A style interview with Becky

{Cape May, circa I don't know, because the years all run together.}

I consider my friend Becky to be very stylish - even though she modestly brushes that description off. Becky is a beauty, and she always looks great. She is my go-to when I have wardrobe questions. She is actually my go-to for more things than I can list, because she's smart - through and through. 

The life lessons she's taught me range from the serious to the random like: never eat chicken salad in a second or third  world country ... or even at a diner for that matter. Our conversations span from style and food, to solving the world's problems, which at one time may have involved a scheme to start our own nation with Sarah. 

I hope you enjoy reading her thoughts as much as I did. I just wish I could pay her to be my personal shopper.

How did you develop your own sense of style?

I like to shop and have always loved the smell of a department store, but I don't consider myself to be extremely stylish. I have strong opinions, so it seems easy for me to make decisions what I want to wear and what I like in a design.  My parents need to take some credit for stressing the importance of purchasing things in life (whether for the home or the wardrobe) that will not go out of style and are of good quality.  I base a lot of my wardrobe choices using that idea.  

Regarding my decorating style, when I first started my job (selling furniture and working on interior design); I only had my instincts regarding designing/decorating. I never considered myself to be the "creative type", and in fact, would have identified with the exact opposite personality.  It wasn't until I had a few years of working at my job, that I began to take ownership of my creativity. I believe that most of my sense of style has come from experience, but I do acknowledge there are people that just seem to have a certain knack or gift for it.

{The Sea Willows in Cape May. Bliss.}

How would you describe your style?
I don't always follow this in all areas, but the general principle of keeping things classic and simple makes sense to me. I like not having to replace things just because it went out of style.

This applies to a wardrobe or home, but I think I use it more in the home setting. Partly because furniture and decor are more expensive to replace than clothes and partly because it is fun to wear a trendy outfit even if it might get tossed or consigned in a short time. 

I will admit that since I've been dating Shane, my penchant for purchasing "trendy" clothing has waned. I have picked up on some of his habits of purchasing basic quality pieces over purchasing a mass quantity of cheap clothes. Now I pick pants, blouses, and sweaters that work together in different combinations instead of buying all of these random pieces that I like, but aren't versatile. 

My style for home decorating is sometimes a mystery to me. Since I am exposed to so many different situations at work, I do find it hard to pinpoint what I love exactly and what I want exactly. I love the industrial European influences like you would see with Ballard Designs, but with less clutter.  I don't love a lot of color (surprise surprise). Neutrals with dark accents is my go-to.  Some color can be fun, in pillows or artwork. But I think it presents a cleaner, simpler look when the room isn’t bombarded with a lot of color/distractions.  It also makes it easier to add pieces along the way (as we all will do in our lifetime) without having to change a lot of decor.

{At the site of a future Sea Willows Boutique in Bethany Beach.}

What current trends do you wish would go away? (For wardrobe or home.)
Trends are always tricky to figure out. Do I hate this? Do I love this? Do I "secretly" love this? I haven't come across a lot of home trends that I absolutely hate lately - other than pallets. Sorry to everyone who loves pallets. I just don't get it using them as decor/furniture. The DIY furniture and decor is not my thing. 

Wardrobe trends - don't get me started. I have fallen into a lot of trends that I said I never would. Can anyone say "leggings"? I even have those dumb furry boots. I do have enough shame not to wear them in combination unless I'm going to my sisters or Shane's. 

Currently, I wish that T-shirts with French sayings on them would be used to dust my house or used as a rag to clean my gun.  Why are you wearing a shirt that has French words on it? Makes no sense to me at all.  Literally. Sorry, just a rant. Also, I am not completely onboard with all of the Aztec prints. But I might wear them in the future – who knows?

{All together! Just missing Brianna, but we left a spot for ya in the front. Circa 2009.}

Where do you find your style inspiration?

I can find inspiration everywhere. Looking through any and all magazines helps, even if it’s to figure out what I don’t like!  Walking through the Home section of any store, I might see a piece of decor that catches my eye and gives me an idea for a color scheme I would want to use in a spare room. Sometimes I just get online and search a thought, like "navy blue bedroom" or "white decor" or "winter outfits" and see what comes up.  

Pinterest is a great tool to have now - I can get lost on there and spend hours dreaming of what I could do with all of the ideas they present! Usually what I find makes me slightly depressed because I feel like I will never be able to have my home look like the pictures or I will never find the perfect outfit for winter. My advice for when we all feel like that is to see if there is just one area or one outfit to can work on.  Carefully think about what the end result needs to be and take time to figure out where to go to accomplish it.  

Places like HomeGoods can be overwhelming because they throw so much at the shopper. So, I try to go to Home Goods with a plan. "I am looking for a tray to put on my ottoman -I want it to be black or wooden."  Then, make sure to stand firm and leave if it’s not there - unless you find something even better!! 

I have been putting this plan into action while clothing shopping too. "I am looking for colored jeans" –so, don't buy anything but colored jeans. It does take time, it does take more effort, but, I have been so pleased with the results of shopping this way.  I am ending up with less clothing that just sits in my closet and more outfits that I feel great in!

{Friends helping me warm up after pictures and before I walked down the aisle. Becky might have been telling me, "Sure you can wear your moccasins down the aisle." And I almost did.}

Any other thoughts on style that you'd like to add?

Keep in mind: there are no real rules. 

We don’t have to dress a certain way and our homes don’t have to look like everyone else’s. If you look in any decor magazine or fashion blog, we all will all say at least once, "that's so ugly" regarding what someone else has designed. I even find myself critiquing high end designers who have a lifetime of experience.  

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I usually tell my customers that if they like it, use it/do it. The era of having matching furniture and curtains is over! Decorate eclectically! Build up a killer wardrobe over time, piece by piece. Do research, get ideas, and be patient – the right look will come!