Lo, fashion begins with the sole: closet portrait
For our third closet portrait, Arête sat down with Lauren McCarthy, otherwise known as Lo, to chat about how she went from sketching expensive shoes to becoming a stylist, model, and source of inspiration for others. Lo opens up about her life and how fashion has been a source of confidence and expression since she was a child. An avid online thrifter, Lo shares some tips on how to find the best deals!
Special thank you to the incredible photographer, Amelia Hammond, who made this closet portrait come to life.
How did you develop personal style & how did it evolve?
It started young. Aside from what I would wear, I was drawing and sketching designer shoes as a kid. I would put really high price tags on my shoe sketches, but I did not grow up wealthy by any means. I come from very humble beginnings. I used to tell my mother that I would have a clothing store and show her the sketches of the shoes I planned to sell. I remember she asked how we would afford it, and I told my mom that we would have to sell cakes to support the shoes. Reflecting today, I was always attracted to clothes and beauty, but shoes came first. Before I became a clothing girl, I was a shoe girl.
I’m from Texas and grew up in the South. I love the South, and there’s a distinct sense of style in Texas. However, until 8th grade, I wore a uniform and couldn’t express myself. This likely drove my shoe fetish because I could only express myself through shoes, belts, and hair. This taught me how to be creative and work with whatever I found. I would turn tops into skirts and safety pin stuff and make it look how I wanted it to. During this time, black culture heavily influenced my style. Black women and hip hop had a big impact on my fashion choices.
As I grew, I experimented more. When I got to high school, my style became alternative. I got my first tattoo when I was 14 and was a total punk. I got into coloring my hair and wearing eyeliner. I really experimented in high school. I kept experimenting with my style through my early 20s. What really forced me to hone in on a style identity was when I got into the corporate world. I had to learn how to be stylish but also be appropriate. Work attire had not transitioned yet into what it is now, so there was less freedom. I was working at Neiman’s and around luxury brands, which helped elevate my style. This prompted me to explore which designer’s identity fit with mine. I tried to find my place at the intersection of luxury, “real life” fashion, and streetstyle. Where I am today with my style is that every piece I buy, I have to love it. My clothing has to do something for me.
A few years ago, I had a phase where I wore all black, and it felt like a uniform. It worked for a while but became limiting. I realized that I can’t hide behind all black. Now I can’t even describe my style. I don’t ever want to feel like my clothes are limiting.
My clothes should be an extension of how I am feeling today. I had a teacher once that was a fun example of this! She would get her nails done every week. Each week, her nails would be a different color and she would match her outfit to that nail color. It was a lot of dedication, but it was so fun! I’m not sure if I can do that right now, but my present goal is to not be limiting. I will try new things but also settle into what works for me.
Do you remember a time in your life when getting dressed gave you a boost of confidence?
A few years ago, I was in a bad relationship and my life was shitty and nothing I was doing was aligning with my life. One of my friends invited me out one night, and I was already feeling a bit sick that day but decided I should go. He was very stylish, and I realized that I needed to show up looking amazing. That night, I went and got dressed and put more effort into it than how I was feeling. People at the reception were saying “you look so good.” I’m not a huge social media person, and at the time, I wasn’t one to take a bunch of fits. But that day, I took a photo of my outfit and received amazing responses and felt like “I do got it.” This was the catalyst and it made me put more effort into myself. I started to allow myself to be seen. Also, thank you to the Balenciaga Knife heel that I got on sale for $200 at the Nordstron’s Designer Sale.
Pro Tip: Nordstrom’s Designer Sale is not to be missed. They do designer sales at the end of the season. At the end of designer sale, they do an extra 25% off and that’s how I got a few of my shoes. Thanks to that sale, I got Burberry over-the-knee riding boots and fendi heels. The new york flagship
What do you wear when you feel most confident?
Heels. I really enjoy a heel. The first time I saw someone wearing heels was in high school and the girl was wearing converse platform wedges. They were 4 inches and hot, and I wanted them SO BAD. I don’t want those converse platform wedges today, but my love for heels is strong. I don’t wear heels to do unnecessary things anymore, but earlier in my career, I always wore heels. Heels make me feel like “that bitch” and very put together. I will put a heel on with anything and feel great.
What do you think about when creating an outfit?
It’s not consistent but the way I go about it is consistent. There’s usually a specific way I’m trying to look. If there’s a place we are going, I start there and decide how I want to dress for the occasion. If I’m just going anywhere, there’s usually a piece in my closet that stands out that I really want to wear. Sometimes you might really want to wear something, but it’s not working, it’s better to take it off.
