[image]
[title]Kéla Walker, “a lady never tells,” TV host/producer for NYC Media and part-time fashion blogger (kelaskloset.com); Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Her personal style: “Feminine, flirty, sophisticated and chic with a bit of an edge. I work in broadcast and I’m on-air covering a lot of entertainment, lifestyle and cultural events, which means I need to look the part. Luckily, I’m a girly girl that’s into fashion and beauty, so my professional and personal style get to be one.”
Her inspirations: “Everyone from the girl on the street to the model on the catwalk, as well as the things I see in between. I love being a woman and the unlimited possibilities of style that come with that.”
Favorite stores: “Michelle New York (376 Atlantic Ave between Bond and Hoyt Sts, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn; 718-643-1680, michellenewyork.com) always has really great pieces to complement my wardrobe. It carries a variety of designer pieces from Byron Lars and Black Halo, as well as its own eponymous line. I especially like the accessories that range from trendy CC Skye cuffs to notice-my-mani cocktail rings from designers I’ve never heard of but love no less. It’s hard to go into H&M (locations throughout the city; visit hm.com) and not leave without something. It is so great at making the trends and high-end styles super affordable. Zara (locations throughout the city; visit zara.com) is my favorite retailer. I really stock up on pieces during its biannual sale. I love eye-catching accessories that can help strike up a conversation or make someone do a double take, but I refuse to pay a lot of money for them. All of my great accessories come from discount department stores such as Loehmann’s (locations throughout the city; visit loehmanns.com) and Century 21 (locations throughout the city; visit c21stores.com).”
Favorite salon: “There is only one person that I allow to cut my hair: celebrity stylist Porshe Waldo of Ebony Design (112 W 27th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves, suite 701; 212-741-5050). I have been going to her for more than ten years—she’s amazing with the scissors.”
Her signature garment: “My friends would say it’s a shift dress. I think it’s one of the most versatile pieces a woman can own. You can wear it loose, belted, tucked in as a shirt or layered over as a skirt. I love a good shift dress.”
Favorite local designer: “I love the feminine sensibility of the clothes by Walter Baker (thewaltercollection.com). They are fun and flirty but not obnoxiously so. It’s one of my go-to brands for when I need a well-dressed look that will take me from the office to an event. I’m also a big fan of [designer Suzi Chin’s] dresses from Ivy and Blu Maggy Boutique (ivyandblumaggyboutique.com), which are a wardrobe staple for me in my line of work. It also has great maxis for easy city style.”
How she describes New York style: “It’s anything and everything you want it to be, from the dark and sketchy to the luxurious and trendy. But at the heart of it, New York style has an edge and sophistication that’s unparalleled to any other place. You know a New Yorker when [he or she] walks into a room.”
How her style has evolved: “It has definitely matured through the years, and has become a lot more effortless and less contrived. I have naturally come into my own and feel less compelled to follow the masses as I did in my younger years. Now, everything that I buy has to have a classic appeal to it. Before I purchase anything, I envision if I would wear it in five years and if it will work with at least three other things in my closet. If the answer is no, I likely won’t buy it.”
Follow Cristina Velocci on Twitter: @cvelocci