fashion blogger – MIA ZARRELLA

Where I Shop, Why I Shop, How I Shop

My Instagram followers have been asking me about where I shop, so here I am, breaking it all down for you guys.

First of all, I think that we (the general consumer culture) shop too much. Fast fashion stores like Zara, Primark, and H&M have created a culture of the “Friday night outfit.” This is when you go shopping for an inexpensive dress so that you have something new to wear for a party, but then you never wear it again, it falls apart, or you replace it with another one the next week.

This isn’t how I shop, though. I prefer quality over quantity and outfit repeating isn’t social suicide, it’s my normal. When I shop, I invest, therefore I only make purchases about once a month. I’d rather have a small wardrobe of reliable and timeless pieces than a large wardrobe of poorly made, trendy clothes.

So here’s where I shop:

I work at Rue La La and Gilt, which are off-price designer retailers. This is where I can get some of my favorite designer items at discounted prices. It takes a lot of hunting because these sites change their inventory multiple times a day, but it’s so worth it when you find what you want for less money.

Sweater & shoes from Allsaints; vintage Lee Jeans from L Train Vintage; belt bag from & Other Stories

If I’m looking for a pair of shoes, my go-to is Gucci and All Saints. They have the most reliable and beautiful leather goods and incredibly comfortable shoes. My black Gucci Brixton loafers and Princetown slippers are some of the best investments I’ve ever made. Also, I’ve bought the same pair of combat boots from All Saints twice because of how much I loved them.

I also love All Saints for dresses and sweaters. Their quality of clothing is great and their designs are edgy and sexy.

Reformation dress

If you look at my Instagram you will see that a large portion of my wardrobe is from Reformation. Ref is a California-based environmentally-friendly, ethical clothing manufacturer. Everything they create has just the right balance of sex appeal and timeless style (think: silk dresses with high slits, or sun dresses with open backs). I love how I can buy a plain, modest LBD from them but just how the dress falls and moves on the body, I will immediately feel confident.

Lastly, since Natacha Ramsay-Levi became the creative director of Chloé a year ago, I’ve been obsessed with their inventory and splurged on a pair of white Rylee boots. The quality of Chloé is divine and the style is a perfect mix of Parisian-meets-Western-meets Cate Blanchett from Ocean’s 8. It’s a very empowering look.

When I’m searching for my next purchase, I like to scroll through Moda Operandi, Net-a-Porter, and Man Repeller for inspiration. Otherwise, I just head to a thrift store.

If you have any more questions for me feel free to comment below or message me on Instagram @miazarrella.

Examining the “I Really Don’t Care Do U?” Jacket Fiasco

Screen Shot 2018-06-26 at 7.30.29 AM.png — SOURCE: Andrew Harnik/AP/REX/Shutterstock

I’ve written about FLOTUS Melania Trump’s attire before. The first time was her powder blue Ralph Lauren Inauguration suit. Everything from the choice of an American designer to her Jackie Kennedy-inspired aesthetic demonstrated that Melania was trying to convey the image of American royalty (an image Jack & Jackie had accomplished). It was strategic, as many of her outfits have been. She wore Ralph Lauren that day because she recognized the importance of wearing an American designer as she and her husband were sworn in as the leading family of the free world. It was incredibly calculated.

That’s why I struggle to believe that the jacket she wore to the Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter, a Texas detention center for undocumented minors, doesn’t mean anything.

At least that’s what her spokesperson Stephanie Grisham claims. When Melania boarded her plane to Texas she was photographed in a $39 spring/summer 2016 collection Zara jacket emblazoned with the saying: ‘I really don’t care, do u?”, and the public was outraged.

Screen Shot 2018-06-26 at 7.32.41 AM.png — Click to view on Twitter.

According to Bustle, “Grisham denies that there was any message behind FLOTUS’ jacket in an email to Bustle, writing, ‘It’s just a jacket. There was no hidden message. After today’s important visit to Texas, I hope the media isn’t going to choose to focus on her wardrobe. (Much like her high heels last year.)'”

Oh, Stephanie, there is a message, though. According to The Washington Post, at least 2,300 children have been displaced and separated from their parents since the Administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy- a policy which President Trump later changed his mind about as nonchalantly as one changes their mind about ordering a soup instead of a salad. Therefore the message we are getting from your jacket is that you simply don’t care about the traumatized children you’re visiting. It’s not “hidden,” it’s blatant.

Fashion DOES mean something which is why politicians have been using style for years to subliminally communicate with the world. Do we have to mention Hillary Clinton’s power suits and strategic use of the color white, a hue associated with the suffragette movement and purity? Or what about Barack Obama’s dad jeans that proved he was “one of us”? Or what about Michelle Obama’s affinity for J. Crew that showed she didn’t need expensive labels? Oh, oh! And let’s not forget how Meghan Markle’s wedding veil featured hand-sewn tributes to all 53 countries in the Commonwealth.

Clothing is a way to speak without using our voices. In this digital age, a photo really does speak a thousand words, so we can’t afford to make reckless outfit decisions. In our FLOTUS’ case, her jacket spoke volumes. It said, “I don’t care about these traumatized families.” Yet, we could argue it actually says, “I don’t care enough to think.”