I like to build on myself like I’m the mannequin. I start by asking myself how I’m feeling. Then I think, “how do I want to make this look?” I don’t need my skin showing etc. However, I want to know if it’s doing something for me. Sometimes, the face is doing everything and you don’t need to show much skin. It’s all about the lines and the shapes in clothing for me. The main question is “what am I trying to create with me at the center?” As I am putting the outfit together, I let my mind dictate the fit. I will adjust the outfit however I need – I’ll turn a necklace into a brooch or something else. I try to manipulate the clothes and accessories however necessary. I find my outfit through the process of creating. I ask, “what is the moment of this look?”
We can’t limit ourselves to how the designer styled the clothing. You can wear your clothes however you want.
Where do you get your inspiration from ?
My general style is very inspired by the 90s and sometimes the 70s. It’s a nod to the 70s. I like the shapes and the lines from the 70s. I also like the Victorian era. I’m inspired by TV characters and am inspired by Sex and the City. Patricia Field did an amazing job at creating distinct looks. I’m inspired by girl bands and pop groups. I also love anime! If I need quick inspo, I’ll look at tumblr and editorials. Editorials capture the highest form of the look. They showcase how a shape looks, and I will try and emulate that IRL. I’m inspired by life, so I consume things that inspire me.
Favorite way to find new brands?
I credit IG a lot with this. I follow a lot of people who are very stylish. I find so many brands from people I know. I used the brand DANZ for a shoot and met their PR lead through a coworker. You get to know a lot of brands through other brands. Good designers surround themselves with good designers.
Your anti-gatekeeping advice for fashion?
Fit matters. Doesn’t matter how cute something is, but if it doesn’t fit you, it will not look great. If you love a brand and they don’t make something that fits you, fuck them. I was a stylist for 5 years and struggled to find clothes for models I’ve worked with and clients. It’s better to have less of what looks really great on you. Sometimes it’s better to have something made for you that fits. Even if you get something cheap, get it tailored.
A lot of people feel intimidated to thrift online. Whenever I shop on eBay for vintage designer or quality made clothes, I focus on materials! Here are some tips:
Measure yourself! You can learn to do this online.
Make yourself a cart of all the things you like on a designer site (SSENSE, Bergdorf, et.). Then go and look at all the materials of those items and the model’s sizing. If the model is 5’10” and has a bust of 32 and the jacket looks small, use that as guidance for your shopping. If you get something bigger, get it tailored.
If you are seeing your fabric content in the cart is silk or wool, search for that on eBay.
If you could swap closets with one person, who would it be and why?
Rihanna! I think she has the most diverse style among anyone and is someone who genuinely loves clothes and shoes and accessories. She picks pieces and they mean something to her. It feels like her closet would have a lot of intention behind it and stories. And she’s fly! The majority of what she wears, she’s dressing herself.
What's a major fashion red flag?
For people who work in fashion – if you use fast fashion, it’s unethical. I don’t blame non industry people for consuming fast fashion. The same can be said for any other industry where we consume products that we don’t know the story of. For the people who do know, it’s a red flag. There should be a standard of how you can and cannot conduct yourself, and you should’t be supported just because you make pretty dresses. No outfit is better than the person who made it. Another red flag: people who are designer only people. People who only wear designer clothes and will wear anything designer even if it’s ugly.
Tell us about the four fits we shot and the occasions, styles, & vibes you associate with each!
Look 1: This would be running errands by myself and running around doing stuff. I will absolutely wear heels through the city! Maybe I’m quickly meeting a friend. It’s cute and casual. Fun is the vibe. It’s playful.
Look 2: I would wear this if I was invited to a work mixer, dinner, or networking event. I would also wear this to a work meeting. I might be having a meeting that’s a bit more formal and professional. I feel powerful in this, and I’m here to get shit done. I feel strong. A little bit of edge.
Look 3: I would wear this going out but early. I’m probably going for dinner and drinks with friends. It’s casual going out. It’s off duty. Hot and chill. I would wear this from 5pm-11pm. I would wear this in the daytime possibly if I’m running some errands – chic errands. If I am dropping something off at a showroom, I might wear this. I would do this as a day-to-night transition.
Look 4: I would wear this if I was going out and it was a little chilly. Maybe if I was on vacation. If I’m going out to an industry party or something where you can be hot and look your best I’ll wear this outfit. An industry party is where I would wear this. When you want to be chic but can show more. I feel hot.
Let your style be an extension of you. Your superpower is that nobody else is you.
