We know (and love!) our readers. We know you're out and about in Chicago making incredible professional waves, but deep down inside, there's a part of you that totally wants to be a stylist. We caught up with three of Chicago's hottest stylists and talked them into dishing about the one item in their wardrobes that they love the most. Take a look at what the pros love to wear, and steal their style by snagging one of our handpicked finds.
Who she is: April Francis. April is the heart and style behind The Haute Closet, a personal styling and shopping service in Chicago. April's favorite service is her Initial Edit. This is a total closet edit, plus an expert lesson on the best ways to bring your wardrobe up to speed. April likes to refer to this as helping her clients "find their bliss". Learning how to get out of serious style rut? Sounds like happiness to us!What she loves: April's most prized possession is her Whiting & Davis bag. "It's literally perfect. Perfect size, comely, fantastic year round, and extremely well-made".
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Steal her style: April's amazing bag is vintage (naturally), so tracking down a perfect match might be hard. Instead, road test one these and let us know how it goes. Gabrielle Bag, by Whiting & Davis, $185. Halston Heritage Cleo Mesh Small Sac Bag in Gold, $450, available at Singer22. Whiting & Davis Bubble Mesh & Crystal Clutch, $178, available at Endless.
Who she is: Jennifer Laine. Jennifer specializes in styling editorial and runway campaigns, but she also has individual clients that she'll style for day-to-day looks or special events (luckies!). Jennifer is a walking example of her professional skills. We've never seen her look anything short of flawless.
What she loves: Jennifer's most coveted piece is her Dolce & Gabbana un-lined lace miniskirt. "I live in miniskirts. This is a beautiful piece I can dress up with a fitted suit jacket, hidden necklace, and a well-tailored men's shirt." Jennifer prefers Burberry Prorsum or Dries Van Noten. "Dress it down with a white Rick Owens t-shirt, black lace bra, and an arm of bracelets."
Steal her style: We know you love your basic black mini, but add a little lace and you'll find that it's twice as cute and—according to our pro—just as versatile. We're dying to try these: Gathered lace skirt by Mason by Michelle Mason, $275, available at Barneys. Lace and Silk Shorts by Tibi, $285, available at Net-A-Porter. Diane von Furstenberg Weslia Beaded Shorts, $285, available at Net-A-Porter.
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Who she is: Martha Mulholland. Martha specializes in window dressing and prop styling, and we highly suggest taking a trip to her website to check out this lady's insane skills. Martha loves working with businesses to give fresh style to their windows. She also works with Focus Creeps styling music videos, which is, in this editor's opinion, unbelievably cool.
What she loves: Martha is an accessories advocate, and believes they're better in excess. Her pick is her Christian Dior beaver felt hat circa 1970. "It's got that great big Bianca Jagger brim, but also looks really timeless because of heavy felt and handmade rope."
Steal her style: Ok, we'll be honest. We want that hat. If we can't have it, we'll take Anda & Masha's Anita Hat, $297, available at Singer22.