Some look to fashion magazines and runway shows for style inspiration. Others find much more inspiration through people around them in an environment where fashion must also function practically. Inspiration comes through seeing a perfect balance between the practical and artistic realm. As an ode to Mary Cashiola’s original intent of Style Sessions, I’m resurrecting the Style Diary series that documents real Memphians and their style solutions to their typical work week.
Today, we feature Fabiana Vazquez, my colleague and a recent graduate of the University of Memphis architecture program, transitioning to the professional but creative office environment of Looney Ricks Kiss, an architecture and interior design firm based in downtown Memphis.
We use the rich architecture of downtown as our backdrop to demonstrate how Fabiana strikes that balance between the comfortable and the stylish with her easy-to-wear pieces inlaid with colors and patterns that perfectly fit her contagiously exuberant personality.
[jump]
Monday
I try to wear things that show off my personality and sometimes even brighten my mood, especially on Mondays. I had just gotten these colorful print pants at the Germantown Festival the weekend before, so I felt them to be appropriate enough to liven up my Monday morning. Bold colors and patterns paired with neutrals are always in, and this outfit just felt like the right choice to start out my week.
Tuesday
My work environment is very casual, but Tuesdays are still the beginning of the week, so I try to wear things that are comfortable but still work appropriate. On this day, I wore my favorite jeans from Free People with a casual loose-fitting top from Urban Outfitters and topped it off with a sports coat that I got from Macy’s Bar III. Something about adding a sports coat to a casual outfit makes it more “business-y”. Accessories are always a last-minute thing for me, so I added my favorite necklace from J.Crew to finish the look.
Wednesday
It had been chilly in the office the last couple of days, and with fall being my favorite season, I couldn’t wait to start wearing my scarves again. I kept it pretty monochromatic because I love the color of my scarf and pairing it with my stripped cardigan from New York & Company accentuated it even more. My everyday shoulder-strap purse matched the trim of my flats and my watch, and it played a nice contrast with the black.
Thursday
Thursdays are my “business”-look days. I try to throw one put-together look every week to prove to my mom that I am no longer a student and that I work in an office. I also like monochromatic and neutral colors too much, so most of the clothes in my closet are black, grey, and white. I tucked in a very casual sweater into a form-fitting black skirt and added teal drop earrings from Francesca’s and coordinating bracelet from Dazzle to add a pop of color.
Friday
This is definitely my “I’m Done” look. Fridays are my lazy mornings, so I usually put on a pair of jeans and whatever top matches best, then head out. I wore my favorite brown wedges from Macy’s and my Marc Jacobs watch for some simple accessorizing, and I’m off.
Overall, I try to keep things casual and comfortable. I’m not very big with heavy accessories or make-up so my clothes usually do most of the talking. What’s most important to me when picking an article of clothing is its diversity. I don’t necessarily care about what’s “in” or not. If I really like something, I buy it. I buy things that I can wear multiple times and coordinate to different things.
Photographed at Visible Music College, top of Toyota Plaza, Aldo’s Pizza Pies, and The Mad Earl
