I shocked myself- SHOCKED- by finding that I was largely voting for The Row!! Honestly I don’t think of myself as someone who is all that inspired by The Row but I am VERY inspired by street style. Did I just learn that I care more about styling than the Olsens?! A revelation!!
This post was absolute perfection! And I can tell by the other comments that we all loved it. May I suggest a “who would win Old Philo vs New?”
First off- OF COURSE you also know about these books…😂
Secondly- everything about this exercise was a revelation for me so I’m SO GLAD to hear there were nuggets in there for you, too! I love when I can teach myself more about styling!!
OMG Old vs New Celine/Phoebe is BRILLIANT and I mayyyyy just have to!!! 🤍
This was super fun! I was kind of down the middle in what I voted for. As much as I love the Olsen twins (and I know this is going to make me sound old) but oh my gosh I wish those girls would stop slouching. They are going to have serious problems by the time they're in their fifties.
Sogole, you're truly on another level. The Row is new-ish to me (I know, I’m sort of lame and a creature of habit)… While I love so many of the pieces (and the movie "It Takes Two"), the price point can be quite tricky for me (gotta send some kids to college one day...).
My biggest takeaway is this: while The Row is spectacular (!!!!), as is the Olsens' personal style, I don’t need to own The Row to channel its vibe. With smart styling, I can capture that same essence on my own.
Traci- 💯 thousand percent. I have only ever bought The Row on insane discount or resale bc I too, have to send kids to college one day 😂 BUT you absolutely got the spirit and goal of this post, which is to focus less on “buy this Row shirt” and more about how we can take those styling ideas that deliver the mastery in our own closets. Thank you so much for reading and the thoughtful comment!!!
Such a fun post, Sogole! And another reminder that the Olsons truly have the best style. I admire the Row but don’t necessarily connect to it, but boy do I connect to the Olsens. I love your interpretations and the pills were so fun!
The Olsen’s just bug me- sorry to be an outlier but they have always looked unhealthy/waifish/scrawny to me. I love some of their pieces but cannot for the life of me justify the price. (That Tavashina coat is TDF though!!) I love your writing, Sogole. That is what is genius! xx
Leslie - ALWAYS with the brilliant rationale that puts it all into perspective!! I totally agree the Olsens are def not everyone’s cup of tea - and The Row is 🤑🤑🤑 but I love the way they push the envelope with styling and make you think differently! And THANK YOU for the incredibly kind compliment!!
I understand the allure much better now. And like Kelly, I found myself surprisingly drawn to lessons taught by The Row over and over again. Most of all, I love how YOU interpreted these looks and found many ideas to incorporate into my own style! The pink and yellow combo with a surprise third color! Cutting fat with acid! I love when people can articulate something that feels instinctually right once you try it and like it (or watch it happen.) I just can’t help but wish … and I’m being judgy here — but I wish the Olsens’ style would evolve a little over time; there’s a sense of experimentation missing, or maybe they still look too identical to one another, maybe one of them needs a French bob, I just can’t help but crave a stronger voice or a more definitive point of view from them.
Thank you Danielle!! I am so glad my post even shed the tiniest bit of light on the Olsens or The Row but YOU’RE RIGHT— everyone (even their brand) evolves so one would hope they could too!!
This was so fun! I was about 50/50. It's so interesting to compare how MK & A dress vs. how The Row is styled. But then, that's the best thing about style - you can always put your own stamp on a piece of clothing.
I loved this piece, it’s such a brilliant topic. You’re so right about the Olsens style and how it differs from their label but I’d never really thought about it till now. All the research and thought you must have put into this definitely shows. Xxx
I love your posts in general, and find your writing both entertaining and informative. As a non-fashion scholar, I can comment only on the visuals, and I just can't with the whole oversized look! I think the Olsens (like Tavi Gevinson 1.0) invariably look like little old ladies — and unkempt ones at that. Occasionally they look cute, but not in a way I would ever be tempted to emulate. As for The Row, well, any brand with the nerve to sell that now-infamous $1,000 T-shirt proves only that it knows exactly what (ultrawealthy) fashion lemmings will buy.
You've hit the nail on the head by focusing on the contrast between what the Olsens wear and what they want their customers to wear. Genius! I admire your deep-dive commitment to the bit, as well as the generosity with which you share your own outfit journeys. You always look like someone who has fun with her clothing, who understands her own body and whose looks are the opposite of The Row's sterility. (I especially loved your post about that $20 shirt!) My own taste leans more tailored/chic than is popular right now, and I have a hard time finding quality fitted clothing outside of vintage or European brands. (I loathe athleisure and wouldn't be caught dead in Hokas!) That said, the most wonderful thing about fashion is that it contains, and makes room for, multitudes.
