STYLE MUSE - STEFANY MOHEBBAN

I'm really excited to share today's L+R Style Muse, beautiful lady - Stefany Moheban.  She is a stylist and textile designer living in NYC.  I first found her via Instagram, and she is one of my favorite folks to follow.  Her style is an eclectic mix of thrifted, vintage, and designer... casual and glamorous.  Never too serious, and always a little unexpected.  I think her style is practically perfect in every way.  Stefany is definitely one of my style muses.  Her blog - Pretty In Thrift - is as personal and unique as her style (I really appreciated this honest post she just wrote).  

Thank you, Stefany, for being a L+R Style Muse!

[You can purchase Stefany's bag, borrowed from one of her favorite vintage sellers (Omnia Vintage), here]

L+R:  Who are your style muses?

S:  Elisa Nalin (she's an italian stylist), and of course Edie Sedgwick! 

L+R:  Have you always lived in New York?

S:  I was born in Milan, Italy and moved to NYC in 1994... I haven't lived anywhere else since.

L+R:  Tell us a little about your career, and journey to becoming a stylist.

S:  In my early 20's I knew I wanted to work in fashion but was not sure in what way.   I assisted fashion designers, costume designers and worked on my own art for a while before I realized that Textile Design was a great fit for me.  I studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC.  While I was studying textile design I developed a love for styling, at first providing my services (that sounds weird haha) to friends and family. In the spring of 2011 I won a contest on Fascism (a cool fashion blog), which led to an amazing weekend where I learned from one of the best stylists: Stacy London, all the tricks of the trade.  I became a stylist for her network Style for Hire and have been doing both editorial and personal styling ever since.

L+R:  How would you describe your personal style?

S:  My personal style is a melting pot of urban, vintage, ethnic and European sensibilities which are a culmination of my exposure to both Milan and NYC.  I love the edge of a downtown girl, but also appreciate the beauty of vintage prints and silhouettes, while my love for high end fashion always keeps me striving for a polished finish.  My style philosophy is all about balance and that element of the unexpected.  I love juxtaposing unusual colors, textures and shapes to make a statement, and also find pleasure in imperfection.  I find that messing something up a little bit is fun because perfection can feel a little boring :)

L+R:  Where are your favorite places to shop in NYC?

S:  NYC is so full of amazing boutiques and shops that it's hard to have favorites.  I thrive on mixing high and low, vintage and new to create an interesting look.  I shop at flea markets, vintage shops (mostly in brooklyn or the lower east side), thrift stores and the occasional luxury department store (Saks, Barneys, Bloomingdales) to achieve unexpected combinations.  Some of my go-to vintage and thrift stores include: Amarcord Vintage, Beacon's Closet, Buffalo Exchange, Vice Versa.

L+R:  Are there pieces in your wardrobe you find yourself wearing constantly? 

S:  I've been wearing my Pamela Love x Nine West western booties with pretty much everything I own.  I also can't get enough of motorcycle leather jackets, and crew neck sweaters.  I picked up a bunch of vintage grandpa sweaters from various thrift stores at the beginning of the season and they have been my go to on chilly NYC days.

L+R:  Your favorite fashion "find"?

S:  Lately I haven't been able to stop wearing my thrifted Ralph Lauren Blanket Coat. It's the coziest and most over-sized piece I own, and I just adore the combination of warm colors and the southwest inspired pattern.

L+R:  Have you always had a love for vintage?

S:  Growing up my family didn't have much money, so I wore a lot of hand me downs from family, and ended up using my mom's closet to fill in a lot of the blanks. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because my mom's closet was a dream.  We lived in Italy for a long time, so her closet was filled with beautifully made and great quality European designer pieces.  This helped not only develop my love for styling, but also appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of vintage.  

L+R:  Ok, last one is just for fun.  Three beauty products you can't live without?

S:  Aveeno body lotion, NARS eyeshadows, Makeup Forever lipsticks (they live up to their name (last forever!), and are very high pigmented.

(photos by Naomi of Omnia Vintage)