Price Upon Request: My 2025 Style Commandments

Happy New Year ya’ll! Ayyye!!! 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽

This time of year always brings a mix of holiday exhaustion, fulfillment from reconnecting with loved ones (and favorite foods and outfits), and fresh inspiration for the year ahead. I’m not big on the “New Year, New You” mantra, but I’m all for moving forward and doing better!

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how to evolve my style, shop smarter, and curate a wardrobe that suits my life. I’ve crafted commandments as my cheat sheet for doing just that, and I hope they inspire you to create your own.

1. You Shall Have No Other Wardrobes Before Yours
   Treat your closet as a reflection of your style story. Care for it thoughtfully and curate with intention.

2. You Shall Not Make False Idols of Trends
   Trends are fleeting. Don’t sell your style soul for the “It” anything of any season.

3. You Shall Not Take the Name of Timeless Style in Vain
   Timeless pieces are sacred. Treat your trench coats, blazers, and perfect jeans with reverence.

4. Remember Wardrobe Self-Care Day—Keep It Sacred.
   Set aside one day (a month, a quarter, or whatever works for YOU) to tailor, steam, and organize. Fit matters: Your clothes should fit you, not “anyone within three sizes of you.” A well-loved wardrobe is a cherished one.

5. Honor Your Vintage and Secondhand Finds
   Respect the stories your pre-loved treasures carry. They’re more than just clothes—they’re legacy pieces.

6. You Shall Not Harm the Planet with Overconsumption
   Shop mindfully, reuse creatively, and pause before making impulsive purchases. Think twice before hitting “add to cart.”

7. Thou Shalt Not Cheat by Copying Mannequin Styling

   Borrow, remix, and make it yours—don’t just copy, especially with pieces you love. Take inspiration from anywhere, but always add your special stamp.

8. Thou Shalt Honor the Original
   Celebrate creativity. Inspiration is endless, but direct imitation dims both the original and your own style. Support creators, respect originality.

9. You Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Your Closet
   Be honest about what you actually wear. Declutter those “someday” pieces and make room for the real MVPs. And find new ways to style them in the process.

10. You Shall Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Wardrobe
    Instead, collaborate! Swap, share, and trade for fresh inspiration—community over competition. Make it a thing.

Last year, I came across a handful of designers and brands stirring things up, each with their own distinct finesse. Whether it’s celebrating curves or reimagining silhouettes, these creatives are setting the bar for what’s next. Here’s a quick look at the ones who’ve completely captured my attention—and should capture yours too.

1. Nocturne
I covered their NYC opening in my first newsletter, and I’m still obsessed. Nocturne turns everyday essentials into wearable art with sleek lines, bold tailoring, and a little edge.

2. Willy Chavarria
A lot of brands try to fuse streetwear and luxury, but Chavarria’s work is daring and purposeful, making statements both stylistically and socially. Each piece feels like a love letter to individuality. He’s earned every accolade he’s received in 2024.

3. LR3 Louis Rubi
Louis Rubi transforms fashion into performance, crafting sculptural pieces where dramatic shapes and theatrical details command attention.

4. Conner Ives
Ives turns sustainability into high art, weaving patchwork and repurposed fabrics into covetable fashion statements.

5. Fidan Novruzova
This Moldovan visionary makes everyday fashion museum-worthy.

6. Karoline Vitto
Vitto’s designs aren’t just celebrating curves—they’re giving traditional fashion’s body obsession a masterclass in modern sensuality.

7. McKenzie Liautaud
In my jewelry edition newsletter, I featured a Q&A with McKenzie Liautaud, a New York-based designer whose striking, soulful gemstone pieces inspire me to keep refining my jewelry pursuit.

The Tabi’s divisive toe split conquered new territory in 2024, as Margiela’s signature split-toe design infiltrated loafers and ballet flats with the same unsettling elegance that made the original boot iconic.

• In a past newsletter, I highlighted bag charms, noting how Miu Miu fans flocked to their keychain. High Snobiety’s 2024 recap nailed it.

  

• I dream of grillz often but haven’t made the investment yet. In my jewelry newsletter (yes, another shameless plug), I touched on grillz briefly, but I love this Angie Martinez interview with Paul Wall where he plays “Guess Da Grillz.” Here are some designer/brand picks that I crowdsourced if you’re in the market:

  • Black Ice Jewels

  • Erica Diggs from Grillz by Diggs

  • Aziza from Aziza Handcrafted

  • Jilliah from Fine Ass Fronts

  • Helen from Helen with the Gold Teeth

Not all end-of-year roundups are created equal, but this one definitely made my cut.