse to keep the top in place, bringing back the v-neck choker I found the point next to the lapels pleasing.
Similar to the “Let the Pants Do the Talking” look, the top and bottom needed something to pull it all together, like this turquoise blazer that Rosie had already decorated with pins supporting different causes she cares about. I thought it might be too busy at first and then realized, nah—it was part of the look. I went with a simple nude pump—I didn’t want anything too flashy because the action was on top—and lastly, the Anna Sui bag, which worked because of the turquoise heart and pink detailing. Bam! We have an outfit.
And there ya have it: seven original looks using the clothes, shoes, and accessories Rosie already owns. I find these styling sessions so satisfying because it shows that you don’t need to go shopping to feel brand new; sometimes, it’s just a matter of having a fresh perspective.
If you’re interested in learning how to wear your existing wardrobe in new and existing ways, set up some time to chat. I do wardrobe styling for women in and outside of NYC.
Lastly!, a list of everything featured. There’s some good stuff here, people. Thanks for reading.
Xx,
Robyn
The Ingredients
Clothing: Turquoise vintage Aridza Bross shirt from Bloda’s Choice, Rosina~Mae patchwork string bikini top, blue Antonio Berardi pants from the Gossip Girl set, Acne Studios faux fur coat adorned with vintage and artisan-made pins, plaid Escada blazer from eBay, secondhand cropped cargo pants, vintage Italian-made top, pink vintage blouse, turquoise vintage Escada blazer, pink secondhand skirt from a friend, lavender 1970s dress, Emmanuel Ungaro houndstooth blazer with embroidery by Aly Untrend, vintage graphic tee, one-of-a-kind custom vintage Adolfo NY x VFiles trench coat by Ari Serrano, plaid pedal pushers from Slow Down Nola, striped secondhand Ralph Lauren blouse, green vintage dress from Acquired Tastes, yellow Marc Jacobs pants from Other People’s Clothes, not pictured: navy vintage Paul Stuart skirt from 148 Seconds
Shoes: nude vintage Saks Fifth Avenue pumps, white vintage square toe heels, Dr. Martens from Other People’s Clothes, not pictured: lavender Alterre interchangeable shoes, Dolce & Gabbana heels from The Salvation Army
Accessories: vintage silver necklace, vintage Nicole Miller tie, Rosina~Mae pastel headband, white vintage belt, pink vintage leather belt, vintage flower belt from A Current Affair
Accessories: Pink Prada sunglasses from The RealReal, thrifted UNIF cat-eye sunglasses, green knit scarf made by Rosie’s Nanna, Anna Sui bag rented from Pickle, vintage Fendi bag from Manhattan Vintage Show, vintage Louis Vuitton mini bag customized by Rosie, mint vintage Courrèges bag from The RealReal, secondhand bracelet, not pictured: sheer nylon Wolford tights, vintage “Chanel” clip-on earrings, vintage mis-matched earrings, white vintage necklace, vintage heart chain belt from 10ft Single by Stella Dallas, white Emilio Pucci sunglasses
Loving the color!
Colors and patterns! 🤩👏