Define your style:
I have a free-spirited aesthetic that mixes different artistic expressions into an eclectic style.
The trick to separating your style from Tom Tom wares:
I don’t. There are a lot of Mini-Mes out there dressed in my signature style. Tom Tom has an abundant customer base that we’ve acquired from word of mouth. Out-of-towners always make it their first stop when they get to Lewes.
Must-keep items:
Artsy second-skin T-shirts by AMB and palazzo pants. I consider them my everyday foundations, and whatever I layer over them is icing on the cake.
Closet hog:
Definitely shoes! Fashion color trends shift with the seasons, year after year, and therefore my collection of shoes keeps growing with each shift. I own a ton of the basics; however, some of my favorites are shoes and boots in yellow, red, kiwi, turquoise and orange—gotta think outside the box.
Finishing touches:
Properly picked, jewelry can bring an entire outfit together to complement its color and style.
Far-out fashion:
I’m a ’60s baby, so I think a part of me is still hanging on to the Beatlemania era. I still own my first pair of Levi’s bell-bottoms, not because they fit but because I am sentimentally attached. Truth be told, I still love moccasins, macramé, love beads, white go-go boots…and anything with fringe.
Style icon:
Iris Apfel, who was born in 1921. I have seen her at New York trade shows a few times and am always in awe. She continues to live as a fashion icon.
Vintage vogue:
It happens to be one of my greatest passions. When I was in my 30s, a Chicago Tribune editor followed me around from yard sales to thrift stores and published a “trash to treasure” article about me. It’s great to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Closet regrets:
I regret purging so many authentic concert tees from years gone by.
Must-have makeup:
I don’t discriminate when it comes to makeup as long as the formula works, but I do favor Mac, Sephora and Lush.
302 go-to shops—besides Tom Tom:
Boutique W in Rehoboth Beach and Magnolia Rifle in Ocean View.
You never leave home without:
Wallet, cellphone and, most importantly, lipstick.
If money were no object:
I’d buy a lot of A.S. shoes, Krista Lawson designs and real estate for future security for my kids.
Preferred designer:
I have a background in design and manufacturing and designed everything from styles and dye lots to event buttons. I have great respect for designers such as Cynthia Ashby, Krista Lawson, Heydari and Alembika, who take their vision of designs straight from a sketch. These are true designers.
Day versus evening:
I also own Collections of Comfort, which represents and sells designer collections to specialty stores nationwide. I’ll jazz it up a notch for the evening, but otherwise, my work and evening wear are close to the same—always comfortable yet stylish. One should never compromise comfort for style.
Related: Mona Parikh Embraces a Sleek, Professional Style in Wilmington
