Styled by Jess | The Love List

Jess Graves is cool.  There are other words I could use to describe her (smart, talented, witty, stylish, hilarious, etc.) but in a word, cool sums up the essence that is Jess.  Her blog The Love List has been a mainstay in the blogsphere for over six years – a continuous stream of fresh content that isn’t just visual nonsense, but well written and beautifully executed graphic posts.  It’s not just a list of all Jess loves, but a true lifestyle site devoted to people, music, style, art, and living.  So what makes her so cool?  I think it’s her confident writer voice and personal style – both of which shine on her blog and inspire me to no end.  When she’s not curating her killer content on The Love List, Jess is manning Graves Social, her consulting/PR company for both businesses and bloggers…  A one-stop-shop that offers all the goodness and talent she is capable of!  After meeting Jess in person while at NYFW and loving her sweet and sassy nature even more than we thought possible, Sally and I have developed more than just a blogger crush on her… We are on a mission to make her a full-blown “real life” friend of ours…  Can you blame us?  How could you not want this girl in your life?  We suggest stalking her tweets and Instagrams to get daily doses of her hilarity and keep an eye on what adventures she is up to…  Jess was kind enough to share what She Wishes She Was Wearing with us today – an outfit and answers that have made it one of my favorites in the series thus far!

QUESTIONS of STYLE:

.Describe your personal style in five words or less:  Tomboy in heels.

.Who/What inspires your personal style, influencing what you’re drawn to and what you end up wearing?  Honestly, I get a lot of inspiration from the menswear world! I read tons of menswear blogs and love those guys, they way they can wax poetic about a double monkstrap cracks me up. I think I’ll always wink at preppy, but I’m never over the top. I like clean lines, classics I can wear over and over, and items with a little edge. I’m obsessed with French Vogue Editor in Chief Emmanuelle Alt. She’s my spirit animal.

.What is an item you cannot live without or what are some of your wardrobe essentials?  Button-down shirts (chambray of all kinds) and pointy-toe heels.  

.What is your most recent purchase?  A leather jacket from Billy Reid… there’s a snakeskin clutch there too that I’m eyeing.

.Where have you found some of your most treasured style items?  I generally have only a few key places. For “fast fashion” items, you can’t beat Zara. I’m obsessed with Equipment button-downs (Ann Mashburn in Atlanta has a great selection) and good vintage — my friend EJ in Palm Beach runs a killer shop called Groovy Palm Beach Vintage that rocks. For flats, I love Del Toro.

.What is your go-to jewelry routine?  Pretty simple. I layer a couple of delicate gold necklaces with sentimental meaning, throw on some stud earrings (one’s a fox, one’s a clover) and my trusty snake ring and jam out the door.

.What are some of your make-up must haves?  Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer and Nars blush. Gotta have. I don’t wear a ton of makeup.

.If you could meet any designer who would it be and why?  I met him this year! Twice! Billy Reid. I just love his take on Southern Style and his taste in music. He’s pretty much the coolest. I also love Michael Bastian. I kinda just want to drink with him.

.What’s the best style advice you’ve ever given or received?  Be yourself. It’s pretty simple advice, but the toughest to follow sometimes. Still, I know what feels me and what doesn’t, and I abide by that.

I love her line, “I think I’ll always wink at preppy, but I’m never over the top.” – such a good way to describe those of us with preppy style roots that have shaped our style and never seem to completely go away entirely… I love her badass black ensemble and I think we are meant to be besties because I painted my nails Butter’s Macbeth red yesterday before I even knew it was going to be out of her style picks.  Yeah, we are meant to be me thinks.  Thank you for being here today, Jess!  xx

(Photo of Jess by Caroline Fontenot . 01. Pieces Leather Drivers Glove // 02. Warby Parker Preston Gimlet Tortoise Specks // 03. Topshop Longline Collarless Biker Jacket // 04. Mark Cross Mini Madison Satchel // 05. John Derian Rabbit Tray // 06. Macbeth Red by Butter London // 07. Cole Haan Cooper Hill Wingtips // 08. Alexander McQueen Double Skull Cuff // 09. J Brand Super Skinny Leather Pants // 10. John Derian Crab Tray // 11. John Derian Beetle Tray //  12. Garrett Leight Hampton D-Frame Sunnies)