Backstory Founder Callia Hargrove's Recipe For An Outfit
How this marketing consultant gets ready on the rare occasion that it's not "jeans day."
"Recipe for an Outfit" is a twice monthly series in which stylish people give insight into the little details that go into getting dressed. In breaking down each step, we can find out so much about how clothing makes us feel.
"Like most people, it feels like my whole life has changed since the pandemic began. For me, all of the madness in the last two years was coupled with a big career shift, going from working in fashion to starting my own consulting agency in a different industry, along with moving into a new living space. That kicked up a lot, identity-wise.
Even with working from home, I get dressed every day, no matter what. But, unlike when I’d get dressed for work before, those outfits are incredibly dependent on what I’m doing that day and how my outfit can support how I want to feel. I know the “every day is different” entrepreneur line is cliche but it’s also very real, so my approach changes based on the day’s lineup. If I’m trying to convince a client to invest in the work we’re doing at Backstory, I might “armor” myself with a pair of vintage Chanel pants that make me feel like a boss. If I’m doing in the weeds DEI vetting for an upcoming campaign, I might slip into a cozy Yowie sweatsuit that makes me feel safe and comfortable when the subject matter I’m working with makes me feel anything but.
I’m definitely in a period of transition when it comes to my closet. I think because my big life shifts happened alongside the pandemic, I’ve been existentially reeling. Some days my closet feels like a warm hug filled with old friends, and the next I feel like I don’t have what I need for whatever persona that day’s plans require."
Callia's Recipe for an Outfit
1. Think through your plan for the day and decide what you need from today’s outfit.
After you meditate and scroll through IG for way too long, it’s time to figure out what we’re wearing. You’re a Capricorn through and through and live by plans. That methodical approach naturally extends to getting dressed.
2. Run through a mental checklist while you shower and get ready for the day.
What’s today’s weather? How many calls do I have? Are we doing something active? When you’ve thought through what today could bring, you head to the closet. If you’re doing something active, skip to 9. If not onward to 3.
3. Decide if it’s a jeans day. (It likely is.)
You’re a pants person, and jeans make your world go ‘round. You’ve spent your 20s amassing a collection you’re proud of. With most of them being secondhand, they all have a story. Actually, that goes for most pieces in your closet. 6/7 days you reach on your tippy toes to pull down a pair from the collection you have in mind. You’ve got the styles you own memorized but have no clue what order they’re in so you end up pulling everything out. You take a second to think about this pair’s story, and how they found their way to you. If the vibe isn’t jeans today, head to 4. If it is, 5.
4. If it’s not a jeans day, what pant mood are we in?
Lately, you’ve been relying on a good wool or knit pant on days you need a confidence boost. They’re usually vintage from the Real Real. You’ve probably got a pair in mind, but where they’re currently located is always a question. On “the chair” where you leave worn but not dirty clothes? On a hanger but not hung up? It’s always a hunt
5. Button Down Over a Tee or Something Fancier.
Your relationship to tops is different now. Most of the people you interact with on a daily basis see you from the waist up. Layers have been a go-to lately, usually a button down over a tee. If we’re being honest, a part of you always dresses for the virtual audience. Like if you’re meeting with an e-commerce client, you zhush up the top recipe, maybe swapping the button down for a blazer or adding in a tee from a buzzy streetwear brand. While the combo is basic, you go always go through a couple of versions until you get it right.
6. Boots…Slippers…? Probably both.
You live for shoes. One of your earliest memories is of your grandma taking you on a shoe shopping spree at Cookies. (Native New Yorkers from the outer boros know how big the Cookies experience was as a kid.) Finding the right shoe option is your favorite part of putting an outfit together. In the colder months, it’s usually a black boot that you wear religiously. This year’s version is a lug sole Chelsea boot. Sneakers are always part of the rotation, ranging from an everyday Club C to a statement Dunk. But, in this WFH-driven world, sometimes the buck stops at a slipper. If we’re staying in, you’re wearing that beloved red pair you got at Pearl River Mart.
7. If it’s wash week, you’re throwing on a hat.
Pandemic hair is a whole thing. These days, your hair is usually in a ponytail or under a hat. Most of your day-to-day accessories stay the same (vintage bag, gold jewelry, etc.) but you love to use hats as a sartorial flex. Beret, beanie, cap — they might be born out of function but hats are one of the ways you get creative.
8. Golfing? HIIT?
You’ve been more active lately, mainly as a healthy outlet for stress. You train at home during the week and go to the driving range when the weather’s good, and secretly love getting dressed for it. Black leggings always, usually from Nike because they fit you best. In a sea full of dads, you stand out, usually wearing a cool but supportive sneaker like the New Balance 990V4.
9. Look in the Mirror, Shrug, and Smile
When you worked in fashion, getting dressed meant everything. Now? It matters, but not for the same reasons. It matters because it’s a reflection of who you are — a you that’s of your own making vs. defined by the machine. And that feels good. When you look in your full length mirror, you shrug when you look at the outfit (we’re living in a pandemic and no one is really dressing), but the moment shifts to one of gratitude that the outfit reflects an evolved you.
The assessment:
I knew I was methodical but didn’t realize how much that extended to how I get dressed. I also didn’t realize how much my shift in identity has affected how I put outfits together. When I was working in fashion pre-pandemic, I linked my identity to the pieces I had and how they made other people view me. I had the same values then (slow fashion, secondhand shopping) but I was driven by a desire to fit in with the aesthetic of whatever brand I was working at. I didn’t realize how much my taste had become shaped by the industry's gaze. For the first time in a while, I feel autonomy in how I choose to put the pieces I own together. I’m still inspired by the machine, but it's no longer at the root of my decisions.