Thank you so much for reading and for the incredibly thoughtful comments, Jeannette!! You captured everything I was hoping to communicate through this post and then some. I always aim to show fashion through a “real life” lens so the fact that you can glean this from this (and hopefully other) posts means that I’m hopefully doing something right!! Thank you SO MUCH for reading- honestly this comment made my night xx
What's interesting is that our styles are so different (aside from a shared love of button-downs!), and yet you have probably influenced mine more directly than other fashion writers. Two specific examples: Like many in midlife, I was stuck in the neutrals that work in professional settings but aren't very fun. You helped me add color. For years, my travel capsule has been black/white/red; after one of your posts, I added pink items (a color I would never have matched with red) and really loved it. Switching black for navy has also brightened my wardrobe, and I'm more open to the yellows and teals that I used to ignore.
Another example: Since my wardrobe tends toward the classic/androgynous, I wanted an element of the unexpected (which I guess is one of my "three words"), and the very fact that your looks are so different from my own has given me lots of ideas. Like with fun jewelry (I only wore heirloom), or accessories that actively contradict the main outfit. I now own a collection of unusual brooches and tie clips that I find very cheering.
Thanks again for making my closet (and my mood) brighter!
Jeannette- you have no idea how much this comment means to me. THANK YOU. It is truly everything I ever would want to hear, and encompasses everything I hope to do here on my newsletter. And I so, so appreciate how you take what serves you and apply it accordingly--that's 100% my goal, that everyone here can take ideas and make them their own, in a way that works best for them. Truly I am so grateful to you for being here, reading, and for this comment that I am screenshotting and saving in my "Happy File" forever :)
This was so fun to read. Everyone loves a controversial Row opinion, but this is so entertaining and smart (and so true to you). The way you broke down the Row vs. the Olsens made me see both with fresh eyes. I’ve always gravitated more toward the brand than the twins, but now I’m realizing how much of their personality shapes the brand- even if it’s not directly reflected in the clothes. Bookmarking this forever!
Thank you Sita!! I am so thrilled to hear that it was a fun read! It was so eye opening to see how everyone feels about the brand vs the Olsens- and was super fun to bring all the styling to life, too!!
This was such a fun piece! Would love to see more in this vein. Loved how you recreated the styling ideas with your own pieces; but also really appreciated how you broke down the difference between The Row lookbook styling and how the Olsens work in real life (for me, MK and A’s style wins every time - even if it’s not how I would wear my own pieces!)
Thank you Hannah! I love seeing everyone’s reactions and what resonates with them. I agree that the Olsens generally feel more spirited and therefore more interesting. Thanks for reading!! 💙
‘Spirited’ is a great descriptor (maybe the best descriptive opposite of soulless?)
Definitely - they always look interesting because they look like they really *know* themselves and have their own inner world which is interesting to them
SO TRUE! They stick to their true personal style without being too influenced by their own label- it’s actually sooooo interesting (and part of why people LOVE their style!!)
I'm not a 'Fashion' fashion-y person. I don't 'get' The Row and most quiet luxury. I'm sure up close The Row is great and the fabrics are wonderful, but it doesn't jump off the screen/page for me.
I think it's interesting that the Olsen's personal style is iso different than the line they produce. I vote for the Olsen's style, it has life and energy vs The Row. Color! Vintage! Freeform!
Thank you Pam! YES! Exactly! It’s why I was wondering why I was also rooting for them. Their ability to add color, vintage and just a more eclectic vibe into how they get dressed really breaths life into the clothes - and even when they do wear their label, it’s always mixed in with other, bolder pieces!!
I shocked myself- SHOCKED- by finding that I was largely voting for The Row!! Honestly I don’t think of myself as someone who is all that inspired by The Row but I am VERY inspired by street style. Did I just learn that I care more about styling than the Olsens?! A revelation!!
This post was absolute perfection! And I can tell by the other comments that we all loved it. May I suggest a “who would win Old Philo vs New?”
PS- I love/hate Who Would Win books 🙃
First off- OF COURSE you also know about these books…😂
Secondly- everything about this exercise was a revelation for me so I’m SO GLAD to hear there were nuggets in there for you, too! I love when I can teach myself more about styling!!
