Eleanor Friedberger’s Mom Made Her A Knockoff Rodarte Sweater

This one was a long time coming. The beautiful, talented Eleanor Friedberger was already on our radar when Refinery29 first set up shop way back in 2005. Somehow, though, the singer from The Fiery Furnaces and her solo projects eluded our cameras for a good eight years — a minor tragedy if you consider that her own mix of hippie, rocker, and (let's face it) Brooklyn-hipster chic has been so inspirational and influential for so long. But, finally, we got a sec' with her to talk fall dressing (and not one moment too soon).

"I put away my winter and summer clothes every year," she told us, "and, so, bringing them back is such a treat; it all feels new again. Fall is fun for layering. I love a night that’s warm enough to wear a dress without tights, but cool enough to need a leather jacket. That’s ideal fall dressing for me." Indeed, just take a look at how she's playing with her Gap Cropped Plaid Moto Jacket in the shot above.

As for her wardrobe strategy, unsurprisingly, Friedberger sticks to unchanging essentials. "A staple for me is a piece of classic design that will go with just about everything," she says. "This fall it will be my black leather motorcycle jacket. I get a kick out of seeing the new YSL version. Mine is probably early '80s — but looks identical — and it’s safe to say it was a lot cheaper! I mean, I guess you could say I’m not very aware of the new trends! I resole my cowboy boots at the end of every summer, so they’re like new for fall. I also look forward to wearing one of my mom’s sweaters; she knits me a new one every year. A few years ago she copied a Rodarte design, and I think it’s even better than the real thing."

Rodarte sweaters made by mom, tips on making cowboy boots timeless, and a lesson in layering — thanks, Eleanor! Let's do this again soon.