Issue 101: On getting dressed in LA
And what it confirmed about myself
Last week, I went on a work trip to LA.
I styled a few looks for Donni’s HS27 collection and I have been trying to find the words for the feeling ever since I got home.
I have ADD. My mind is always moving. I have never napped in my life because the second I close my eyes, I think of a million things. The only way I can truly relax during a massage is by listening to a podcast.
Not in a bad way. I love what I think about. Some mix of work and family and outfits and logistics. I welcome it.
The drive from my hotel to the shoot was an hour in an uber, alone, and I have never in my life felt my mind so still. Literally ever.
Still in the way that happens when you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
No nerves. No second guessing. No stress. No thinking about logistics. What I am doing next. What I am doing tomorrow. What is happening at home. Just comfortable in my own skin. Trusting myself and what I am capable of.
I do not want to sound sappy. But if sharing these stories helps even one person get a little closer to the life they want, then it is worth it.
I worked in the investment industry for ten years before starting troupe and never would have imagined that my dream of being a stylist was anything other than a pipe dream. I am always careful about talking too much about the pride I feel in my work because I know what it feels like to be on the other side of it. To feel disconnected from your life. To wonder if you missed your thing entirely.
It’s because of that that I can appreciate this feeling so much now.
Working with Alyssa (founder of donni) and Katherine (senior brand manager), and watching them in their element, is something I keep coming back to. I am in awe of what Alyssa does. She turns her vision into clothes. But not just any clothes. Clothes I actually want to wear. Clothes my clients want to wear.
Sometimes they are pieces I never would have thought I wanted, but once I see them, they become all I can think about.
She is making things for us. And seeing that come to life in person was incredibly cool. Every morning since I have been home, I put something on and all I want is one of the pieces from that shoot.
It was a really good trip. I got to hang out with some friends in real life that I only know from dms. And I got to spend time with one of my oldest friends who moved to LA ten years ago. I don't get to see her very often but every time I do it's like no time has passed. There is just nothing better than great girlfriends.
How I Packed
If you have been part of the troupe for a while, you know the drill. A carry on. Every single time. No matter how long I am going for. It’s the travel garment bag that makes it all possible.
I get questions about my carry on set up all the time so I will do a whole issue on it. Coming soon.
What I wore on the plane: my trench (homme girls mac coat), my row stella flats with socks, donni zip up (best, and wore it all trip), Soldout black linen tee, black leset pants I wear all the time, and vintage gucci canvas tote.
What I ordered to my hotel
As a Canadian, going to the US always feels like an opportunity to do a very specific kind of online shopping. The kind where everything ships easily. No duties. No mental gymnastics at checkout trying to decide if something is worth an extra hundred dollars in fees.
I spent the month before the trip with it sitting in the back of my mind. Thinking about pieces I had been curious about but was not fully convinced by yet. Things I wanted the freedom to order, try on, and return easily,
I did not want to spend the trip running around shopping. I wanted to be in it. In the moment. So I ordered a few things ahead of time and had them sent to the hotel.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it) I liked and kept them all.
Here is what I got:
