Closet Visit : Joanna Williams

Remember Joanna Williams from my last studio visit? I went back and shot her closet too and I'm so glad I did.

I thought I was pretty good at thrift shopping before I saw Joanna's stuff. No. This lady deserves "the Queen of thrifting" title! It was so fun to go through all the pieces she's been collecting for a long time and I loved the stories behind each piece. I was also impressed by her high street brand collection as well. I would see some great contemporary stuff and ask her where she got them and her answer is "Steve Madden" or "Zara". How come I've never seen those before?! I want to go shopping/ treasure hunting with her.

Thanks to Joanna for the great interview and being patient and sweet during the long 3 hours of shooting. She's a stylish angel.



Describe your personal style.
I would say it's a mix of bohemian and classic with a nod towards the '70s, but my mood is usually what dictates my clothing choices on any given day.

What are your favorite places to shop?
Flea markets, thrift/vintage stores, Opening Ceremony, Project No. 8, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, eBay, Creatures of Comfort, TenOverSix, Casbah Cafe's charming little shop, Scout, Zara, and J. Crew.



Who are your favorite designers?
Antonio Marras for Kenzo and his ability to stick to his vision and consistently turn out beautiful, artful clothes; Rachel Comey for her pared down aesthetic that she so perfectly mixes with whimsical details; Isabel Marant for her free-spirited approach (although I must say I prefer her collections from past seasons), Phoebe Philo for capturing the fashion zeitgeist and setting the tone; Dries Van Noten for never compromising his idea of design and for his ability to take something so basic and give it a luxurious twist; and Miuccia Prada because she does whatever the hell she wants and does it well.

There are also a few accessory designers whom I admire including Sonia Boyajian, the ladies behind Anndra Neen, Peruvian designer Meche' Correa, and that genius accessories team behind Marni.




Do you have any items you've been eyeing for winter?
I am pining for these Les Prairies de Paris camel-colored boots that I just saw in San Francisco. I also want some good socks. Weird, I know, but I wear a lot of socks with boots, peep-toes, wedges, etc. so I'm always looking for something fun and cozy.



Which fashion blogs & magazines do you read?
I don't think there's enough room to write! As far as blogs, I go through phases where I spend hours reading them and phases where I can't bare to look at one more thing online. But my regular blogs/sites that I am pretty dedicated to are: Identical Eye, Scout-Holiday, July Stars, Cafe' con Lesley, The Moment, Garance Dore', The Sartorialist, Refinery 29, Style.com, Jeana Sohn (duh), The Selby, and Dossier Journal. I read a lot of magazines but some of my favorites are: World of Interiors, Elle Decoration UK, Vogue, ANP Quarterly, Elle, Monocle, Hobo, Lula, and Purple. Oh, and Everyday Food. I love me some Martha Stewart.




Do you keep your old clothes or do you keep your closet small and organized?
I keep old clothes that have sentimental value, or pieces that I know I'll wear forever. My closet is small but not by choice, hence the sagging pole being weighed down by my wardrobe. I am definitely pretty organized when it comes to my clothes and accessories. Everything has a place. It's kind of funny because when I was a teenager and in my early 20's my room and closet were total disaster zones and I could never find anything because I would just throw clothes in piles on the floor. I have no idea how I came to be so organized. Now I really like to take care of my things.



Are there any key pieces you find yourself wearing constantly?
Chunky cardigans, grey knit leggings, roomy blouses, my high-waisted vintage Levi's, and ethnic dresses. I also live in my cut-offs during the summer.




What was your last purchase for your wardrobe?
A chunky cardigan from Zara. It's a mushroom color, comes with a hood, and has random canvas ties scattered throughout in case I want to bundle up. I am crazy with the cardigans and always searching for another great one.




Can you give us smart shopping advice?
Buy what you love. I know that sounds cliche' and ridiculous, but don't buy those things that you're pondering over. You'll regret spending the money and wish you would have bought something else. Another piece of advice: don't worry about the money if you know you'll get lots of mileage out of it.

Do you have any stories about amazing deals you've gotten on awesome pieces?
I have a few, but there are two that are recent and must be talked about. One I purchased from a favorite antique shop -- a creamy champagne silk gown with a built in corset that is torn to shreds and should be in a museum. It has capped sleeves that are overlayed in crocheted webs with gold embellishments. The entire bottom also has crocheted webs with gold beading and when you walk all you see is this work of art in movement. It belonged to a Spanish princess and is from the 1940's. I paid $85 for it.

My second steal that I am not sure I will ever be able to top: a vintage black Céline shoulder bag for $1. It cost me more to have it re-polished, but it was well worth it. I bought it at an estate sale and they obviously did not know what they had. Lucky me!



Who are your style icons?
Frida Kahlo is my ultimate style icon. Her style was projected in everything she did, from her paintings to her photographs to her wardrobe to her attitude. She was a fearless female and her choice of color and attire always inspires me. Some other women who have style that inspires me are Liz Goldwyn, Olya Thompson, Vanessa Traina, Taylor Tomasi-Hill, and Stephanie Seymour.



Current trend you like, current trend you dislike.
I really gravitate towards anything that I feel I can incorporate into my wardrobe and make it look fresh and interesting, regardless if it's a trend or not. All I can say is that I'm happy that I got rid of all those Coca-Cola polo shirts and swimsuits that I had in elementary school. That was definitely a bad trend and I'm cringing as I type this.


Joanna's wearing Nars "Funny Face" lipstick.

See more photos on my Flickr

*If you missed last closet visits, check out the links on the right side.