TALKING FASHION
LSD Asks Celebrity Stylist Kate Young All About Evening
For many of us the arrival of spring signals the start of the social season: cue weddings, galas and, with that, countless questions about what to wear to them. So who better to ask than Kate Young, the coveted Hollywood stylist behind Michelle Williams (yes, she was responsible for that yellow Oscars dress), Margot Robbie, Rachel Weisz and more.
As a leading celebrity stylist, Young’s job is to ensure her clients feel comfortable and beautiful yet are fashionably-relevant and appropriate, night after night. She also happens to be a friend of LSD’s: They started their careers together at Vogue and have remained close—their husbands are even business partners. Addressing an intimate audience of Moda clients and friends at our Madison Avenue townhouse, the duo sat down over coffee to talk all things evening. Lauren quizzed her friend on challenging dress codes (Beach Formal, anyone?) and mused on why one diamond bracelet can sometimes be better than two. Here’s what you missed:
SHOP MORE: Lauren's Closet
KY: I love this Mizuki pearl cuff. She does all these weird natural pearls in modern ways. Pearls can sometimes come across as old but these feel so cool and new to me.
LSD: There’s definitely a baroque pearl thing happening right now. There’s something about it that eschews that idea of perfection and there’s something really beautiful about the individual character of each.
LSD: Some people dress really well for day, while others dress well for night. Personally, I cannot get dressed in the day: I always end up wearing jeans and a blazer. But at night I’m all in: I want sparkle and shine.
KY: In the past I’ve been more maximalist: I was very into stacking bracelets. I feel like Instagram killed that for me—the arm party! You know how you get tired of something when you see it too much...
LSD: ...Or when you see something done badly.
KY: [laughs] Yes, there’s that! Just one is good right now, it’s a little bit more restrained.
LSD: We’re constantly asked about dress codes. So I’m going to quiz you on some of the more ambiguous ones we’ve received: “Beach formal?”
KY: Temperley! To me, “beach formal” means gauzy. You're wearing a gown in soft materials—no beads!—with a flat thong sandal.
“To me, ‘beach formal’ means gauzy. You’re wearing a gown in soft materials with a flat.”
LSD: “Tropical chic?”
KY: Colorful!
LSD: “Dress to impress?”
KY: Sparkle and feathers. It’s camp.
LSD: “Black tie optional”
KY: I interpret that as girls have to wear black tie but the guys don’t have to.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
KY: The key is to think matte on top as shiny materials make your boobs look bigger. And also a gathered waist. Bringing the waist in is a good alternative to showing off your body without doing a low-V.
Q: What is the most flattering length?
KY: Tea length is great, hitting at the thinnest point of the leg just before the calf extends.
Q: What are your thoughts on platform shoes?
KY: I use them if the dress is long. I don’t like it if the heel is skinny: It has to be a stacked '70s heel with a platform.
Q: Locally, women my age seem to be so casual. How can I dress for evening and be dressed up but not completely stand out?
KY: Jewelry. If everyone is wearing jeans and a top to go out, a major necklace can take things to the next level without feeling ridiculous. Also a little sparkly handbag.
Q: Would you suggest investing in one expensive evening gown or buying several more affordable dresses?
KY: It really depends on your personality. If you want to be the woman in THAT dress and you’re confident you can style it differently a hundred times with hair and jewelry then invest in one gown. If you don’t have the jewelry or would be overwhelmed by the styling then invest in several.
LSD: When you have one dress, you actually get better at styling it every time. I invest in evening bags to switch things up—that’s my crack. If it’s a small, sparkly, inconvenient bag that won’t fit anything in it, then I love it. It’s my go-to.