080. RECEIPTS: Rachel on Pieces That Advance Your Wardrobe, Shopping for Answers, and Nostalgic Splurges.
Interviewing My Favourite Person On The Internet.
People scorn internet friendships. I probably used to be one of them until I started making long-distance virtual friendships, and they became some of the most profound and fulfilling relationships I have in my life. One such relationship is the one I have with Rachel Solomon. When I launched this column, the premise was to feature only people who had nothing to do with the fashion space, but I knew I wanted to feature her. Her main gig isn’t even in the fashion space, but she does have a beautiful, wonderful, amazing newsletter, which will bring you joy, comfort, inspiration, and sometimes tears. She is full of wisdom, the biggest cheerleader to everyone in our community, and just a rare gem of a human being. Her style is unique and unapologetically her own - and I feel lucky to have gotten some insights into how she thinks about building her wardrobe and how she relates clothes to her feelings.
What is your job, and where do you live? I am the founder and co-owner of an advertising, marketing, and storytelling agency. I also advise on personal style, focusing on women over 40, and I create content for Substack and Instagram.
Define your style in five words or less. Miami swag meets heritage dad.
What percentage of your salary do you spend on fashion? It’s hard to say. Maybe 50%? It’s the biggest thing I spend money on. I don’t like a big house or a white tablecloth restaurant. I walk everywhere and don’t have a car. My hub likes travels and events. I like fashion and takeout gyros.
What's your approach to budgeting? My husband and I discuss our charitable donations at the outset of the year. That’s the planned, big-ticket spend. We pool our money together, so if I plan to purchase any fashion (or art) that costs over a certain threshold, I will discuss it with him.
How do you balance investment buys and more affordable purchases? I look at the shows (primarily Tibi, Miu Miu, and Prada) and buy a few select pieces early to get more use out of them. I buy most of the rest secondhand, mostly in person, and I do not budget for them.
A brand or product you bought that is worth the hype. Tibi – and it is clearly in the eye of the beholder, given a previous Receipts guest categorised the brand as not worth the hype. It does what I want from a brand: it brings me zeitgeist-y basics that make all my other pieces feel modern.
A brand or product you bought that isn’t worth the price you paid. Sigh. The High Sport pants, although I admire the female business owner who launched this fireball product! I’m sure it’s a wonderful thing for many. But for me, who lives in perpetual summer, they were sweaty-looking, crotchy pants with a vague maternity vibe. I bought them and never wanted to put them on.
A brand or product you bought you’d pay twice the money for. Brands who are doing something for the world. I see value in that, and I’m happy to pay more. When I shop from a brand like Mulxiply, I know I am getting their creative designer’s incredible eye for design and making an impact (they support employment for women in Nepal). Another brand is Lehka - I’ll happily pay $58 for their excellent oversized T-shirt when I know it’s made consciously.
A brand you bought that is absolutely not worth the price. Everyone loves Loro Piana, and that’s lovely, but not worth the price for me because it won’t advance me in any way. I look for it secondhand. I don’t think a $160 Tibi T-shirt is worth the price; neither is a T-shirt from The Row. If ‘worth the price’ is defined literally - craftsmanship and materials - then very few items are worth the price. I believe in paying for how a piece advances your wardrobe and makes you feel.
Your most used bags. My Jil Sander raffia bag with bamboo handles has turned out to be an unexpected closet hero. I was looking at it in the store, and my hub later surprised me with it! I wasn’t sure how much I’d use it, but it’s my most reached-for bag. When nothing else works, this works. I love how it adds texture to anything. It’s one of the few bags I brought for summer in New England. Next is my pre-loved Hermès Kelly 40 in Vert Olive. You can attach all kinds of shoulder straps to it. I am not precious with it; I use it and swing it around! Live! No plastic on the furniture! And finally, my old black Celine clutch bought on The RealReal. It’s the perfect understated clutch with no hardware that doesn't distract from whatever else is going on in the outfit. It’s a thing of quiet beauty and my most used out-to-dinner bag.