OMG Old vs New Celine/Phoebe is BRILLIANT and I mayyyyy just have to!!! 🤍
You absolutely MUST
This was super fun! I was kind of down the middle in what I voted for. As much as I love the Olsen twins (and I know this is going to make me sound old) but oh my gosh I wish those girls would stop slouching. They are going to have serious problems by the time they're in their fifties.
😂 Sita I love this comment bc YES! I agree!!! Walk proud ladies!!!
Sogole, you're truly on another level. The Row is new-ish to me (I know, I’m sort of lame and a creature of habit)… While I love so many of the pieces (and the movie "It Takes Two"), the price point can be quite tricky for me (gotta send some kids to college one day...).
My biggest takeaway is this: while The Row is spectacular (!!!!), as is the Olsens' personal style, I don’t need to own The Row to channel its vibe. With smart styling, I can capture that same essence on my own.
Thank you for hitting publish on this!!!
Traci- 💯 thousand percent. I have only ever bought The Row on insane discount or resale bc I too, have to send kids to college one day 😂 BUT you absolutely got the spirit and goal of this post, which is to focus less on “buy this Row shirt” and more about how we can take those styling ideas that deliver the mastery in our own closets. Thank you so much for reading and the thoughtful comment!!!
Such a fun post, Sogole! And another reminder that the Olsons truly have the best style. I admire the Row but don’t necessarily connect to it, but boy do I connect to the Olsens. I love your interpretations and the pills were so fun!
Thank you friend!! It was truly so enlightening for myself too bc I am always a student of styling and I love learning from the best!!
The Olsen’s just bug me- sorry to be an outlier but they have always looked unhealthy/waifish/scrawny to me. I love some of their pieces but cannot for the life of me justify the price. (That Tavashina coat is TDF though!!) I love your writing, Sogole. That is what is genius! xx
Leslie - ALWAYS with the brilliant rationale that puts it all into perspective!! I totally agree the Olsens are def not everyone’s cup of tea - and The Row is 🤑🤑🤑 but I love the way they push the envelope with styling and make you think differently! And THANK YOU for the incredibly kind compliment!!
OH!
Oh. Ok.
I understand the allure much better now. And like Kelly, I found myself surprisingly drawn to lessons taught by The Row over and over again. Most of all, I love how YOU interpreted these looks and found many ideas to incorporate into my own style! The pink and yellow combo with a surprise third color! Cutting fat with acid! I love when people can articulate something that feels instinctually right once you try it and like it (or watch it happen.) I just can’t help but wish … and I’m being judgy here — but I wish the Olsens’ style would evolve a little over time; there’s a sense of experimentation missing, or maybe they still look too identical to one another, maybe one of them needs a French bob, I just can’t help but crave a stronger voice or a more definitive point of view from them.
Thank you Danielle!! I am so glad my post even shed the tiniest bit of light on the Olsens or The Row but YOU’RE RIGHT— everyone (even their brand) evolves so one would hope they could too!!
Well said
This is excellent fashion journalism :)
Oh wow THANK YOU!! Morning made!!!
This was so fun! I was about 50/50. It's so interesting to compare how MK & A dress vs. how The Row is styled. But then, that's the best thing about style - you can always put your own stamp on a piece of clothing.
YES! Exactly. And it was fun to take those elements and apply to my own closet. Learned a lot!! Thank you xx
I loved this piece, it’s such a brilliant topic. You’re so right about the Olsens style and how it differs from their label but I’d never really thought about it till now. All the research and thought you must have put into this definitely shows. Xxx
Thank you Jennie! Yes it was a big eye opener, for me too!! Xx
I love your posts in general, and find your writing both entertaining and informative. As a non-fashion scholar, I can comment only on the visuals, and I just can't with the whole oversized look! I think the Olsens (like Tavi Gevinson 1.0) invariably look like little old ladies — and unkempt ones at that. Occasionally they look cute, but not in a way I would ever be tempted to emulate. As for The Row, well, any brand with the nerve to sell that now-infamous $1,000 T-shirt proves only that it knows exactly what (ultrawealthy) fashion lemmings will buy.
