Bear marketing manager favors fearless, fun fashion

Eileen Smith Dallabrida

Special to The News Journal

WHO: Lauren Simmonds, 45, of Bear, marketing intelligence strategy manager at a financial services company and author of the Fearless Fashionista blog.

Lauren Simmonds wears a black and white striped “More Love” T-shirt by Blacktag Apparel; black tulle outer skirt by Chic Wish, with two tulle petticoats for extra volume; and Stuart Weitzman Crush ankle boots from Neiman Marcus.

WHY: She was nominated by her colleague Antoine Oakley, who says: “Lauren is a fashionista in every sense of the word. Daily, the entire floor at work waits with anticipation to see what she’s wearing and how she’s accessorized her ensemble with matching glasses, jewelry, shoes and so on. She never disappoints.”

HER STYLE: Fearless, fashionable and fun. “I like to add glam elements to my outfits.”

WEARING, at Wilmington and Western Railroad:

FIRST OUTFIT — Camouflage wrap skirt by HIS Inspiration Wrap Skirts aka Semirah Jewelry (“I purchased this at a street festival in Brooklyn a couple of years ago. Camo is one of my favorite prints”); denim vest by Zara she has owned for more than 10 years (“It was originally a jacket, but I cut off the sleeves”); black cotton cropped wrap shirt by Garage; black leather wedge ankle boots from Fenty Puma by Rihanna; yellow leather Comic Clutch by Love Cortnie; oversized white wooden oval earrings by Natasha Couture, purchased at Nordstrom; and white plastic rounded Dolce and Gabbana frames with prescription lenses from Omega Optical.

SECOND OUTFIT — Milly fringed diagonal gold and black ball skirt from Neiman Marcus; white T-shirt with black graphic print by Moshood. ("I think the bold print and Afrocentric features juxtapose nicely against the dressiness of the skirt”); black patent leather boots by Jeffrey Campbell from Nordstrom; gold bamboo earrings by Thalia Sodi at Macy’s (“a shoutout to the late '80s”); gold faux leather jacket from The Zendaya Edit collection by Boohoo (“Gold on top of gold? Heck, yeah”); black plastic rectangular unisex Calvin Klein frames and prescription lenses from Omega Optical; and Kate Spade 3D pineapple leather and suede clutch from Nordstrom (“How fun is this bag?”).

THIRD OUTFIT — Long-sleeved, black-and-white-striped “More Love” cotton T-shirt with a textured black heart appliqué by Blacktag Apparel; black tulle outer skirt by Chic Wish, with two tulle petticoats for extra volume (one black, one red) from Amazon.com; Stuart Weitzman silver sparkly Crush ankle boots from Neiman Marcus; black leather belt from Express; black Prada studded plastic round sunglasses from Omega Optical; silver and black leather Phase 3 clutch from Nordstrom; and silver dangling ball drop earrings from Aldo.

WHERE SHE SHOPS: “Banana Republic, Macy’s, Zara, Nordstrom, a splurge at Neiman Marcus. I’ve been shopping at Express for a couple decades, even though I am no longer in their demographic.”

HOW SHE SHOPS: “I shop by myself so I have no constraints. I am usually looking for something specific when I go to a brick-and-mortar store. Online, I like to check out items that are suggested for me by various retailers. They are remarkably accurate.”

FASHION ICON: “Rhianna is my all-time favorite. She is so bold. I don’t agree with all her choices but I admire her fearlessness.”

MOST RECENT PURCHASE: Alexander McQueen sneakers. “White with red rose petals, suggested to me by Neiman Marcus online.”

OLDEST ITEM IN HER CLOSET: A raccoon fur coat handed down by her mother.

MANE, MANICURE AND MAKEUP: “I am very low maintenance with my hair. I go to Sharper Image Salon and Barber Shop in Bear every three or four weeks. I get a manicure for special occasions. I love makeup. I consider it to be an accessory. I recently started using a foundation with a matte finish, Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Rich Chestnut. I just bought a beautiful eyeshadow palette, Too Faced Chocolate Gold Eye Shadow Palette. It’s infused with cocoa powder and smells delicious. For me, a bold red lip is a must. My current favorite is Fenty Beauty’s Stunna, a color-intense red.”

BEST FOOT FORWARD: “Shoes should be my middle name. I adore them. Shoes can make or break an outfit. I have so many I sometimes find shoes I forgot I had.”

FAVORITE COLOR: “Anything that looks good I will wear.”

Lauren Simmonds wears a Milly fringed diagonal gold and black ball skirt from Neiman Marcus; white T-shirt with black graphic print by Moshood; black patent leather boots by Jeffrey Campbell from Nordstrom; and gold gold faux leather jacket from The Zendaya Edit collection by Boohoo.

FAVORITE FRAGRANCE: La Vie Est Belle by Lancôme.

FAVORITE DESIGNER: Christian Siriano. “I am going to own one of his pieces some day.”

WORTH THE SPLURGE: A statement shoe or handbag.

NOT WORTH THE SPLURGE: T-shirts and basic items.

FAVORITE FASHION RESOURCE: Instagram.

WISH I HADN’T BOUGHT IT: “I recently bought an expensive bag that I had watched for months. I thought it was eggshell and when it arrived it was grey.”

THE GREAT PANTYHOSE DEBATE: “Absolutely against. Unless they are fishnets.”

ORGANIZATION TIPS: “I organize by types of clothes. Belts and scarves in the front and so on. I buy big hatboxes to store accessories.”

FASHION NO-NO: Wearing ill-fitting clothes.

BEST CELEBRITY HAIR: Singer and actress Solange Knowles. “She does interesting things with her hair. I loved her big, voluminous afro.”

GO-TO OUTFIT ON SATURDAY NIGHT: Distressed jeans, heels and a statement blazer.

FASHION EVOLUTION: “I was always interested in fashion but I didn’t always know how to be corporate and still have a personality. Years ago, a woman I worked with pulled me aside and told me my dress was not appropriate. I didn’t like it at the time but looking back I appreciate it.”

THOUGHTS ON AGING: “Fine wine. With age comes wisdom and experience. If you look at aging in the right way, you will come into your own.”

INDISPENSABLE WARDROBE ITEM: “A little black dress. Coco Chanel got it right.”

Lauren Simmonds wears a camouflage wrap skirt by HIS Inspiration Wrap Skirts; denim vest by Zara; black cotton cropped wrap shirt by Garage; and black leather wedge ankle boots from Fenty Puma by Rihanna.

ACE ACCESSORY: “A chunky silver ring my mother gave me.”

PANTS OR SKIRTS? Skirts, “the more voluminous the better. Tulle is one of my favorites.”

HEELS OR FLATS? Heels, “the higher, the better.”

DIAMONDS OR PEARLS? Diamonds.

WHY FASHION IS IMPORTANT: “Fashion is an extension of your personality. You can convey a feeling without having to speak. I am an introvert, but my fashion is an extrovert.”