Style inspiration is easy to find in glossy fashion magazines, on blogs or Pinterest but often vanishes when it's needed most -- as you stand and stare at your Alaska closet. It's at those moments when a little local motivation is necessary, when a stylish Alaskan could help finesse your fashion. That's where I come in: Look here every now and again for an Alaskan Grown muse, someone who's in the business of beauty or else who's simply figured out a way to work it through the fashion obstacle course we call home.
Who: Jennifer Thompson, owner of Thompson & Co. Public Relations
Why her style is noteworthy: Thompson, 43, is an Alaskan born and raised. True to form, when she's not on the clock her style is comfortable and casual. But in her line of work, image is also part of the business package. To survive, she's not afraid to admit she breaks a few cardinal shopping rules: The same dress in three colors? Sure! And ladies, take note, Thompson has, by Shop Girl standards, done a smashing job figuring out how to maintain her stylish spirit and still dress for her age.
On her personal style: The first thing I would say is my style is classic. I like 1950s and florals, little waists and big skirts. I like bows and puffed sleeves. Kate Spade is exactly my thing. What I'm really into right now is ModCloth. I have to be careful because some of it borders on being too young. But it's kind of classic; kind of Mad Men-ish. I'm also the kind of person that has one style of a dress and I literally have it in three different colors -- which is stupid, but it's me.
One thing in her closet she can't live without: I like shoes. I love that you can wear them at any body size. What I really can't live without right now is my Stuart Weitzman knee-high boots. I love wearing tunic dresses with knee-high boots. I'm fairly certain that everyone in my office is like, "Oh, tunic dress and boots again?" I have a Gap jean jacket from 1990 that is starting to fray at the cuffs. I roll the cuffs so you can't see because the rest of it is in great condition. I actually dry-clean it -- I'm trying to avoid that its life is coming to an end. I've been looking for a replacement, but it's so hard. My daughter stole it one time ... That's actually the problem with my closet right now, I have a teenage daughter who thinks she can wear my clothes.
Products she swears by: I live in True Religion jeans, and not because they're expensive, but because they really fit my body. I appreciate Nordstrom Classiques – it's good work stuff. I have a black Theory suit I bought 10 years ago that is a classic cut and looks like it was bought yesterday.
Where she shops locally: I like Circular Boutique. As someone who's starting to gap between what society thinks is young and age into my mature years, I really appreciate what the owner of Circular does because she's in her mid-50s and she's fabulous. And other than Nordstrom, there just aren't a lot of high-quality, stylish shopping options for women like me. It's difficult with the boutiques around Anchorage because they are geared for 30-somethings.
On her current shopping list: My biggest addiction right now is Stitch Fix. (Stitch Fix is a personal styling service in which subscribers receive a box of five new items to try each month by mail. The items are hand selected based on style and price-range information provided in an online profile. If you want to keep any of the items, the $20 paid for the styling service is applied to the purchase.) The selections have been spot on, and it's really easy to send things back.
Something style-wise about her that might surprise people: Unless I'm working or going out for a nice dinner, most of the time I'm in my Zella yoga pants or jeans, with not a stitch of makeup on and my hair in a ponytail. I mainly dress for work because I have to.
Her biggest style challenge: Making sure I act my age. I'm constantly asking myself, "Is this too young?" I have good friends I can text when I'm in front of the dressing room mirror. Another person that's good to have in my life is my teenage daughter. She has a super funky style. I wish I had that confidence in myself when I was her age.
What she thinks about Alaska fashion: I think that Alaska is a place where, really, everyone kind of does what they want, and people dress how they feel. Sometimes I struggle with dressing like a girl in the big city when I'm from Homer. I spend a lot of time observing what people wear here because I always think I can learn something.
Anchorage freelance writer Leslie Boyd writes a regular column on local shopping and style. Ideas, information or tips? Contact her at akshopgirl(at)gmail.com