You've hit the nail on the head by focusing on the contrast between what the Olsens wear and what they want their customers to wear. Genius! I admire your deep-dive commitment to the bit, as well as the generosity with which you share your own outfit journeys. You always look like someone who has fun with her clothing, who understands her own body and whose looks are the opposite of The Row's sterility. (I especially loved your post about that $20 shirt!) My own taste leans more tailored/chic than is popular right now, and I have a hard time finding quality fitted clothing outside of vintage or European brands. (I loathe athleisure and wouldn't be caught dead in Hokas!) That said, the most wonderful thing about fashion is that it contains, and makes room for, multitudes.
Thank you so much for reading and for the incredibly thoughtful comments, Jeannette!! You captured everything I was hoping to communicate through this post and then some. I always aim to show fashion through a “real life” lens so the fact that you can glean this from this (and hopefully other) posts means that I’m hopefully doing something right!! Thank you SO MUCH for reading- honestly this comment made my night xx
What's interesting is that our styles are so different (aside from a shared love of button-downs!), and yet you have probably influenced mine more directly than other fashion writers. Two specific examples: Like many in midlife, I was stuck in the neutrals that work in professional settings but aren't very fun. You helped me add color. For years, my travel capsule has been black/white/red; after one of your posts, I added pink items (a color I would never have matched with red) and really loved it. Switching black for navy has also brightened my wardrobe, and I'm more open to the yellows and teals that I used to ignore.
Another example: Since my wardrobe tends toward the classic/androgynous, I wanted an element of the unexpected (which I guess is one of my "three words"), and the very fact that your looks are so different from my own has given me lots of ideas. Like with fun jewelry (I only wore heirloom), or accessories that actively contradict the main outfit. I now own a collection of unusual brooches and tie clips that I find very cheering.
Thanks again for making my closet (and my mood) brighter!
Jeannette- you have no idea how much this comment means to me. THANK YOU. It is truly everything I ever would want to hear, and encompasses everything I hope to do here on my newsletter. And I so, so appreciate how you take what serves you and apply it accordingly--that's 100% my goal, that everyone here can take ideas and make them their own, in a way that works best for them. Truly I am so grateful to you for being here, reading, and for this comment that I am screenshotting and saving in my "Happy File" forever :)
This was so fun and interactive, Sogole! Loved to see your interpretations too. A true style queen 👸🏻
Blushing over here Ariane! Thank you!!! 😘
This was so fun to read. Everyone loves a controversial Row opinion, but this is so entertaining and smart (and so true to you). The way you broke down the Row vs. the Olsens made me see both with fresh eyes. I’ve always gravitated more toward the brand than the twins, but now I’m realizing how much of their personality shapes the brand- even if it’s not directly reflected in the clothes. Bookmarking this forever!
Thank you Sita!! I am so thrilled to hear that it was a fun read! It was so eye opening to see how everyone feels about the brand vs the Olsens- and was super fun to bring all the styling to life, too!!
Truly one of my favorite takes on the Row I’ve read. Can’t wait to see what you write next 💌
😘😘
Great concept. Really enjoyed this!
Thank you!!
This was such a fun piece! Would love to see more in this vein. Loved how you recreated the styling ideas with your own pieces; but also really appreciated how you broke down the difference between The Row lookbook styling and how the Olsens work in real life (for me, MK and A’s style wins every time - even if it’s not how I would wear my own pieces!)
Thank you Hannah! I love seeing everyone’s reactions and what resonates with them. I agree that the Olsens generally feel more spirited and therefore more interesting. Thanks for reading!! 💙
‘Spirited’ is a great descriptor (maybe the best descriptive opposite of soulless?)
Definitely - they always look interesting because they look like they really *know* themselves and have their own inner world which is interesting to them
SO TRUE! They stick to their true personal style without being too influenced by their own label- it’s actually sooooo interesting (and part of why people LOVE their style!!)
I'm not a 'Fashion' fashion-y person. I don't 'get' The Row and most quiet luxury. I'm sure up close The Row is great and the fabrics are wonderful, but it doesn't jump off the screen/page for me.
I think it's interesting that the Olsen's personal style is iso different than the line they produce. I vote for the Olsen's style, it has life and energy vs The Row. Color! Vintage! Freeform!
Thank you Pam! YES! Exactly! It’s why I was wondering why I was also rooting for them. Their ability to add color, vintage and just a more eclectic vibe into how they get dressed really breaths life into the clothes - and even when they do wear their label, it’s always mixed in with other, bolder pieces!!
First off ... my son is also obsessed with the "Who Would Win" books. I think I get quizzed everyday! Secondly - The Olsens all the way.
I could recite most of them by heart by now…!! 😂💙
Oh I know lol I have a wealth of animal facts under my belt!