Since I published the first 'Do you dress like you decorate' blog post in February, loads of people have come over to chat to me about how their dress sense influences their decor, and vice versa. It seems everyone agrees there is SOME kind of correlation; our aesthetic approach to our clothes and our curtains/cushions/carpets/candles/etc are inextricably linked, albeit very differently for each individual.
I recently had a conversation with a lady who said she decorates the way she WISHES she could dress, if only she had the confidence. But I've also spoken with women - and men - who are much more adventurous with the colours, patterns and designs they put on their body, than the ones they're comfortable with painting on their walls or arranging on their floors.
In this second part of the DYDLYD series, I chat to three more of my favourite decor/dress sense experts to find out how their sartorial and decor senses influence one another, with plenty of pretty pics of both their lust-worthy homes and wardrobes for extra inspo. There's interior blogging guru Kimberly Duran from Swoon Worthy; super-talented interior stylist and fashion blogger Antonia McKenzie; and last but by no means least, Alex Gorton from gorgeous lifestyle blog Wear & Where, and her own recently-launched online fashion store, The Alex Edit...
KIMBERLY DURAN, FOUNDER OF INTERIORS BLOG SWOON WORTHY
Kimberly's beautiful interiors blog was one of my main inspirations when I started The Pink House more than two years ago. This lovely lady (whose stunning study I slept in when I invited myself to hers for a weekend of Manchester mayhem last year) has a serious talent for decorating a room and a flare for crafting fabulous blog posts, packed with practical information. As Kimberly has literally just moved house, these pics are from her previous home; I can't wait to see what she does with the new one! Here's what she has to say about dressing and decorating...
How would you describe your dress style?
"Glamorous but comfortable - My daily uniform, if I'm out of the house, tends to be skinny jeans with heeled or over-the-knee boots and a loosely structured top with maybe a leather jacket and a cross-body bag. In the summer, you’ll often find me in flowy maxi dresses. I don't like to think too hard about what I wear, to be honest, so I tend to just stick to things that are comfy, stylish but easy to throw on. And I do love a bit of leopard print of course!"
How would you describe your decorating style?
"I am an unashamed maximalist who loves colour and pattern and interiors with personality: Gold luxe finishes, cheeky animal prints, touchable textural fabrics, bold pattern mixing, a touch of vintage and bohemian-style comfort. When they come together, I like to describe the resulting mix as Eclectic Boho Glam."
Does the way you dress affect the way you decorate, and vice versa?
"I think there’s definitely a correlation between what I put on my body and what I put in my home. As I’ve gotten older, my tastes have become more refined and I tend to place less emphasis on trends and focus instead on what resonates with my style, both in my clothes and my decor."
Why do you think you do/don’t dress like you decorate?
"The fact is, I'm attracted to bohemian styles as well as more glamorous styles – I’m just as likely to browse Anthropologie or Free People for fashion as I will Ted Baker – and try to find a pleasing mix of both. I do exactly the same in my home. Oh, and while it’s a huge trend now, I’ve loved gold and brass in my home for years and years. It’s the same with my jewellery. I can’t leave the house without earrings or a necklace or watch – I feel naked without them – but they are always in gold tones."
Do you prefer fashion or furniture? Why?
"Of course, I grew up during the 90s so it was drilled into my head that only certain styles will flatter my figure (thanks, Trinny and Susannah). As a short, curvy Latina, not everything that turns my head works for my body type. So the answer is definitely furniture. Thank god I never have to ask whether a specific set of curtains makes my window’s bum look big. Although nowadays, maybe that would be a good thing? I can’t keep up!"
Instagram @swoonworthyblog
ANTONIA McKENZIE, INTERIOR STYLIST AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION & BEAUTY BLOGGER AT THE HUNT CONTINUES
I first met Antonia a few months ago when she was helping Sophie Robinson with one of her colour workshops - and then I met her again just two weeks later when she was the stylist on the Hillarys bedroom shoot. Antonia is one of those effortlessly stylish people who is equally at home putting together a room or an outfit, so I was very interested to hear about how the two relate in her world...
How would you describe your dress style?
"A clean and contemporary take on boho. I'm moving away from fast fashion towards having an entire wardrobe consisting of vintage and secondhand. I like pairing colours that clash: pistachio green necklaces against plain pale pink tees; cobalt trousers and bright orange eyes accompanied by a hot pink lip...it shouldn’t work on paper! Oh and I'm also partial to a sequin or two..."
