Vogue's Lisa Aiken and her style formula
An inspiring, approachable master class from a fashion executive
Lisa Aiken, Executive Fashion and Beauty Director at Vogue, Allure, and GQ is one of my favorite fashion people to follow for style inspiration. I find that I’m quite consistently drawn to her aesthetic such that when I’m getting dressed in the morning and flipping through looks I’ve bookmarked on social media, her profile is one I see on repeat.
Here’s why I find her so memorable:
Her style words are timeless. To me, Lisa’s style is modern, monochromatic, classic while embracing oversized, and marked by well-tailored, core investment pieces that can be worn year after year.
Lisa grew up in Newcastle, England and then attended school in London. When I think of style that feels authentically British, Savile Row consistently crosses my mind. Established in the 18th century (the 1730s to be more exact), Savile Row is a series of high-end boutiques and tailors within London that is viewed globally as the premier destination of bespoke suits and clothing. Mary-Kate and Ashley’s revered brand, The Row, was named specifically after this community. The tailoring and fit of everything Lisa wears always feels like it was touched by a Savile Row garment maker.
Her outfits often have an approachable element. Lisa’s career has included highly influential roles at MatchesFashion, MyTheresa, Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi, and Neiman Marcus. It’s certainly no secret that she’s had access to the top luxury brands on the planet for two decades. That being said, she often wears a number of more affordable brands and pieces, and is sensible in her outfit choices. She also isn’t afraid of rocking a high-low combination.
Lisa is the reason that I purchased one of my all-time favorite belts last year - the J.Crew classic belt in Italian leather ($50). I was both shocked and so impressed to see her wearing it in the ensemble below during fashion week. She paired it with Jacquemus, Prada, and Bottega.
In a world where everyone - not just fashion people - is cycling through sunglass trends every 6 months, Lisa most often seems to choose her trusty ($170) Ray-Ban Wayfarers. I adore her for this. Although these sunglasses aren’t cheap, they’re about a third of the cost of most designer options on the market. These glasses date back to 1952 so they’re almost as timeless as it gets. One fun fact is that they were actually created in my hometown of Rochester, NY.
She has mastered travel dressing in her own way. The world often tells us that there is a specific way to dress based on a destination, so it’s easy to fall into a trap of feeling like you “need” certain pieces that match a locale, but may not be inherently you. For me personally, the best example I can give is going somewhere tropical or beachy. In advance of my trip, when I scroll through the product pages of countless retailers online, I typically only see bright colors and patterns. When I click into curated “vacation shops” I rarely see neutrals. I know so many people who look stunning in colors and patterns, but at the end of the day, I know these looks are not me. I also know that if I were to purchase them, they would likely go unworn 364 days out of the year. Lisa’s approach reminds me to be true to myself because she always manages stay on point with her personal brand.
I’ve observed that the following items are always in her suitcase, regardless of the destination. She clearly has a brilliant formula.
An oversized button-down shirt
A white t-shirt or tank top
A solid, neutral sweater
A great pair of denim - these might be swapped out for linen or silk pants if on a beach vacation
A black or white bathing suit
A simple, modern dress
A belt
A Bottega Pouch bag
Her Wayfarers
Her favorite watch and gold necklace(s)
Now that you’ve read the list, you’ve probably realized that there are so many incredible looks that can be styled just from these 10 items.
A thank you to Lisa for providing such beautiful style inspiration season after season. I can’t wait to see what she posts next.
This concludes my 2 weeks of fashion-focused posts. I’ll still include them in my regular cadence, but you’ll start to see more design, beauty, and lifestyle posts as we get back to our regularly scheduled programming. And as always, there will be an emphasis on female-founded finds. I hope you enjoy!
x jz
Images | 1 | Glossy | 2 - 7 | Lisa Aiken instagram | 8 | Daily Front Row | 9 - 16 | Lisa Aiken instagram |
Note: I do not get paid for nor make money off of this post. All opinions are my own.