Your most worn shoes. I have a wide foot with a narrow ankle and bunions - which I have re-named lemon drops because bunion is a horrible word - and I love love love to take long walks, and most shoes feel like a nightmare. My most worn shoes include my Tibi Pedro loafers. They’re a dream of a backless brogue in which I have logged thousands of steps. I now have three pairs. The Brody loafer is made from the same last, with a full back you can step on or pull up. I can also walk for miles in my Miu Miu rope sandals. They have flexible rubber soles and work with any outfit. Trying not to buy another pair. Send help. Finally, my Margiela Tabi flip-flops are as easy as any flip-flop, with just a little more. They look great peeking out of a pair of pants and keep things casual and fashionable at the same time.
Who makes the best underwear? I am a 30F post-reduction - I was a 32H. I believe in going into a shop and doing a try on. Your boobs are constantly changing, and bras wear out, so I’m not even reordering the same bra I found the last time. I love this boutique in Miami called Elle’s, and everyone passing through gets obsessed with it too! I always match bras and undies. I feel wrong without that. I like this brand they stock, The Great Eros, for a nude bra. I usually pick a bra and go with whatever undies match from the same brand, but I also love Lululemon’s black thongs. They are so comfy, modern, and simple. I also like a Thinx period thong for working out even though I have no period.
Who makes the best activewear? Unlike most people in Miami, I am not the cutest worker-outer. I have a trainer, and I am the get through this without showing any part of my body or sweating to death type. I like the Alo Yoga 90s capri or Nike Men’s shorts in a size medium on the bottom. Sport bras from Nike or more inexpensive ones from b.tempt’d. I like Skims tank tops, but I also tend to wear whatever T-shirt I (or my hub) have lying around.
What is the best cheap fashion item(s) you’ve recently bought? I bought Stuart Weitzman jelly sandals at my fave consignment shop in Boston. They were $39. They are incredibly comfy and easy to wear. I was going to sit the jelly shoe trend out, but now I get to have this moment in a way that feels like me. I have seen lots of them on several resale sites!
The most expensive item(s) you’ve recently bought. Was it worth it? I bought Miu Miu pajamas from the runway. The very idea is pretty ridiculous, but I had a deep emotional feeling about this collection, which made me very nostalgic. I went to an all girls’ school, and this was reminiscent of how we would sometimes go to class in PJs, or be outside in them for a fire drill - PJs and a coat. That moment in time was empowering, innocent, and magical. Emotionally, worth it. In terms of common sense, so not worth it.
Kiss, Marry, Avoid. Spending money on Clothes, Shoes, and Bags. Marry shoes. I cannot wear a shit shoe. I love walking too much, and I rely on shoes to make my outfit work. Especially a shoe that’s directional and can make my more heritage outfits and pre-loved pieces from different eras feel of this moment. Kiss clothes. Ready-To-Wear gets me excited. I want to make out with Ready-To-Wear every single day! Clothes go on the body and make you feel a certain way. They are the start of the magic. Avoid bags. I mean, kinda. Bags you put down. So they are only part of the outfit while you are outdoors, in motion, etc. I really prefer buying pre-loved bags, too. If it comes with a scratch or two, that helps me relax and use the thing! That said, I would be dishonest by saying I don’t spend on bags. I do love my big Hermes, with its yummy worn-in leather.
A shopping rule you have for yourself. Don’t buy questions. Buy answers. ‘What will I wear with it?’. ‘What will I wear under it?’. ‘Where will I go in it?’. ‘Will it be sweaty?’. ‘How do I clean it?’. If you’re asking - it’s a no.
Three beauty products you love. I got to a point where I felt like my skin was just not where I wanted it to be, and I needed to take it seriously. I use the whole Trinny London skincare range, and it’s transformed my skin. I wanted something with a high concentration of actives, and getting it all from a brand constantly innovating as new ingredients hit the market means I don’t have to think about tracking all these things, monitoring what conflicts with what, etc.
My fave beauty product is the Trinny London Lip Glow. I switch between the shades Lara and Indi. It goes on healthy and dewy on the lips and cheeks. The Shiseido SPF stick is not greasy and makes it easy to do the right thing when it comes to applying SPF. My friend shared this with me at the beach, and I bought a stick for each woman in my family before a recent trip to Greece. Finally, the Rumi VolumeCare+ Mascara. I was targeted on Instagram and wanted to hate it, but it’s just so good. Sick, crazy good. I sometimes want crazy, yummy, sexy eyelashes. They make me feel a certain way, like wearing an anklet.
