Hey, Ms. @phoebephilofan

Meet Tess. She’s my friend + she’s kind + she's got style chops for days.

When I first encountered @phoebephilofan on IG, I thought she might be … mean. I’m not proud of this! But her imagery was so editorial, and at a level that, in the world I work in, is often associated with distant or diva like behavior. Surprise! When we met IRL, I found a person whose authenticity and warmth were at the same level of the beautiful images she so thoughtfully creates. It felt like a privilege to meet someone so easy to talk to - who also knows so much about creative, forward-thinking styling.

I knew we’d be friends. I knew I’d want her to be our first Hey Mrs Solomon stylist, so that when I help a client develop a style DNA, she can take over from there with closet culling, rebuilding, etc. And I also knew I wanted to ask her a few questions here, if she’d be so kind. Which of course she was.

Do you have a style DNA? 

I do think I have style DNA, and I’ve done some thinking around it since you introduced me to the concept.  I’m still exploring, but as of right now, I would characterize my style as being classic, modern, and fun. For example, I consider jeans “classic” but I’d wear an updated “modern” pair – like my Margielas with the slashes or oversized Petar Petrov carpenter jeans. Also, I love two-piece suits - “classic” - but they have to be deconstructed, like my emerald green Margiela set, or sheer, like my latest Lapointe, or have another “modern” detail. And with the majority of my looks, I love to throw in an unexpected color or print, the “fun” element. My latest fun piece is a green Nina Ricci fishnet skirt I’ve been layering to make my outfits look more complex and elevated. 

Your handle is @phoebephilostyle. And you have quite a Phoebe collection! Give us the deets, please!

I credit Phoebe with helping me develop the style I have today! My first old Celine purchase was a second-hand diamond clutch that I found on eBay. It was designer and at a great price. I had to have it. At the time, I wasn’t all that familiar with the brand. As I started researching the clutch – as I tend to do with new purchases –  this whole world of old Celine opened up to me and I started collecting Phoebe’s pieces at a rapid rate! The most recent piece, a blue linen blazer from the 2018 resort collection, I purchased about a month ago from a seller on Vestiaire. I have most of the pieces I want at this point, but there are still a few on my wishlist! 

What might be your dream “new Phoebe” piece?

Oddly enough, as much as I love old Celine, I don’t want it to look like old Celine. I want it to be something completely new – something none of us ever envisioned, never knew we needed, but now can’t live without!  My dream “new Phoebe” piece would be something so luxurious but also understated and everyday wearable. 

Where do you like to shop? Will you describe some of your favorite finds?

The vast majority of my designer pieces I’ve collected second-hand, so, of course, I love designer resale/consignment shops like Dora Maar (find some beautiful Old Celine pieces here), UAL, Vestiaire, and TRR. There’s also a great designer consignment store in Austin called Moss where I shop in person (they have a website as well). There used to be a Neiman Marcus Last Call in Austin where I would find old Celine on crazy discount. I found the Spring 2018 knit tie-dye turtleneck for $150! I also bought two Yves Klein dresses there for around $700 a piece. I sold them both because at the time I didn’t have the confidence to wear the dress, and I regret it to this day! 

Anything on your wish list right now?

Prada’s padded sabots in orange or green are high on my list, and they fit my style DNA since they’re a modern take on a classic mule, and they’re in an offbeat color. Can you tell I’m trying to talk myself into buying them? 

I’ve also discovered a (new to me) designer, Alejandra Alonso Rojas, and I’m coveting almost all of her pieces that are on Dora Maar right now, like this lime green fringe gown that’s in my DM closet. 

Is there anything you know you’d never ever wear?

Never say never, but low-rise skinny jeans would not look good on my body type (most body types?), so they’re a no from me. I’m typically into experimenting with trends, but I would have to say no to those. If something doesn’t look good on me, I don’t wear it. I’m team high-waisted pants all the way. They’re so flattering and hold everything in. 

Will you share some photos of looks you liked and what went into building the looks? 

This first look started with my M. Gemi green pumps and I built the outfit from there. I thought it would make sense to incorporate more green, so I decided to pair the shoes with my Nina Ricci fishnet skirt. I wanted the green to stand out, so I put it over a blank slate – a white t-shirt dress by The Row. The beige Loewe blazer was a last-minute addition because it was a bit chilly out. And the last piece was the Bottega mount bag because my jewelry was minimal and also it wasn’t too “matchy” with the rest of the outfit. 

This look I wore to an Hermes pop-up. I started with my Hermes scarf. I have only worn it tied around my neck before, so I put it on the handle of my Celine bag to try something new. I adore my yellow pleated old Celine skirt that doesn’t get nearly enough wear, so I saw the event as an opportunity to wear it along with my old Celine loafers with oversized tassels. I felt like both of these pieces had Hermes vibes. And I originally had on just the navy Tibi vest, but made a last-minute decision to add the light blue Source Unknown button-down underneath to give a bit more dimension to the look. 

What are some of your favorite IG accounts?

I follow so many, and there are so many good ones, but I would say my favorites are Grece Ghanem, Tiffany Hsu , and Oumayma Elboumeshouli. Grece is such an inspiration to me as she’s a more mature style icon (as compared to the sea of younger fashion influencers). She has a million followers (and follows me back!) and once she even recreated one of my looks!  It literally was one of the best days of my life! Tiffany’s and Oumayma’s accounts are inspirational to me as they are focused on style and look editorial, which is the aesthetic I try to emulate on my IG. 

You not only dress yourself in an interesting, editorial way, but you present your content that way too. What goes into it?

The outfit and the location both feel important to me. Sometimes I’ll put together an outfit first and then find a location that makes sense. Or sometimes, I’ll spot a location where I want to shoot, and the outfit comes second. I take most of my shots with a tripod, but my husband will take them occasionally if we’re out on a date. If it’s a night shot, he probably took it. 

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