Renaissance?

Here it is: my first shoot of the new year. I have been dressing extremely casually lately. It has been nice to leave my crazy shoes in the closet, and toss on whatever feels comfortable.

I feel as though a year ago I would have thought to myself, "Jackie...what are you thinking doing a shoot in a pair of jeans, a sweater, and a plain jacket?". Now, really I wouldn't label such an outfit as "plain". There's something so personal about the way in which each person styles what they wear. Here I have slightly tucked my jeans into my boots, added an over-sized element with my sweater, and tossed on my Veda Max leather jacket (my number one staple the past few months) to contrast the length and size of my sweater. To finish everything off I added my grandmother's jewelry. When she was still alive, she worked for the Museum of Natural History in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Almost all of her jewelry consists of old pieces from various First Nation tribes. My personal favorite is her squash blossom necklace (the necklace with different animal figures), which is said to carry the spirit of anyone who touches it. With such a sense of thought, detail, styling, and personal history I don't think any such outfit can be labeled as "plain".

The truth is as my style has evolved, I try less to be noticed, and I search more for the types of pieces I want to live in. Getting dressed is about celebrating your individuality--where you come from, and what you have come to. Isn't style about just being yourself and being comfortable with that?

Jacket: Veda, Sweater: Trouvé, Jeans: Rag & Bone, Boots: Jeffrey Campbell Tripoli, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Flipping Out Satchel, Sunglasses: Tom Ford Carrie