Three beauty products you bought that let you down. Tom Ford lip gloss. I love the look of the packaging, but it’s sticky and gross. Hermès lipstick. I wanted to love this, but the formulation and the colours felt grandma-like. Japonesque eyelash curler. I am mad at myself for buying this. I just don’t like eyelash curlers, and this was no different. Mascaras do the curling for you these days, and it’s easier.
The best things you’ve bought in recent years. A pre-loved Balenciaga men’s ripped tee. It’s the piece I always want to put on. If I don’t like what I’m wearing, I want to rip it off and put this on. A Phoebe Philo turtleneck T-shirt dress. It just works. Feel like shit? I put it on and feel great. I wear it with sneakers. I dress it up. I wear it in any season, for any event and any non-event. This dress is like a best friend. My pre-loved Prada oversized lace-trimmed nylon dress. A dress I loved online and then found in a consignment shop. It’s something that makes me feel fantastic and can be worn a million ways: layered, belted, dressed up or down, etc. My Emme Parsons chestnut Yoyo belt. Perfection. It goes with anything and has that extra length you can play around with. And finally, a pre-loved Aritzia Wilfred lace-trimmed skirt. It’s a weightless skirt inspired by
’s pink version. Since it’s pre-loved, I also feel good about keeping it out of a landfill. This, with a man’s oversized tee, is a formula I go back to a lot.The worst things you’ve bought in recent years. I found this Tibi cream-coloured draped top with the tags still on. I went through a period of true Tibi addiction, where I was not being discerning enough. A top in a synthetic fabric generally isn’t going to work for me in Miami. At 50+ and as a business owner/content creator, I’m not wearing traditional workwear; that top gives me that vibe. Oh, and those Prada pumps with the sculptural flowers on top. They hurt like a beast! I can’t even go out for dinner and get dropped off in front of the restaurant in them! I sold them.
How and where do you shop? I live ten minutes from Miami’s Design District, where I have a nice relationship with some of my favourite shops (Prada and Miu Miu). I also love visiting Margiela, Acne, and Marni in Bal Harbor. They all have amazing young salespeople whom I love. That’s where I shop big-ticket items, working with people I know and who know me in a thoughtful way. I do my Tibi shopping online and get help from watching their weekly lives, but other than that, I restrict my online shopping. I find it hollow, weird, and spiral-y, often resulting in regretful purchases. The bulk of my shopping is done second-hand and in person - what I call social shopping, where I go with a friend, as you might, to a restaurant. I love Veblen in Miami, Tokio 7 in New York, Castanet in Boston.
What product or brand do you wish you could gatekeep? I am anti-gatekeeping. Life is not a zero-sum game. When I go social shopping and find an item, but my friend sees it too? A happy friend is the biggest delight there is. The only thing I would not want to run out of is my $200/pill Nurtec for migraines. I treat them like priceless diamonds and always know exactly where each one is! But you know, my nephew recently had a terrible headache, and I offered him one. Because, love. If you are competitive and proprietary, I think you’ll be miserable. It can all run out, and everyone will be fine.
RECEIPTS is a weekly column for subscribers of Every Body Gets Dressed. In it, I ask individuals outside the fashion industry about their shopping budgets, spending decisions, and how they balance investment buys with more affordable ones. We discuss the brands that delighted them and those that disappointed them to bring you impartial takes on the most hyped-up brands in fashion, beauty, and beyond. You can find past editions of this column here. Most of the people I feature are subscribers! If you’d like your answers featured in the column, comment below or reply to this email, and I’ll get in touch.
This interview was SO good! Like another commenter, I also loved buy answers, not questions. What a great piece of shopping advice. Rachel's style has definitely influenced me. I also live in a hot climate, though desert dry rather than Miami humid. It is hard to find fashion inspiration for hot weather dressing. I also have a large preloved Hermes Kelly that I wear to death and it gives me joy to look at it. (PSA - larger Hermes bags tend to fetch lower prices on the preloved market.)
"I believe in paying for how a piece advances your wardrobe and makes you feel." And also buy answers, not questions. As always, the best advice from Rachel, even if we don't agree about Tibi - but it certainly advances her wardrobe in ways it didn't mine! ❤️