Style Swap: 2 LA Girls Trade Wardrobes
What happens when people stop wearing their own clothes, and start wearing someone else's.
Personal style can become like armor, a way to protect yourself, let the world know who's coming before you say a word. Giving up that bit of self-defense can be jarring—and exciting. What girl doesn't love to play dress up, live in someone else's world for a bit? When BAZAAR.com wanted to find two ladies to trade looks, a self described "feminine" blogger and vintage impresario, and a "tomboy" model and illustrator were the perfect mis-match. See how Natalie Joos and Langley Fox approach personal style by embodying the other's aesthetic.
Describe your style in three words?
Natalie Joos: Feminine, eclectic, pleasing.
Langley Fox: Tomboy meets farmer meets chola.
How would you describe Langley's style?
NJ: Boyish, funny, edgy.
How would you describe Natalie's style?
LF: Lady-like.
On Langley: Tata Naka dress, Paula Cademartori shoes, and The Pistol Club earrings; On Natalie: Max Mara suit and Michael Kors Collection shirt.
What does "daring" style mean to you?
NJ: Dressing to the beat of your own drum, saying FU to trends and peer pressure.
LF: Confidence to do whatever you want, whenever you want.
On Natalie: Michael Kors Collection sweater, Arme de l'amour hoops, and her own hat; On Langley: Salvatore Ferragamo dress.
What are your wardrobe MVPs?
NJ: Vintage dresses and fun flats!
LF: Rings, gold hoops, baseball caps, wrangler jeans, converse and vans.
On Natalie: Roberto Cavalli pants, Vans shoes, Michael Kors Collection sweater, and her own hat; On Langley: Salvatore Ferragamo dress and Rachel Comey shoes.
Best fashion gift you've ever been given?
NJ: The new Bally moccasins in cream.
LF: Bowie hoops.
Coach pants, Michael Kors Collection sweater, and Converse shoes.
A shoe that represents your style?
NJ: Any Miu Miu shoe.
LF: Hightop Converse classics.
Natasha Zinko dress and Salvatore Ferragamo shoes.
Style icons?
NJ: Grace Kelly, but more for the kind of woman she was and the kind of life she lived. Her style was way more conservative than mine but underneath her perfect demeanor she was a little naughty and very smart!
LF: Keith Richards, Eva Green.
Anna Sui suit and shirt; Max Mara shoes.
What most surprised you about how you felt swapping looks?
NJ: I wanted to wear everything. Hers and mine I felt at home in both.
LF: Natalie looks amazing in baseball caps and suits!
Delpozo dress, NewbarK shoes, and Vintage earrings.
When you were choosing pieces that represented you, what was most important to include?
NJ: Suits!
LF: Baseball caps, tennis shoes, and rings.
Top 3 L.A. spots to shop?
NJ: The shops around Melrose Place, the vintage stores on La Brea and Fairfax, and A Current Affair.
LF: Squaresville, Salvation Army store, Worship.
Salvatore Ferragamo dress and shoes.
What would you wear again that the other woman put you in?
NJ: The yellow Max Mara suit!
LF: There was a beautiful long dress I wore that I'd wear again.
Anything you wouldn't wear again? Why?
NJ: The Converse—mostly because they were worn by someone else for a very, very long time before I put my bare feet in them...(laughs).
LF: Maybe some of the other shorter dresses.
Roberto Cavalli suit, Saint Laurent platform sandals, and Michael Kors Collection shirt.
First fashion memory?
NJ: Me crying to wear my Sunday shoes for school... I must have been four.
LF: At the age of seven I cut my hair an inch long, died it bright red, put it in little ponytails everywhere, put ribbons off each one cascading down, wore plaid pants and fleece sweaters with combat boots. I was too shy to talk and clearly too weird to have anyone talk to me.
Gucci lion ring left index; Meredith Kahn left middle finger and right index finger; Vintage left ring finger double stack; Sabine Getty right middle finger; Vintage right ring finger.
If you were going to swap closets with anyone who would it be?
NJ: Giovanna Battaglia!
LF: Probably a young Keith Richards would do the trick.
On Natalie wears: Max Mara suit and Michael Kors Collection shirt; On Langley: Tata Naka dress, Paula Cademartori shoes, and The Pistol Club earrings.
Photographer: Chris Clinton @ Ray Brown; Styling: Natalie Joos; Hair: Nicole Chew using Oribe Hair Care for Art Department; Makeup: Sandra Ganzer @ Jed Root
