Ashley Althage, Tulsa
Occupation: Stay-at-home mother, personal trainer
How does dressing well affect your daily life? I love to use my clothing to express myself. As a mom, I find it can be easy to put yourself on the back burner, so I feel like my clothing is a simple and easy way to express myself. Dressing well gives me confidence and makes me feel good, which in turn makes me a happier mom and wife.
What items can you not live without? My accessories. You can take a very simple outfit and add some fun accessories and totally dress it up or add a fun pop to your outfit. With the right purse, jewelry and shoes, you can conquer any look.
What is your biggest fashion moment? This is actually quite funny. It was my one minute of fame while in New York for fashion week. As I was leaving the Calvin Klein runway show, a photographer ran up to me and started shooting pics and asking me what I was wearing. All of the sudden, I was surrounded by cameras. They clearly had me mistaken for someone else – but it was so much fun, I took right to the part and started posing for pictures and answering all their questions. But my family quickly brought me back to reality and started to give me a hard time for my picture posing. They will never let me live this one down.
Whose closet would you love to raid? Chrissy Teigan’s. I love everything about her style and think I would die over all her amazing clothes and accessories.
A trend you hate right now is … chokers. They just aren’t for me. I think they cut off the neck line and just don’t add much to an outfit.
Roderick Stephens, OKC
Occupation: Respiratory therapist, blogger
How/when did you get interested in fashion? At the age of 16, after reading Vogue magazine over the summer break.
How would you describe your style? Signature, and not a product of its environment.
What items can you not live without? My personalized Christian Louboutin shoes that he signed/graffitied on with my name on them.
What is your biggest fashion mistake? Turtleneck shirts. My mother loves them on me, so I wear them only for her.
What is your biggest fashion moment? Oklahoma Magazine’s People with Style and my new blog.
Whose closet would you love to raid? Lenny Kravitz’s, because his style is bold and from different eras.
A trend you love right now is … the street wear look because it displays a very quick style.
A trend you hate right now is … the sheer/lace look; it’s too revealing and leaves nothing to the imagination.
On the weekends, one can find you wearing … the latest designer fashion from head to toe … or scrubs from working at the hospital.
Matt McCoy, Tulsa
Occupation: Insurance agent
How/when did you get interested in fashion? Then I met my wife.
How would you describe your style? My style is “sporty posh.”
How does your style reflect your personality? The sporty style comes from being a former University of Oklahoma football player, and the posh is a new style I have been introduced to and really like.
How does dressing well
affect your daily life? It gives me confidence and credibility in the insurance and financial service industry.
What items can you not live without? My pair of gray AG jeans and my Cole Haan ZeroGrand shoes.
What is your biggest fashion mistake? My wife would say my wide-leg jeans or my old, white tennis shoes.
What is your biggest fashion moment? Wearing my white Robert Talbott dinner jacket the day I got married. Thank you, Travers Mahan!
Whose closet would you love to raid? NFL player Eric Decker.
A trend you love right now is … athleisure wear.
On the weekends, one can find you wearing … my Cole Haans and a quarter-zip sweater.
Jarrad Hewett, OKC
occupation: Three-time best-selling author, voice-over artist for Disney Channel, CMT and HGTV
How/when did you get interested in fashion? I was fat as a kid, and I got teased a lot. I learned early on that black was slimming. My first internship in college was for Warner Bros., and Los Angeles – particularly Dolce and Gabbana at the time – changed the way I look at clothing. I realized that what you have on can be just as expressive and indicative of personality as what you say.
How does your style reflect your personality? I’m traditional at heart – that’s my inner Capricorn – but I also consider myself a forward thinker and someone who doesn’t think inside the box. Overall, I’m simplistic, yet stylish, and I like to mix and match. I don’t think style has to be expensive; you just have to be confident in what you wear, and make sure it’s not wearing you.
How does dressing well affect your daily life? Whether we realize it or not, what we wear tells a subliminal story, and we can use how we dress to tilt the scales in our favor.
What is your biggest fashion moment? A few years ago, I was invited to the Louis Vuitton/GQ Men of the Year celebration at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The presentation was fantastic, and it’s the only time I’ve ever seen synchronized swimmers used simply as “ambiance.”