How would you describe your decorating style?
"Timeless over trendy. Always."
Does the way you dress affect the way you decorate, and vice versa?
"I definitely take more risks in my dress sense - I feel I have the freedom to experiment a lot more with fashion and make up choices because the stakes aren't as high and the choices aren't as permanent. When I come home I want my interior space to be neutral to calm me down.
"Even though I want certain aspects of my home to be fun and free, I think I lean naturally towards a more traditional aesthetic - for instance in my bedroom, which I like to be full of darker woods and natural linen textures. I don't want it to be a visual overload or explosion of colour clashes. I like corners of my home to be dressed with sentimental collections - so I display trinkets on purpose because I want the objects in my home to hold a story, and the art is always by people I know."
Why do you think you do/don’t dress like you decorate?
"There's a strong pull towards a vintage, secondhand theme in both my fashion and furnishing decisions. In both areas there's a deliberate decision to not only celebrate the uniqueness of a piece but also look after the environment by moving away from mass-produced over-consumption. Mostly, I think it’s because I prefer the individual charm of a secondhand piece; I imagine who might have owned it before, and all the things it must've seen. It's like a weird respect thing - kind of like respecting your elders. Plus for me there's nothing worse than walking into someone's living room and thinking, "I've seen this all before". Dressing and decorating with vintage keeps my wardrobe and home fresh and unique."
Do you prefer fashion or furniture? Why?
"I never thought of myself as a "fashion" person, because I never fitted in at school with the "cool kids" fashion choices. So my natural response would perhaps be furniture, because I can get obsessed over finding a particular thing and will hit up Gumtree or Ebay until gone midnight! Nowadays I wonder if it was because I wasn’t growing up somewhere that celebrated creativity or individuality, in a way Brighton [where Antonia lives] does, which makes me feel very at home. So in fact I might now be turning more towards fashion..."
Instagram @antoniamckenzie @huntcontinues
ALEX GORTON, CO-FOUNDER OF LIFESTYLE BLOG WEAR & WHERE AND FOUNDER OF ONLINE FASHION BOUTIQUE THE ALEX EDIT
Alex and I used to work together on Brides magazine at Vogue House (AKA Totty Towers) many years ago. I always admired her genius ability to make whatever she was wearing look both casual and incredibly cool - it was basically like having Sienna Miller sitting three desks down, and I confess I tried to emulate her style (without much success) on many occasions. Here are her dress/decorate thoughts...
How would you describe your dress style?
"Eclectic with a tomboy edge. Quite possibly, this could be construed as a polite way of saying ‘a mess’, and if you saw me on the school run I would agree. However, when I’ve had time to pull myself together, I veer towards stripes, texture and bold colours (although navy is a stalwart!). I am in no way a pastel or overtly feminine girl. I adore trainers and I like to mix up styles, so a sequin skirt teamed with trainers and a big chunky jumper is one of my all time favourite looks."
How would you describe your decorating style?
"Rich - although sadly not in the fiscal sense. I like rich colours, be it a bold blue or a warm grey, I’m also partial to acid yellows and hot pinks. I like pattern and I’m not ‘matchy matchy’, so the chair in our living room, for example, doesn’t match our sofas. I’d like to get some new kitchen chairs and I’m quite into the idea of getting different styles all tied in with a theme."
Does the way you dress affect the way you decorate, and vice versa?
"Hmm, interesting question. Quite possibly it does. Over the last few years, we’ve acquired several jewel-toned sofas and – my favourite – a newly-upholstered yellow/blue chair. As these rich hues have entered our home, I’ve noticed more bright colours appearing in my wardrobe. I bought a red top the other day, something I don’t think I’ve ever owned before."
Why do you think you do dress like you decorate?
"I don’t think it’s a conscious decision, but it’s only natural that if bright colour and pattern appeal to me sartorially, then I’ll also be drawn to these in a decorative sense."
Do you prefer fashion or furniture? Why?
"Can I say I like them equally? Fashion is fast and you can get a good hit without spending too much money. Furniture is more expensive, so I am unable to indulge as much as I would like. In an ideal world, I’d be spending money on both!"
