Girl Friday: Libby

I have another sister, and her name is Elisabeth, but we call her Libby for short. I featured her once before, but this time, you get the whole enchilada. She's got hair like Taylor Swift. She barely had an awkward stage. She had/has way more friends in high school and college than I ever did. In 10th grade, she nicknamed herself (as a joke) "The Amaze." The thing is, it stuck. My family and her friends actually call her this.

I'd say that Libby's style is sort of a mixture of Erin's style and my style... but then I remember that she wears zebra print (tastefully) whenever she can, rocks lime green socks like it's normal, and has a rainbow of ankle boots (including two pairs of high-heeled, sherpa-lined ones) that only she can pull off. So I have to admit that, even though she's my little sister, her style is really her own -- and she's inspired me to try all kinds of new things (like ankle boots, prints, and bigger earrings, to name a few). Lib infuses her sarcastic, free spirit into her clothes, and the outcome is artistic, sometimes normal, and always a little bit crazy. (Don't let her answer to the first question fool you.)

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The Twenty Ninth: Describe your style in a few words or a phrase.
Libby: Simple, fun, and practical.

TN: How has your style evolved over the years? 
L: I used to be very shy about my clothes. I was never a risk taker. During junior high I had 4 or 5 standby outfits that I mixed and matched -- things that were safe and wouldn't draw much attention. Somewhere towards the end of high school, I bought a pair of zebra print heels that changed my life. After that, I was willing to try anything -- animal print, neons, leather pants... It's taken me a little while to figure out how to mix these elements into my personal style tastefully, but I'm learning how to incorporate my wild side into fun, easy to wear looks.

TN: Any fun/embarrassing clothing mishaps or stories you'd like to share?
L: During middle school, my go-to outfit was a pair of straight leg jeans (sometimes my brother's), a turtleneck, and an over-sized flannel shirt, topped off with a scrunchie in my hair. I also went through a phase where I wore red Crocs everywhere. Yeah. I've come a long way.

TN: Who are your style influences? 
L: Hm... mainly people I see on the street, Pinterest, blogs like The Daybook and A Beautiful Mess, and my sisters...

TN: Where's your favorite place to shop?  

L: It kind of depends on what I'm looking for. Target for pants and some shirts, American Eagle for jeans. I like places like TJ Maxx and Marshalls for one-of-a-kind items at a decent price. Also Forever 21 and H&M.

TN: How do you pick out an outfit? 
L: The weather and my activity for the day really determine this a lot of the time. I'm a college student and a nanny, so I like to keep things comfy and functional. But I usually start with one thing I know I want to wear (shirt, shoes, or even hairstyle) and find other things that work with that item. A lot of trial and error.

TN: What's your favorite thing in your closet to wear and why?  
L: I love boots. They really help to pull a lot of my outfits together and I love the way they look. I also love wearing fun prints, like my "African animals" dress (see above pic).

TN: Any shopping tips or fashion advice you'd like to share? 
L: When I find something I like, I think through the clothes I already own and try to match it with what I already have. If I can't think of at least two ways (or occasions) I would wear it, I usually skip it. This keeps my wardrobe limited only to clothes I really love and will wear often.

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As you can see, my sisters provide a lot of inspiration. Thanks for interviewing, Libs!
(And special thanks to my other sister, Laura, for helping take these pictures!)