From Grunge to Great

"Fashions fade, style is eternal."​ —​Yves Saint Laurent

So, we meet again. Which is great because I have something fun to share today. Something that comes directly from my closet. Last time we spoke, I was transitioning from one armoire to another and I found some old treasures while unpacking. While sifting through about a dozen pairs of Doc Martens, what felt like a hundred pairs of distressed vintage Levi’s and exactly fourteen leather blazers and jackets, I realized I have a bit of a grunge side to me. Who would’ve known? It had me thinking, no, reminiscing on my college days and just as I was about to throw out half of my inventory of grunge grime garments, I thought there must be another way to style this grunge look but in a more modern, sophisticate, new-and-improved Kailyn sort of way. Here’s what I found...

Being able to repurpose and style old garments in new ways is a “must” for many reasons. For one obvious reason, the environment. Buying thrifted items, swapping pieces and reinventing existing ones is beneficial to our planet because it cuts down on clothing waste that pollutes the earth. Second, fashion is cyclical meaning trends are constantly coming in and out of style so you never know when oversized collars or bell bottom jeans will be “current” again. Finally, even if you don’t have a very active imagination you can always be inspired or find new tips on how to style your present pre-worn attire in contemporary ways. Enter ​me,​ your closet correspondent.

Today I’m going to take a pair of my favorite distressed Levi’s in a light denim wash and my chicest leather blazer and show you how I like to style these two items in a quick and chic way. So, I already said that I have about a dozen pairs of Doc Martens, but for my first look I”m going to update this grunge vibe to a more mature tone. I’m trading my Docs for a platform leather Chelsea boot. The ​Explorer Chelsea Boot ​by Steve Madden is a fashionable alternative and it's not only more modern than Doc Martens but it's more sleek and polished. This boot also rests on a slight platform sole so it gives you a slight lift and ties this look together nicely. I love an outfit that can be thrown together quickly because frankly, my life can be kind of hectic and fast paced so that’s why I love a good bodysuit and that’s my excuse for owning an entire dresser drawer full of them, but we’ll get into that another time. Right now my favorite bodysuit is the ​Sculpting Seamless Bodysuit from Skims. I own one in three different shades but I love the shade “onyx” because it’s a deep black shade that you can wear under clothing, by itself or in our case, we’re going to pair it with our leather blazer.

The Skims body suit really, as Kim Kardashian would say, “snatches” your waist. Without sacrificing comfort for efficiency, this bodysuit holds you in like no other. My leather blazer is a vintage DKNY number but a close match is the ​CEO of Cool Faux Leather Blazer b​y BBDakota. I love an oversized, long fit for this look. This blazer is just edgy enough but matches the same sleek vibe from our Chelsea boots. Since we’re playing with a leather blazer as opposed to a leather biker jacket we’re graduating from our younger, punk-grunge phase and opting for a more cultivated and specific look. Now, let’s chat about some finishing touches and have some real fun.

Let’s talk metals: gold and silver. Some are silver, some are gold and some love to mix and match. Long gone are the rules that dictate we can’t mix and match our metals, we’re thankful for that and we love to play around with mixing silver and gold but for this look we’re going to stick with some simple silver basics. I love gold just as much as silver, but in my head I always felt like silver was more refined and beijing the minimalist that I tend to be, I gravitate slightly more towards silver. Keeping in the theme of sophisticated edginess, I am employing stacked silver bands and rings in sculptural shapes like the ​Jenny Bird Cordo Cocktail Ring.​ For some neck adornment I’m going to wear my personalized Initial Pendant Necklace by Argento Vivo, again, in sterling silver.

Just like that, a chic update on a 90s grunge look. I like to keep the same textures and colors but update the silhouettes. It's a quick and easy way to reinvent an outfit or a phase that served us well so many years ago. Adding modern and refined pieces such as a new pair of boots and contemporary jewelry on top of a flattering bodysuit transform old tricks into stunningly stylish ensembles. The great thing about this simple formula for an outfit is you can switch out the bodysuit and jewelry for other tones and colors and make it your own.

Until next time,


Kailyn, the Closet Correspondent

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