My Style: Sharon Ainsberg
Photo: Kevin Tachman — Courtesy of Sharon Ainsberg
We will never see you wearing...
Crocs. Ever. Not even for gardening. Not even if I become a professional chef (no offence to super hottie Jamie Oliver if he is a Croc-wearer).
Please describe your style in three words.
Philo-Marant lovechild.
What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?
Trying to make something fit that clearly doesn’t.
Do you believe in role models?
Absolutely! Admiration stirs up inspiration.
What are your favourite fabrics?
Cashmere, merino, silk, and cotton. I am a fine cotton fanatic, actually!
Are there any style combinations that you object to?
Any makeup-hair-dress-shoe combo that makes a woman look like she’s desperately trying to be sexy and/or is otherwise considering prostitution.
Which city has the best-dressed women?
I could sit and people-watch the perfectly-tousled chic women of Paris all day and never ever get bored.
Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
Have we met?
What are the rules, if any, in the way you dress?
Feeling great in whatever I’m wearing is all that ever matters to me!
Celebrities and style...
Have profoundly transformed the global business of fashion.
One garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
Fine and unique jewellery, old or new.
A woman should always look like...
She doesn’t try too hard.
Who taught you what you know about style?
I recently learned that my father owns over seventy five silk pocket squares. So that happened.
How do you select your clothing every morning?
Check my calendar, check the weather, and decide what makes sense for both. Sometimes I start with whatever shoes I’m in the mood for.
What is your biggest regret?
Come back to me on this one if you find out I didn’t buy Derek Lam’s gold brogues for fall.
The three essential things a woman should know about style are...
Don’t succumb to trends if they are not the right match for you; own your own style and know what works for you. Invest in things that will never go out of style and which will always maintain value. Don’t forget that personal style and personal care go hand in hand. Take care of your mind, body and spirit first; the rest will take care of itself.
Do you have any shopping rituals?
Doing the initial “walk-away” for 48 hours on really big ticket items, and also making sure it’s true love before pulling the trigger. If it haunts my dreams, I buy it.
Which new designers do you follow and why?
Holmes & Yang, Joseph Altuzarra, Marios Schwab, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row… because they are all visionaries in the individual ways they approach the art of dressing a woman.
Who is the most stylish person you have ever seen?
I will always hold Lou Doillon right up there. She has a seemingly effortless and spirited way about her that I admire.
What is the first thing you notice on a woman?
It completely depends on what strikes me about that individual person, but I am definitely drawn to one’s personal style (like it or not) almost immediately.
What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?
Anything vintage and irreplaceable; an embossed black crêpe Rochas dress from the Olivier Theyskens days, my favourite Balenciaga and Proenza Schouler coats, any of my Celine and Thomas Wylde handbags, my Hermès watches… my jewellery collection and of course, my shoes!
The one image that defined your approach to style...
The way my mother used to pose for pictures back in the sixties with her chic shift dresses, black sunglasses and headscarves. She dripped with confidence.
Which designer never fails to impress you?
Phoebe Philo is hands down one of the most gifted designers of our time. And Isabel Marant should name a dressing room after me at the Soho store. I mean that. Seriously.
One article of clothing that a woman needs to pay close attention to is...
Owning the perfect black coat — it’s a good investment piece that can last a lifetime.
Is comfort an enemy of style?
Only if we are talking about Crocs again.
Who would you like to see next in My Style?
Some amazing jewellery designers the world should know about: Anita Ko, James Colarusso and Meredith Kahn.
The best words of advice you have ever heard?
If the shoe fits…