Maybe the FLOTUS didn’t take a second to think about her outfit decision on this important day, but that would be dumbfounding. This event follows her visit to Houston after Hurricane Harvey destroyed a nearby city. That day she was scrutinized and attacked by the public for wearing stilettos to the site. (She later changed into white tennis shoes, but the public frenzy had already broken out.) So it baffles me to assume she just “didn’t think” about the green parka’s message. After all, she did wear sneakers on this Border visit, so she learned something from past mistakes.

Perhaps our FLOTUS thought wearing an outdated jacket from a fast fashion company would make her relatable (like Michelle). Perhaps she thought it was practical for the day and would go along well with her Stan Smiths, which she remembered to wear this time. Perhaps she thought it was appropriate because it was casual. And even though she put all of this thought into those gritty details, she didn’t take the time to read the fine print. Literally. And that’s what has us all shocked.

It must be difficult having to pretend to care all the time.

Side note: I don’t believe, as the President has tweeted, that this is a message to the “Fake News Media,” nor do I believe the conspiracy theory that her jacket is a middle-finger to her husband.

Fashion, meet Music.

If you can listen to music & read at the same time, tap here for my Spotify playlist that goes along with this post.

Fashion holds up a mirror to our culture. It’s a reflection of our society’s goals, values, interests, and standards. Style– as in personal style which is not solely influenced by the industry’s trends– is a reflection of that person’s values and interests— and that includes music.

That being said, my outfit here says: “I wish I was a Highwayman,” and well, I do.

The Highwaymen have been described as “The Mount Rushmore of Country Music.” Comprised of solo artists Mr. Johnny Cash, Mr. Waylon Jennings, Mr. Willie Nelson, and Mr. Kris Kristofferson, the Highwaymen was a joining of forces in 1985. This grouping is comparable to Marvel’s “The Defenders” or when the “Suite Life of Zach and Cody” and “Hannah Montana” did an episode together.

I’m a big fan of old country music. If you were to ask me if could have dinner with anybody dead or alive, I’d say Johnny Cash. And if you were to look at my Spotify history you’d see I’ve been on a Waylon Jennings kick for three weeks (and counting). However, I’ve never worn anything country-inspired (after all, I do live in the Northeast). I first saw this “Waylon on Tour” belt buckle on Johnny Knoxville, another self-proclaimed country music fan and personal hero of mine. The Chloé boots are a new addition to my wardrobe and I believe I was so drawn to them because of my new appreciation for country & western themes. (Not to mention: These boots look incredible on bare legs, which has always been a huge struggle of mine while boot shopping.) So even though I’ve never considered myself a country girl, my music taste has undoubtedly affected my wardrobe, and this isn’t the first time.

When I’m in deep with a band or musician, I become so enamored with their style that I find ways to incorporate it into my daily looks. Whether it’s a band T that I style with trousers and a blazer, or something more subtle like western-inspired ankle boots, the music I listen to has helped me shape my wardrobe.

Here’s the outfit breakdown:

The button-down is an old piece from Madewell. The shorts are my mother’s Gap shorts from 25 years ago (gotta love vintage). The bamboo handle purse is thrifted. The belt buckle is Waylon Jennings tour merchandise (available online still). The sunnies are Ray Ban and the boots are Chloé (both still available for purchase).

My Aesthetic Conundrum

Click here to view on Instagram

I captioned this photo “Italian Vogue circa 1959” because A.) I thought it was funny and B.) I had (rather unintentionally) styled myself in vintage-inspired pieces. The result: This 1950s-era European swim look. From the checkered tin lunchbox (which is a TJ Maxx purchase by the way!) to the straw hat and one-piece, I had transformed into a new retro Mia, as opposed to my usual modern grunge look.

Something I’ve always grappled with is the idea of looking like a certain aesthetic. I used to get embarrassed if a label was attached to me. In high school and college, I was oh-so creatively called “biker chick” and “Grease lightning” because I wore a leather jacket. I used to think people thought I was pretending to be somebody else, which has never been the case. Yet, that’s not to say that I didn’t draw style inspiration from models and movies during my formative years.

In this age of personal branding, I thought it was important to have one clear-cut aesthetic. Some influencers are Parisian chic, while others are goth, and they hardly dabble outside of those style genres. I no longer believe that that is how it has to be. I now have a new perspective on embodying different aesthetics and personas in my wardrobe choices.

I believe that fashion (and style) is derivative, so all designers and fashion icons are influenced by preexisting or historic styles and designs. So, why can’t I be? I’m finally letting myself delve into different style tribes from punk and Parisian to retro and minimalist, as long as my persona and individual style is still there at the core.

So go ahead, call me Sandy.

Style Breakdown:

The swim suit is a one piece with a lovely cutout from Reformation. I bought this straw hat from a street vendor on Long Beach Island, but TJ Maxx has an almost identical version right now. And the shoes are White Mountain espadrilles that feel like sneakers (seriously, I once walked 9 miles in them while on holiday).

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