Style Profile // Jessica

AND WE'RE BACK! Yes, a Style Profile. A beautiful one at that. The lovely Jessica is bringing this awesome series back after a long absence of me crying over Accounting homework. Ain't she the prettiest?

Ok. Warning. I'm about to fangirl and gush and say things that are probably really embarrassing (for me) but I don't even care.

So here's the low down on Jessica. The low down on how she has always been this shining light of goodness and beauty to me. You see, Jessica and I went to high school together and she was the star. Like she is the prettier, nicer, WAY more wholesome Rachel Berry of Weber High. Ok so maybe Rachel Berry is totally not a good comparison because Jessica's so much better.  A good person through and through. She has the voice of an angel and a heart of pure stardust (and I'm not saying that because she played Wendy in the school musical) (Okay, maybe I am). No really though, ask anyone who went to Weber High (heck ask anyone now) and they will tell you that Jessica is the sweetest person alive. She really is. I've always looked up to her and I don't know if she knows that but I really have.

In other news, she made me bawl like a baby when she played Aida, so you know. Mad ups to this chick. This gem is also a BYU grad, a personal assistant and if you haven't guessed by now, she's a musical theatre lover. Oh and she's LDS! Represent!

Today she tells us about a signature jewelry piece that pulls a look together, a fashion philosophy for this day and time and how quantity doesn't always equal quality. Thanks, Jessica!

P.S. Her husband took some of the photos and the pink dress photo is by her sister. Follow her sister on Instagram at  @tiffpackphoto. 

Q. How would you describe your personal style?

A. I would probably classify myself under the stereotype of “Girl Next Door” - but with a little modern vintage twist.

Q. How did you “find” your personal style?

A. I used to have this philosophy of quantity over quality when it comes to clothes. But I was SO wrong.  I think that if you invest in pieces that you love, are comfortable & that reflect the inner you - that they can/should last a long time in your wardrobe rotation, regardless of the passing fads.  If you are buying something just because it’s on trend & affordable - you will find three months later that you are sending it off to Goodwill.

Q. How do you plan your outfits or put them together?

A. Typically, at least one of my clothing items is a solid neutral.  I consider myself a fairly simple & open-minded person in my views of the world - so I like my clothing to reflect that. I don’t want my outfit so exaggerated  that people miss the person inside of the clothing.

Q. Do you have any style “splurges”?
A. Shoes. All the shoes. I am definitely a believer in investing in what you put on your feet. Oh! & a solid pair of denim.  Splurge to have at least one pair of Joe’s Jeans in your closet - and by splurge, i mean: buy at a discount at Nordstrom Rack.

Q. How does wearing your uniform/favorite outfit make you feel?

A. Confident. When I’m putting a hearty effort into my appearance I feel like that echoes the state of my soul & that is usually when I’m most confident and happy with the world

Q. What do you like about your sense of style?
A. I like that the way I dress echoes the kind of lifestyle I live. It’s nothing too fancy, it is pretty simple - but it’s classy. And I like that.

Q. Any style secrets we should know about?
A. Own it. Whatever you are wearing - own it like it’s your first Polly Pocket. I have a hard time when people say “I love it, but I couldn’t pull it off.” Cuz I’m over here like “SAYS WHO?!” If you love the socks with sandals look - Go for it! If you love it - EMBRACE  IT - throw those haters out the window. Figuratively, of course.

Q. What is your signature piece?

A. A pair of simple CZ or pearl studs - they pull everything together for me.

Q. What's a trend you tried and regretted?

A. Basically everything in Junior High & High School. haha Jokes. But not really. I didn’t really know who I was then, so my clothes were just clothes - they didn’t really reflect anything. I mean, I always respected my body and dressed in a way that I felt comfortable - but there isn’t anything from my HS wardrobe that I have kept… so… that’s saying something.

Q. Anything you absolutely won’t wear?

A. Dr. Marten’s - I feel like I would look like I was walking around with bricks on my feet.

Q. What is your overall fashion philosophy?

A. You gotta love you. I think it is important to have people who inspire you in fashion - but at the end of the day, you should love who you are and the way you present yourself.

A thing or two about clothes.

p h o t o 

So I used to be really into fashion, and you might be thinking...ummm...what are you talking about you still are. Yeah, well no. Not really. I mean I was so into it that I studied Vogue magazine, Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, you name the fashion magazine I was following it. I knew trends like I knew the back of my hand. I wanted to work fashion. I wanted to be it. I wanted every single person I came in contact with to know that I was going to write about fashion one day and I was going to wear it. I wanted people to know my knowledge.

Well...now that I look back, I find it to be really silly, actually. Don't get me wrong, I love clothes. I do. Clothes are my thing, I guess you could say, and I would love to write about them. Heck, I love to write about them now. I love pinning clothes. I love shopping for clothes. I love looking at clothes. I still like the magazines and the designs and the detail, but now I don't want to be clothes anymore. Clothes don't define me. Yes, I may be defined as Dani with the cute clothes...but I hope that that isn't what people think of when they think of me...and if they do...well I'm flattered but I also hope that they see me. I hope they see that if I had my way (I kind of do anyway) I would gray sweatshirts and skinny jeans every day of my life. I would wear my hair naturally and put on minimal makeup and I would be okay. But I'm human and sometimes I get insecure and sometimes I dress up and sometimes I take pictures of it and put it on instagram.

The thing is though, I'm not meaning to boast or show off. I don't mean that at all. I just express myself because clothes have become that way for me. People have been inspired by it...so I do it, because ultimately I want to inspire people.

I want to be Dani, the girl who likes clothes, but also likes people, and talking, and laughing and eating food and playing games and singing songs and giving hugs and being a listening ear, a good wife, a true friend. That's the Dani I want to be.

So don't let clothes define you. Stop looking at pinterest and actually determining your worth from your pin boards. Your friends' lives on social media don't determine your worth. You can't take material things with you, so don't let them be your life. Put your treasures elsewhere and let that light shine through.


And always, always remember to s t a y // g o l d.