Andrea Linett - The Cool Factor: A Guide to Achieving Effortless Style, with Secrets from the Women Who Have It

the
cool
fACTOR

A Guide to Achieving Effortless Style, with Secrets from the Women Who Have It

andrea linett

Photographs by Michael Waring

For my dad, Gene Linett, who was always the coolest-dressed cat on the block

Contents

Introduction

Cool is such a funny word. Like pretty or smart, the meaningand the designationis entirely subjective. Some might consider it to be an intimidating description, or even an immature one, like something you would call the Fonz or a rock star of the moment. But to me, cool, when pertaining to style, means personalization and effortlessness. (No one looks cool blatantly copying someone else or trying too hard.)

And cool is also about real style, something I was obsessed with even when I worked at high-end womens magazines covering designer fashion. Although my job was to get super excited about what was on the runways (and sometimes I did), I confess that nothing was more thrilling than checking out the actual working women filing into the venues. The best were the European editorsFrench and Italianlooking unbelievably cool and sexily disheveled. Unlike their American counterparts, who usually were all dressed identically, no two women looked alike, and each had a distinct aesthetic. That was where the true inspiration was!

Ive been on a quest to demystify that kind of easy, cool style since I was a kid. I always knew there was a book in there somewhere, decoding the elements of cool for a broader audience. But it wasnt until a Maria Cornejo trunk show at Bird, the cult womens clothing store in Brooklyn, that the concept truly took shape. My plan for the evening was simply to go grab a glass of wine and order a few cute fall pieces (which I did). But, much to my delight, the event proved a veritable master class in real-woman style inspiration. Walking in, I found myself surrounded by cool women of every age, all perfectly put together in that effortless, un-fashion-y, super-stylish way that I so admire. It was almost too much to take in.

And I loved that none of them were kids: their ages ranged from late thirties to fifty and over. Which, when I thought about it, made perfect sense. These women had been around the fashion block and had tried everything over the years, and thus they knew what truly worked for them.

I had the sudden urge to round everyone up, photograph them, and have them divulge how they put themselves together. So, around six months later, thats exactly what I did. Now, imagine the coolest women you know dragging big rolling suitcasesfilled with their favorite piecesinto a photo studio. It was a crazy fashion-inspiration party that unfolded over the course of four days. Everyone checked out each others stuff, compared notes, and did a bit of mental shopping and personal styling.

In converting a photo shoot into text, I set out to write an atypical fashion book. In line with my own personal style, I strove to keep it somewhat untucked and casual yet with an underlying meticulousness that comes from having a finely honed eye. Most style books will tell you what not to do, and how to look professional or presentable by following hard-and-fast rules made up by fashion people. In contrast, this book talks about dressing for everyday scenarios, and reveals tricks to make you feel more special. My goal is to arm you with ideas that will help you find and build on your own personal styleto show you how to dress like a cool, real woman. Here, you will find tons of unconventional tips for what to look for when shopping, and how to make the most of the clothes already in your closet. Being cool doesnt involve wearing certain labels, but rather knowing what works for youeven if its a piece from a dorky line.

Cool is about real style, something I was obsessed with even when I worked at high-end womens magazines covering designer fashion.

I never read visual books in a linear fashion, and I dont expect you to, either. I usually flip through, find something that catches my eye, and then dive a bit deeper into that section, often dog-earing my favorite pages. The sections and spreads in this book are designed to be digested modularly, and you might be surprised at the chapter topics. Some are super specific (a whole section on the miracle fabric that is denim!), while others are more practical (how do you wear leather, anyway?).

I have always had a secret mental library of inspiration to tap into when shopping or getting dressed: an arsenal of cool womenmy personal icons, if you will. These are the ones who will be eternally cool, no matter their age. I think of Jane Birkin and Kate Moss when I want to be rock n roll sexy, and Lauren Hutton and Charlotte Gainsbourg when Im feeling more classic-cool. And then there are all the real women I see around every day who provide me with endless ideas about how I want to look and present myself.

I could have hired professional models to illustrate the styling points, but that would have been counterintuitive, since the thrill is in decoding how the real women I know dress so cool. So who better to show us? Allow me to introduce you to the modelsstyle role models, allthirty-three women ranging in age from mid-twenties to mid-seventies. Meet them, see which ones you relate to, and then follow them through the book. Maybe take rocker jewelry inspiration from one and classic styling from another. In other words, I dont suggest that you follow one womans style to a T. Pick and choose from each to come up with your own look; thats the fun of it!

Here, you will find tons of unconventional tips for what to look for when shopping, and how to make the most of the clothes already in your closet.

I want to thank each of them for taking time out of their busy schedules to show up, spend the day with me, share their tips and tricks, and break it all down for us without holding back any secretsbecause thats really, really cool.

Meet the Models

Andrea Linett,

creative director

Self-described style: I always say untucked glamour, with the emphasis on untucked. I love good clothes and fun shapes, but somehow I never look too put togetherand I feel most comfortable that way.