What's Your Style? I Quiz My Friends

So this blog is usually all about me, and what I think. And I don’t profess to be the most interesting person, so this week, I turned it around and asked a few of my friends what they thought! You see, I have made friends with young professionals and business owners alike in Madison, all of whom have their own signature style. And I love chatting with them about where they like to shop, their favorite things they’ve bought and more. So read on for what some of these fab ladies had to say!

Kristin Wild, owner, Atticus

Shayna Miller: What's your signature style? What store best captures you?
Kristin Wild: My style is usually kind of downtown and edgy with elements of practicality thrown in. I get inspired by girls who live on the Lower East Side of New York and the East End in London, but I’m a Wisconsin girl so I have to tone it down a bit. I wear flat boots all winter long, and I usually have some sort of scarf wrapped around my neck because I’m always freezing.
I’m also huge fan of high/low dressing. You know, mixing Aldo shoes with an Alexander Wang dress. It’s fun, and it just makes sense. My shop sells designer jeans, but I’m still a poor twenty-four-year-old! So, I save up for good quality, investment pieces and I buy trendy, one-season pieces at H&M or Target. Of course, Atticus is the shop that best captures my style!

SM: What’s your favorite piece(s) in your wardrobe? How long ago did you buy it, where did you get, why do you like it?
KW: My favorite piece of all time has to be the dress I got while interning at Temperley in London. It was my first designer piece, and Lily Cole wore it on the runway. It’s a mini dress with a plunging neckline and back made from silk with the Temperley Godet print in red, blue and ivory. I’ve had it now for about four years, and I wear it every chance I get!
Currently, my favorite piece is a scarf by Aude that we carry at Atticus. They make the most incredibly soft scarves from T-shirt material and they’re super long so you can wear them a million ways. I wear one every day and usually end up wrapping it three times around my neck to stay cozy!

SM: What's your favorite budget buy you’ve gotten? When did you get it, and what do you like about it?
KW: My favorite budget buy would probably be my pirate pants from H&M. I got them for, like, $10 right after the first Pirates of the Caribbean came out. Ha! I loved Keira Knightley in that movie—she made menswear look so sexy. I’ll wear heels or a feminine silk top with them to balance out the look.

SM: What's your favorite splurge(s), where did you get it, when and what do you like about it?
KW: My favorite splurge would be my soccer booties from Marc by Marc Jacobs (see picture, above!). I adore his shoes, but even the Marc by Marc line can be pricey. I first saw the booties on Shopbop in August of 2007, and I stalked them daily for five months until they went on sale! They’re completely impractical but I’m in love with them.

SM: What’s your favorite local retail store in Madison?
KW: Probably not a fair question for me—I’m clearly biased—Atticus, obviously! I also enjoy shopping at Context for men’s jeans, Bop for Wisconsin staple pieces (Uggs, Chip & Pepper Bucky Badger tees, Juicy sweats), and A Stone’s Throw for workout pants and Smartwool socks.

SM: What store do you wish we had in Madison?
KW: I know it will never happen, but I would love a Barney’s Co-op! A more realistic choice would be Madewell, the new J. Crew sister store. I think it could do very well here. It has good quality basics like J. Crew, but a little more forward in design.
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Kristi Moe, owner, Moe Publicity

SM: What’s your signature style? What store best captures you?
Kristi Moe: Accessories because they ALWAYS fit! [I] love bangles, big earrings, hats, shoes, bags. Store: Dazzle!

SM: What’s your favorite piece(s) in your wardrobe? How long ago did you buy it, where did you get and why do you like it?
KM: A grey tweed newsboy cap—bought long ago enough to not remember where I bought it from (see picture). It is so hard finding hats that have the perfect proportion, fit and angle/slouch. This particular hat can be casual or dressed up for a funky style.
I love hats in general because they help you to stand out in a crowd and are a lifesaver for a bad hair day. My tip for finding the perfect hat: Try on every hat you see until you find one that works pretty good. You’ll likely not LOVE it until you break it in and get used to positioning it and get comfortable seeing yourself with it on.

SM: Your favorite budget buy you've gotten: when did you get it, what do you like about it?
KM: I’ve been searching since September NY Fashion Week for an orange (orange is huge for spring) patent handbag that is large enough to carry my padfolio for meetings ... haven’t found ANY. Not even at Dazzle. Very sad. Until I went to Aldo at West Towne Mall the other weekend when they were having their eighty percent off sale and I scored a gorgeous bag for $35! It’s bright orange patent with gold accents and just big enough to fit a padfolio.

SM: Your favorite splurge(s)—where did you get it, when, and what do you like about it?
KM: My favorite splurge is the best accessory ever ... perfume. You’re not a diva until you turn heads because you smell damn good. And sorry girls, I’m not telling which one it is. It’s my secret!

