Girl Friday: Janet

Everyone: This is my sweet friend Janet.

I've always admired Janet's style: a fun mixture of colorful pieces, basic & classic prints, and overall good taste. As a mom, I love her dedication to looking put together while remaining practical (who wants baby spit up on a silk blouse?). Jan has a balanced and instructive perspective on purchasing clothing as well, and has a good sense of when to splurge and when to save. I hope you enjoy meeting her via this interview!

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The Twenty Ninth: Describe your style in a few words or a phrase.

Janet: Classic preppy with a twist of hipster.

TN: How has your style evolved over the years? 

J: In high school, I don't think I had a major sense of style because I wore a school uniform and on the weekends it was mostly all about jeans and t-shirts. When I went away to college, I started to have more of a desire to wear fashionable clothes because I could actually pick out an outfit for the day, my peers had closets full of fun clothes to wear, and I lived 5 blocks from shopping in Georgetown. Looking back, now I can see how a lot of my desire to shop was so fed by materialism that I got lost in what store something was from rather than creating my own unique style. A few years ago I was burnt out from it all, and my husband and I decided to do a clothing fast for an entire year. It was one of the best things I have ever done. It was so hard, but we did it. I came out of that year with a much better idea of my own style and a sense of purpose with it, as well as realizing what true needs are, and I was able to get rid of so many clothes that I realized I never wore.

TN: Any fun/embarrassing clothing mishaps or stories you want to share? 

J: In high school I was in the bathroom and I heard the bell ring. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach knowing that the teacher whose class I was late for was notorious for giving out detentions for being late. Unbeknownst to me, my uniform skirt ended up getting tucked into my underwear, leaving my whole backside for the world to see. And the worst part: the person to point it out was a guy friend. Thankfully, I didn't end up with a detention for being late. The embarrassment was punishment enough.

TN: Who are your style influences?

J: Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly are so iconic. They all inspire me in how their fashion was classy, timeless, and elegant. Naturally, not all the fashions they wore back then are in style today and conversely so of the styles I wear today, but I hope I can look back at pictures one day and not be totally horrified by my outfit choices.

TN: Where's your favorite place to shop?

J: J.Crew, Madewell, Gap, with the occasional Old Navy and Anthropologie purchase. For accessories, thrift stores are one of my favorite go-to's.

TN: How do you pick out an outfit?

J: Being a mom, I don't always have time to think a lot about what I'm going to wear, but as a general rule, I love mixing classic prints with bright colors and trying new things. As a result, I've discovered new favorite combinations and it makes getting dressed more fun too.  

TN: Which part of your look have you experimented with recently?

J: It's not a clothing item per se, but it is my look: I got bangs in the summer and while I wasn't too sure when I did it, now I am so glad I did. Its an easy way to keep things fun as a mom and look put together without trying too hard.

TN: What's your favorite thing in your closet to wear and why?

J: Right now its got to be my Minnetonka moccasins. They match everything, are super comfy, and are the perfect everyday shoe for running errands and going out with the kids. Beyond that, wearing colored pants is always a favorite.

TN: Is there an article of clothing or type of shoes you wouldn't be caught dead in?

J: This is easy. I will never, ever, under any circumstance wear flip flops with socks or those horrible toe shoes.

TN: Do you have a favorite skincare or makeup product, or a favorite perfume?

J: The two makeup items I cant live without: Bobbi Brown's Shimmerblock compact and Origins mascara are my absolute favorites. I've been using various shades of the Shimmerblock for years now. It works well as a blush and an eye make up palette. The mascara was given to me as a Christmas gift by my friend Jenne and it was the best, most practical gift ever. I can't live without it now. 

TN: Any shopping tips or fashion advice you'd like to share?

J: Save up and invest in a handful of quality pieces that will last for years to come, even if you drop some serious cash -- you won't ever regret it. Maybe even set a goal to make one "quality" purchase a year. For me, last year it was a pair of Frye boots, the year prior it was a pair of post-baby designer jeans, and this year, I haven't settled on something yet, but something tells me it might involve Marc Jacobs because I can't get enough of his stuff.

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Love you and your style, Jan. Thanks for inspiring me to keep things colorful... in more ways than one.

(All of Janet's pictures were taken by Kristen Morris of I'm Kristen Photography.)


Know someone who should be featured on The 29th? Interested in being interviewed yourself? Drop me a line: casey [at] thetwentyninth [dot] com.