How long have you been with J.Crew?
I’ve been at J.Crew for over 16 years! My first job here was casting models. During catalog shoots, I couldn’t keep my hands off anything and had an opinion about everything, from the hair and makeup to the clothes. Eventually I was heard and moved full-time
into styling.

First signs you were destined for stylist stardom?
When I was in 2nd grade I would dress my pet poodle, Bow Tie, in old baby clothes. Poor dog! I developed a knack for tomboy styling early on, probably because I grew up surrounded by boys (I have brothers, and my dad coached a hockey team). I remember repurposing the straps of my overalls every way imaginable because wearing them the conventional way seemed off to me.

Describe your personal style. 
My style was cultivated very much from necessity. I’m extraordinarily petite, so clothes are usually enormous on me. I make them work by acting as my own spur-of-the-moment tailor by using signature tricks I now use on the job, like paper-bagging, cuffing, pegging and belting. I’m a big believer of making something your own. I’m constantly bunching a few buttonholes of a basic cardigan onto one button to give it a cooler asymmetrical shape. Twist it, wrinkle it, mismatch it—whatever it takes!

What inspires you?

Everything! I visit galleries, people watch, pore over magazines and study art books. It’s about finding fashion in both unexpected and expected places. Lately, I’ve been finding inspiration in the hardware store, from the amazing rows of paint swatches to all the ideas I get for makeshift accessories, like a rope belt or a bungee cord necklace polished off with a brooch.

What is your style mantra?
Don’t overthink it…or better yet, don’t let them know you did. 

(illustration by Somsack, post by Alison Griffin)