SM: Your favorite local retail store in Madison?
KM: Can I plead the fifth? I have several for different reasons. Atticus because of their commitment to the environment and high-quality, fresh designers; Context because of the life they’re breathing into the fashion scene for men not only in Madison but nationally; Sukara Sterling because she’s just so darn cute and her brand is infectious; Patricia Shoppe because her fashions are reflective of Madison ... ecclectic; J LaMore because Jennifer shows that high fashion can be warm, inviting and personable.

SM: What store did you wish we had in Madison?
KM: TopShop because they make fashion accessible and fresh in a very cool way. They’ve been able to become a successful corporate entity (in the U.K.) while including young emerging designers which is risky for a big business to do; but keeps them from offering bland, cookie-cutter merchandise.
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Katie Vaughn, associate editor, Madison Magazine (and fellow Madison Magazine blogger!)

SM: What’s your signature style? What store best captures you?
Katie Vaughn: I’m drawn to simple clothes with clean lines, but I like to accent them with an interesting piece or two—maybe a pair of fun shoes, a bright scarf or cool jewelry. I get a lot of my clothes at Banana Republic (they do simple silhouettes with little extras like pleats, ruffles and touches of embellishment really well), but I look for accessories everywhere.

SM: What’s your favorite piece(s) in your wardrobe? How long ago did you buy it, where did you get and why do you like it?
KV: It’s hard to choose but a few of my favorites are: A black spaghetti-strap wrap dress I got years ago but always go back to because it’s sexy and simple. A dark pink cashmere wrap/scarf that’s warm and provides a nice pop of color. A silver leaf necklace made from a pair of earrings I liked but never wore. My turquoise bikini because it represents the ultimate in easy dressing—if I’m lucky enough to be on a beach, what more do I really need?

SM: Your favorite budget buy you’ve gotten, when did you get it and what do you like about it?
KV: I like picking up inexpensive pieces when I travel. I’ve found great shoes at boutiques and jewelry everywhere, especially markets. I also love buying interesting fabrics, which my mom is nice enough to make into dresses and skirts. A paisley print for a few dollars in Greece became a wrap skirt that I wear with camisoles and sandals in the summer and a turtleneck, tights and boots in winter.

SM: Your favorite splurge(s)—where did you get it, when and what do you like about it?
KV: Good denim is my best splurge. I got hooked at the Blues Jean Bar (thebluejeansbar.com) in San Francisco when I lived out west. A great pair of jeans can elevate whatever else you’re wearing—and give you a fantastic boost of confidence all day.

SM: What's your favorite local retail store in Madison?
KV: We’re lucky to have Bop in Madison. They offer ideas for pushing the envelope fashion-wise. And I’m looking forward to checking out Atticus soon.

SM: What store do you wish we had in Madison?
KV: Maybe just more stores in general? I can always use another reason to shop!
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Elizabeth Wewerka, owner, Lady Moxie

SM: What’s your signature style?
Elizabeth Wewerka: My signature style is no signature. I like to shake it up and try new things ... to dress for whatever my mood is. I’ll wear anything from boho chic to minimalist to (gasp!) old school St John’s.

SM: What store best captures you?
EW: Lady Moxie: it’s responsible extravagance. It’s green, it’s economical and it’s styling.

SM: What are your favorite piece(s) in your wardrobe? How long ago did you buy it, where did you get and why do you like it?
EW: Currently I’m all about belts … BIG, HUGE ONES. I’ve gotten five or six over the last season and I keep coming up with new outfits that center on them. I guess I like them because they reign in the skirts that I often wear as dresses lately (see photo).

SM: Your favorite budget buy you've gotten: when did you get it and what do you like about it?
EW: My all-time favorite budget buy is an 18K gold and coral cocktail ring that I got for two bucks. I’ve had it for five years now. I love how it makes me think of a trip I took to Hawaii. I really wanted to buy coral jewelry out there but I had the hardest time paying the tourist prices on the islands. I found the ring at a consignment store right after I came home.

SM: Your favorite splurge(s), where did you get it, when and what do you like about it?
EW: My Shanel Regier custom-made corset or my brown Vicmatie boots. The corset was made for me by one of the designers I carry at Lady Moxie and I like it because it’s a one of a kind that fits me like a glove.
The boots I got down at Lori’s in Chicago and I like them because they are very unique “tough girl” boots. Everybody always comments on them when I wear them.

SM: Your favorite local retail store in Madison?
EW: Lady Moxie. But if I’m shopping elsewhere, I’d have to say Woldenberg’s; all of the staff there is soooo good at servicing the customer, even the customers who only shop the clearance racks. I remember going there once before I actually moved to Madison. I was looking at the furs and one of the ladies asked me if I wanted to try one on. I said something about them being lovely but only being able to afford vintage. She tsked and waved her hand at me, pulled one of the coats off the hanger and had me wrapped in it in
about two seconds. When staff can make you feel special like that, it makes a fan for life.

SM: Store you wish we had in Madison?
EW: Honestly, I am very into supporting local shops. So if I could have another shop in Madison, I’d hope for another locally owned boutique.