My Style: Lauren Adriana
Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Adriana
Are there any style combinations that you object to?
Leggings and Ugg boots. Actually, pretty much leggings with anything. They are not a substitute for trousers; they are glorified tights.
Please describe your style in three words.
Simple tailored elegance.
What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?
Not wearing the right bra for an outfit.
Do you believe in role models?
Yes, I think you can have different ones for different times in your life / interests. There are people I look up to professionally, and also personally. There are also people historically who I think led remarkable lives that we can still learn from today.
What are your favourite fabrics?
Silk is a firm favourite, it’s so versatile. Also I love a bit of bouclé — especially on a coat or jacket. Though maybe not a fabric as such, I do adore fur.
Which city has the best-dressed women?
Milan has some very stylish women.
Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
Probably a bit of both. If I’m going to an event, I’ll be bolder with what I wear, but if I’m taking the dog out, then jeans and a jumper it is.
What are the rules in the way you dress?
I don’t wear too many prints — I’m 5ft 11” so they can look like they’re wearing me. Jeans must always cover my ankles otherwise I look like I‘m wearing a size too small. Other than that, if I’m wearing tight trousers / skirt then a loose top, and vice versa.
Celebrities and style...
Do not always go hand in hand.
Name one garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
A fitted blazer in a really bright and bold colour. It is the perfect backdrop for jewellery, especially a necklace or statement earrings, as the neat tailoring gives a clean neckline. You also feel immediately put together.
A woman should always look like...
She is comfortable. As I get a bit older, it’s not the women in the skintight dresses and stilettos that I admire; it’s the ones in neat flats and tapered trousers having a great time.
Who taught you what you know about style?
Style is a very organic process. What defines how I look today may not do so in ten years’ time. So to that end, I’m learning on the job.
How do you select your clothing every morning?
As sad as this sounds, I look up the London weather forecast on the BBC website and then work around that.
What is your biggest regret?
Not buying the Rene Boivin book when I could afford it.
The three essential things a woman should know about style are...
Have a good bra. Understand what fits you. Never wear Ugg boots.
Do you have any shopping rituals?
I always do some recon beforehand so that when I take along my partner Nick, I can work within his boredom threshold.
We will never see you wearing...
Wedge heel high-tops — I cannot cover how many ways they are wrong.
Which new designers do you follow and why?
I’m completely obsessed with Nicholas Oakwell, especially his Grima collection. To see couture so directly inspired by fine jewellery is rare and remarkable. For everyday wear, I love Marina London for her stunning silk separates.
Who is the most stylish person you have ever seen?
I don’t even know her name. I saw her across the room at the opening night of the Elizabeth Taylor auction in NYC. She was in her fifties, very petit with dark hair in a bun. She was wearing a vintage Balenciaga black silk taffeta dress — very sculptural — and pinned onto it like a corsage was the biggest Pierre Sterlé brooch I have ever seen in my life. She also wore Roger Vivier flats. The two women next to me gasped in awe when they saw her so I wasn’t the only one!
What is the first thing you notice on a woman?
Her jewellery. It is my profession after all!
What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?
My Chanel handbags, my Suzanne Belperron engagement ring (though technically not in my wardrobe), and more recently a stunning violet silk dress from Tom Ford.
The one image that defined your approach to style...
I don’t think there can be just one — but I do think Molly Ringwald in the promo shot for Pretty in Pink with permed hair, blazer, Ray-Bans, and oversized diamante jewellery must have influenced me on some level.
Which designer never fails to impress you?
Michael Kors. There is a lot to be said for just making well-cut elegant clothes that fit a woman’s body and can be worn often. So simple — I’m surprised more designers don’t try it!
One article of clothing that a woman needs to pay close attention to is...
Again, her bra!
Is comfort an enemy of style?
No! Being trussed up to the nines doesn’t make you stylish. Style isn’t just what a person wears, but how they wear it.
Who would you like to recommend for My Style?
Marina Guergova of Marina London.
The best words of advice you have ever heard?
‘Be patient.’ I must end up telling myself this every day.
