Fashion month is the greatest time for outfit experimentation. It’s about transforming into different characters. American cowgirl explorer, dissident debutante, Italian art teacher at a Montessori school…these are just some of the personalities I created for the grand tour of fashion month last season, and last week.

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With each great outfit (and each failure—because there are a lot of those!) I learn new styling lessons and formulas that I add to my sartorial arsenal to repeat for a lifetime of fashion experimentation. I believe in personal style as a constant evolution, and I am always learning about myself and what I like to wear—what works and what doesn’t. The best thing about getting dressed for an event like fashion week is the unfettered surprise when something works in a way that you didn’t think it would.

I’ve never done this on paper, so to speak! So I thought it would be fun to decode exactly what I wore, where every single piece is from, the lessons and formulas I loved, and some of the behind-the-scenes experiences of 12 favorite looks from NYFW this season and PFW last season. As I write this, I’m simultaneously packing for Paris again. Read on for what I wore, plus a few shoppable links too.

Tony Le Tigre

Formula: animal print coat + animal print bag + feather hat

Concept: This is probably my most simple outfit process of the bunch. I always love animal print, but even more so if it’s in a quirky, clash-y, fantasy-fueled color. Like bright orange tiger print or pink leopard print.

Mixing different animal prints together is my current favorite activity, and I knew I wanted to wear both this coat and this bag, at least once. Why not put them together? The coat got a lot of questions. I found it for ~90% off at the Bottega Veneta outlet. It’s Matthieu Blazy-era and I thought it was funny (read: great) that he is also doing tiger print for Chanel so recently. The Prada feather hood, which I also wear as a collar, is a fashion week favorite.

Clothing: Bottega Veneta resort 2023 tiger coat, Marni skirt, Monki striped shirt

Accessories: Vintage Dior Gambler bag, assorted Dollchunk rings, vintage cameo necklace, Prada fall 2017 feather hat

Shoes: Mid-2010s Miu Miu glitter sock boots

Extreme colorblocking

Formula: pocket vest + pocket skirt + tie dye

Concept: I wanted to do something that felt like a weirdo version of the ultra-utilitarian trend that’s going around. Enter: this Miu Miu vest and Prada skirt I’ve had in my closet for ages, but never paired together. Big pocket energy.

I was also going to a Miu Miu event this night, and given it’s my forever favorite first love of fashion (and my most collected brand) I usually try to wear something from the label.

I’ve been really inspired by pops of Lite Brite-esque, obnoxiously bold, in your face color. Hence the tie-dye tights, bag and matching gloves. I was originally wearing an orange Emma Brewin faux fur hat, but after the Zankov show I popped into the City Opera Thrift shop (highly recommend) and found this 1960s mink hat with a little pompom. I thought it transformed me into a sort of Wes Anderson character.

Clothing: Miu Miu fall 2014 vest, old Prada nylon pocket skirt, Acne Studios sweater

Accessories: Chanel Flower Power Boy Bag and matching gloves, Welovecolors tights, old Prada necklace, Dollchunk tooth necklace

Shoes: Marc Jacobs x Dr. Martens Kiki boots

Puffer princess

Formula: Big floor-length puffer coat + vintage beaded scarf + vintage hat

I was absolutely freezing in my vest from the previous day, so I knew I wanted to be warm today. I scrapped my pre-planned outfit and chose one of my warmest coats: this insane floor-length Junya Watanabe puffer. It’s quite distinct and I’ve been photographed in it a lot.

So, I felt like I wanted to transform it in a new way. I just finished reorganizing my scarf collection. A lightbulb went off in my head to add a little zest: I got this sheer, vintage beaded scarf from Beacon’s Closet years ago. Amazingly, it layered perfectly and the weight of the tassels kept it on all day without fuss. The amusing thing is that people thought it was part of the coat. I would plan to layer an embellished scarf over a technical jacket or puffer coat again—the contrast is striking. I also wore my little mink hat purchased the day before.

Clothing: Junya Watanabe coat, Monki sweater dress, Saks Potts glitter pants

Accessories: Vintage beaded scarf, 1960s mink hat, antique mourning rings, Loewe Spirited Away bag

Shoes: Simone Rocha platform brogues

Rhinestone Cowgirl

Formula: statement coat + matching bag + tiara + cowboy boots

Concept: I started with two of my obvious staples: tiaras and oddball fashion cowboy boots. I’ve also recently been obsessed with intense matching; à la gloves to bag, coat to bag, skirt to shirt. I only recently came across the matching cow pasture bag for this epic Moschino coat that I got at the sample sale a few years ago. I knew both would be perfect to juxtapose a winter-y New York day.

The heavy black sweater and skirt kept me warm and served as an unconventional base layer without being so obvious as Heattech leggings and turtlenecks.

Clothing: Moschino Jeremy Scott era fall 2021 coat, Prada spring 2016 menswear car sweater, Comme des Garçons Girl skirt

Accessories: Moschino Jeremy Scott era matching bag, Dollchunk rings, assorted vintage lockets, antique portrait miniature and perfume vial, Miu Miu spring 2016 tiara

Shoes: Miu Miu resort 2016 cowboy boots

Pink & Feathered

Formula: feather jacket + sequins + maxi skirt

Concept: my love for feathers is eternal and I also predicted them to be one of the top trends of 2026. This Chantal Thomass jacket was one of my favorite things I bought last year and I also thought it would be perfect for the shows I had scheduled for Valentine’s Day. Plus, sequins and feathers are a top combination in my mind.

I usually like to do a nod to the holiday in the form of ultra expressive color. Deep reds, bold pinks, a touch of black. I also wore my Gucci heart clutch (the same bag I eloped/got married in).

Clothing: Vintage Chantal Thomass fall 1990 jacket, Saks Potts sequin shirt, Comme des Garçons skirt

Accessories: Vintage Chanel Gripoix necklace, vintage Christian Lacroix gloves, Gucci Aria heart bag, Miu Miu 2010s glitter sunglasses

Shoes: Simone Rocha furry beaded flats

Detached Debutant

Formula: Vintage jacket + rhinestone collar & tiara + full skirt + prize ribbon

Concept: Now we’re diving into the outfits I wore in Paris last season. At the time, I was working on an in-depth print feature about debutantes (read it here) and listening to a lot of Hole and Courtney Love, which I think both contributed as inspiration to this look. I was also thinking a lot about the kinderwhore aesthetic, princesscore, and the traditional debutante look merged with punk.

I collect a lot of old Prada and old Miu Miu and a secret for you is that some of the vintage Koos Van der Akker jackets have the same vibe, for a fraction of the cost.

Clothing: Vintage Koos Van der Akker jacket, Shu/ShuTong skirt

Accessories: Miu Miu tiara, Area choker, vintage cherub earrings, Dollchunk rings and bag (available soon), Iris Apfel bangle, Chloe sunglasses, upcycled prize ribbon

Shoes: Caroline Hu x Adidas

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