My Approach to Timeless Style

By Ashley French

I've had a JOURNEY with personal style. People love to repost my 2000s style on socials, and I don't mind at all because at the time, I loved what I was wearing. Does that mean that I'd still wear sequins with camo? No, not in 2025. But what's beautiful about getting older is that everyone looks back and thinks, "What was I wearing?"

One way that I've found my personal style is through regularly cleaning out my closet. I don't really hold on to a lot of stuff, so what's left after a closet cleanout tends to be the more timeless pieces. At this point, I don't even bother buying too many trendy things. Instead, I look for clothing that I can see myself wearing years from now. Here's more on my approach to timeless style.

Less is more
Simplicity goes a long way. Wearing jeans and a white button-front shirt isn't complicated, but it looks just as good now as it did decades ago. Look at Carolyn Bessette, Sade, and Jane Birkin—each of them put their own spin on that outfit, which would look just as good today as they did in the 1990s, 1980s, and 1970s.

Find your palette
The colors you like might change over time. I used to wear bright colors, but they haven't felt right for me lately. When I'm shopping, I tend to go for beige, black, brown, dark green, baby blue, and white. Find a palette that works for you, and when you're shopping, think about how an item will work with what you already have at home.

Know your silhouettes
Some people feel good in dresses, others prefer trousers. Wear what feels good to you. Personally, I'm someone who loves a slack. A really good pair of pants can be dressed up or dressed down. Wear them with a simple t-shirt and loafers for a day outfit, then put on a button-down and a suit jacket at night to dress it up.

Go monochrome
I think a monochrome look is forever chic. All-gray, all-cream, all-brown, whatever. It just looks effortless.

Accessorize
When I feel like an outfit is missing something, I add an accessory or two to pull it together. Jewelry is an easy way to do this, whether you're wearing costume jewelry or the real thing. Personally, I love a chunky necklace and I sometimes add a pavé ring on my right hand to complement my engagement ring and wedding band.

Actually get dressed
Unless I'm actually working out, I really try not to wear workout clothes by default. Putting in a little more effort, even if it's just swapping sweats for a pair of jeans and a button-down, makes me feel better than throwing on leggings and a hoodie.

Find your perfect foundation pieces
If I were creating a closet from scratch, I'd want some well-cut t-shirts, vintage Levi's jeans (without holes), classic knits, a black dress, a simple belt, some button-down shirts, a silk skirt, loafers, and Birkenstocks. You can build so much with just those things. Some brands I love are The Great, The Row, Jenni Kayne, Eterne, AGOLDE, and Doen. There are some great finds at the Gap and J.Crew, too.

When it comes to style, timelessness has really become my north star. Not just because I like the way I look and feel when dressing this way, but because it frees up so much of my time. If I'm not obsessing over the new TikTok trend or trying to track down the new must-have item, then I have more headspace to focus on other things. Because in the end, getting dressed should be fun, but it shouldn't require a lot of heavy thinking.

Shop the story

Shop the entry

1/10

Shop The Great Slim Tee

2/10

Shop AGOLDE '90s Jeans

3/10

Shop Jenni Kayne Cashmere Fisherman Sweater

4/10

Shop Italic Cashmere Turtleneck

5/10

Shop Le Bop Gwen Dress

6/10

Shop Nisolo Leather Belt

7/10

Shop Power of My People Tailor Shirt

8/10

Shop Reformation Lace Skirt

9/10

Shop Loeffler Randall Loafers

10/10

Shop Birkenstock Bostons

1/10 Just a great-fitting slim white tee.
2/10 This loose cut feels a little '90s, a little right now.
3/10 to 4/10 Jenni Kayne makes my favorite sweaters. This one is the perfect neutral. I also love an oversized gray turtleneck (like this one from Italic) with trousers or denim.
5/10 A basic black dress can be dressed up or down.
6/10 Invest in a leather belt and you'll wear it for years.
7/10 An oxford shirt can be worn a million ways. (This one's sizing ranges from XXS to 3XL.)
8/10 Loving the lace trim on this. I'd wear it with a slouchy sweater for fall.
9/10 The penny loafer is forever classic.
10/10 The best, most comfortable shoe for casual days.