If you could live in a different fashion era, it would be … the Gatsby era. Part of me was born an old man wearing a tweed jacket with elbow patches and houndstooth pants.
Margaret Pitts, OKC
Occupation: Blogger, pre-dental student, lab technician
How would you describe your style? A modern girl’s style – with a touch of dramatics. I love to mix classic styles and cuts with bold and dramatic pieces.
How does dressing well affect your daily life? A well put together outfit not only lets me express my personal style … it also lets me showcase the best version of myself. Plus, if everything fails and my day is a complete disaster, I can at least say, “My outfit was on point.”
What is your biggest fashion moment? When I purchased my very first designer bag. I spent six months working overtime to afford it. And that moment, when the sales assistant handed me the shopping bag, was the most memorable moment in my life.
Whose closet would you love to raid? Olivia Palermo’s. If I could, I would live in her closet.
A trend you hate right now is … See-through plastic booties and boots.
On the weekends, one can find you wearing … something over the top. I have a really busy work week where I have to run back and forth between school and work, so my clothes tend to be on the practical side. But weekends are my time to shine.
Betsy King, OKC
Occupation: Owner of Betsy King: A Shoe Boutique
How would you describe your style? I’m pretty quirky by nature, which translates to my overall style. Some days I’m eclectic, some more traditional. Just depends on the weather. Ha!
How does dressing well affect your daily life? I’m in the fashion industry, so I dress to inspire my clients … perhaps show them a look they wouldn’t have thought of. Dressing for the day is an opportunity to be creative and artistic as well. Fashion is my art.
What items can you not live without? You probably think I’m going with shoes, but … I have a fitted tuxedo blazer that I love and throw on over everything.
What is your biggest fashion mistake? Oh my … where to start? ’m sure there have been many – most likely involving acid-washed jeans and crop tops. Wait, those are back, right?
If you could live in a different fashion era, it would be … the 1940s. Oh, I love that time in fashion … women donning hats and gloves with figure-flattering dresses and coiffed hair … fox stoles and car coats. I have some incredible home video of my grandmother at that time. She always looked so elegant and polished. There’s something to be said for a time in fashion when we left things to the imagination, you know?
Shanese Slaton, Tulsa
Occupation: Project manager
How/when did you get interested in fashion? My mother, grandmother and great aunt are all strong, confident, fashionable women who encouraged me to find my own voice and style at a very young age.
How would you describe your style? Classic and simple with a touch of whimsy. I don’t believe in taking myself or my possessions too seriously.
What is your biggest fashion mistake? My first job out of college was at a Fortune 500 company. As I was walking from the parking garage to the tower one morning, I must have seen 50 people. A woman came up from behind me and said my skirt, although buttoned at the top, was unzipped a solid 6 inches. I’m sure a few people got a view and a good laugh that morning.
Whose closet would you love to raid? Oliva Pope’s.
If you could live in a different fashion era, it would be … the 1950s with women like Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn Monroe defining the crisp and practical daytime looks and glamorous opulence at night.
Mollie Craft, Tulsa
Occupation: I don’t get a paycheck but I feel like I have many jobs.
How/when did you get interested in fashion? My mom exudes style, plus I’m an only child, so I think I was so enamored by her that I paid attention as far back as I can remember. I took a little break in my 30s to have five babies, and it was a scary decade where I felt like Jabba the Hutt. I learned to focus on accessories – jewelry, shoes and handbags always fit!
How would you describe your style? Black. Sometimes edgy. Sometimes classic. I like to throw in some accessory that makes a statement. I have an unhealthy obsession with glitter, so it’s safe to say there is always something sparkling or shiny. Oh, and red lipstick.
How does dressing well affect your daily life? I wake up early everyday and get dressed. I feel so much more productive, happy and focused. You will never see me in yoga pants unless I am doing yoga, which you will never see either!
Whose closet would you love to raid? Kris Jenner for her Birkin bags, Ashley Longshore, and of course, Madonna.
A trend you love right now is … gender fluidity and sparkles.
If you could live in a different fashion era, it would be … I would be Marie
Antoinette! Minus the chopping block, and add air conditioning and deodorant.
I own too many … handbags and kids. Ha ha.
