I’m not a “trendy” person when it comes to fashion.  Sometimes I wish I was, but then I like my classic style.  And I’m certainly not into the 80’s jorts and see-thru shirts that have somehow (what on earth?!) made a come-back for the college kids.

Thankfully, I was introduced to the classics when I was a “tween” or perhaps when I was a teenager.  In the summers growing up, my brother and I would ship off to grandparents, aunts and uncles for a week at a time…maybe so my parents could get some of their sanity back, or maybe it was so that we could form better/closer relationships with these amazing people.

One aunt & uncle never had kids so it was always a treat to be able to go stay with them.  This particular aunt was the one that introduced me to the black and white movies…the classics you could find on AMC (which was American Movie Classics) or TCM.  It was in watching these movies that I fell in love with stars like Audrey Hepburn and Katherine Heburn,

(with the dapper Cary Grant)

Grace Kelly and Ginger Rogers

The fashions they wore in their movies were just amazing.  Beautifully made, form-fitting but not spandex-y.  Feminine and gorgeous.  Their styles were timeless and that’s where I found my sense of style.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve searched for the classics, and truly they’re not hard to find.  My go-to stores are typically Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft, The Limited, J-Crew and Boden (USA). {I still like to throw in a trendy-ish piece every now and then but I don’t splurge on those.}

Yesterday I received the Autumn catalog from Boden (a friend introduced me to this company several  years ago) and I’m smitten by what I see.  The dresses are my absolute favorites, along with the pencil skirts and cardigans (can one ever have too many!?).  So I will drool over what I see, anticipating the arrival of baby Eliza Jane and praying that not too long after she’s born I’ll be able to get back into my tailored dresses and suits.

What’s your style and who (or what) influences it?