"I woke up like this" is a fallacy, and the same goes for my closet - I had to do some major cleaning and rezhuzhing to get ready for its close-up, and aside from a cleaner closet, I also took the chance to get rid of things I didn't want anymore and dig up old favorites that had gotten lost in the mix. Only the strong survived, and it's all featured in the spread!
Take a peek at the interview and some bonus photos, and then head to Bostinno to see the rest of the pictures!
What's In Your Closet: Freelance Fashion Writer, Stylist and Collector Renata Certo-Ware by Hilary Milnes
Renata Certo-Ware has been involved in just about every facet of the fashion community over the past 10 years. After earning her degree from Boston University, Certo-Ware has worked as a design assistant, a jewelry brand manager, and a freelance stylist and writer. Her work has appeared on local channels like The Improper Bostonian and Karmaloop, as well as national forums like The Business of Fashion and Bullett Media.
In 2009, Certo-Ware launched her own lifestyle and fashion blog, Scorpion Disco, which follows on-trend street style, fashion news, travel and culture photography. With such a sartorial background, you know her closet's hiding some seriously awesome scores, and it only helps that, over the years, Certo-Ware has collected an impressive stash of vintage finds from her grandmother.Get a grasp on where Certo-Ware shops, what inspires her funky, yet classic style, and what she has her eye on before scrolling through the photos below.
How would you describe your personal style?
You can usually find me in bright colors, bold patterns, and space-age materials like neoprene. I love architecture, tailoring and structure in fashion, but in the summer, I tend to wear a lot of drapey, comfortable pieces like stretch jersey pencil skirts and flowy camisoles and sundresses. I have also lately been honing in on graphic black and white with one pop of color, and it's kind of bleeding into my interior design, too – my living room is starting to look like the MoMa.Where do you love to shop?
Anywhere and everywhere! I always stock up on clothing at the Saks sales each season, and I always find something lovely at Anthropologie. For shoes, it's Bloomingdales. From there, it's all about exploration, trial, and error. One of the things I love about being a blogger is the brands that I learn about – thanks to my blog, I've shot with the local branches of Anne Fontaine, Cynthia Rowley, and Fossil, to name a few, and after being introduced by way of blogging partnerships, I find myself going back again and again! Lastly, I get a huge thrill out of scoring hard-to-find designer pieces at The Closet and Second Time Around on Newbury.What are your must-have staple items for a great wardrobe?
Like a tree needs strong roots, a great wardrobe needs strong footwear! Each season I start with a solid foundation of chic, classic, and most importantly comfortable kicks with a heel: ankle booties by Dolce Vita for winter, platform sandals for summer. From there, black jeans with a ton of stretch are a must, followed by an androgynous, slinky white dress shirt and a felt hat to top it off. I just described French street style, didn't I?What up and coming trend pieces do you currently own or have your eye on?
As much as I love summer, I sometimes can't wait for fall, so I can slip into chunky sweaters paired with slim pencil skirts. I've got my eye on a textured gray and white sweater from Reiss, an Alexander Wang cream colored sweater with a delightfully random diagonal zipper, and there are a few Topshop pencil skirts in all manners of splashy prints that will definitely add some zhuzh.
See the rest of the pics of what's inside my closet, on my dresser, and on my bookshelves here.
Cheers,Renata
