Sophisticated with a dash of swagger—these local trendsetters prove that style is indeed a state of mind.

Awe-Etuk wears an Alexander Wang shirtdress with Mach & Mach double bow glitter heels in white and pink and assorted gold jewelry.

MONICA O. AWE-ETUK

Lifestyle & Fashion Blogger, Awed by Monica, awedbymonica.com

How would you describe your personal style?

Classic with a contemporary twist

How does your style play into your personality, everyday life or profession?

As a fashion blogger, I get to play around with looks and try new things. My style reflects my curiosity and love of fashion. I love classic pieces, but I also love being on trend and creating trendy outfits with classic pieces.

What does your style mean to you?

My style is an extension of me. I get to use my style to make myself feel confident. I love dressing up and my style reflects that.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

I honestly have so many items as I am always shopping, but one of the items I am always excited to wear and get tons of compliments on is my Loewe Obi belt. I wore it on the shoot! It puts a smile on my face every time I wear it.

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day?

Best advice is to dress for yourself and buy items you truly love and not because they’re trending.

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

Favorite brand to wear right now is Alexander Wang; I marvel over Mach & Mach. The workmanship of those shoes is exquisite!

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

My go-to look right now: super-high-rise pants and a bodysuit or dress shirt. I love how dress pants are classic but on trend.

Who is your style icon?

Kerry Washington—I adore her style.

Countess von Doz wears a Ralph Rucci set with Buccellati jewels.

LUCIENNE COUNTESS VON DOZ

Author, Opera Patron and Co-founder of Singers Development Foundation

How do you describe your personal style?

I can be very exotic or I can be very simple. I can go with a pair of leather pants and a Ralph Rucci pique shirt or I can wear an evening gown! I think it is important to dress simply and pair with some amazing jewelry.

How does style play into your personality and everyday life or profession?

I try to dress comfortably, but even then if I am running errands or popping in for lunch, people ask, ‘Where are you going?’ I come from a time when it was important to dress up no matter the occasion.

How has your style evolved over the years?

Well, when I was young I was dressed by Coco Chanel and she put me in her classic structured silhouettes, which I didn’t really like, but it was probably appropriate for a young lady. Then as I got older, I started to wear Madame Grès, who I adored. I loved that everything she designed was pleated, and the evening gowns were just incredible. Her styles reflected the kind of life I led at that time. Today, I am in love with Ralph Rucci’s designs. His jackets are made with the most beautiful materials in the world, and I can’t get enough of them.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

Right now I just love the python coat Ralph [Rucci] made for me, but I also have a pin that was gifted to me by singer Maria Callas. This pin is to go to Renée Fleming, one of the greatest opera singers of the world today. We helped her early on in her career. My cousin Mary Ellen Hecht and I started the Singers Development Foundation. The board had all the greats, from Marilyn Horne to Joan Sutherland to Domingo. We nurtured young opera singers between academia and the time that they arrive to success on the stage.

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day?

Wear tight on the bottom and loose on the top, and no matter your size, your silhouette will always be incredible. I learned that from Ralph. And, this is more beauty-centric but wear La Mer! I was a muse of Max Huber for many decades and we developed a great friendship. I swear by Crème de La Mer!

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

I love to wear and marvel over jewelry from Cartier, Buccellati, Harry Winston and more.

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

Leather pants, pique shirt, a fabulous Ralph Rucci jacket and a diamond necklace.

Tobe wears a Zimmermann maxidress with platform Christian Louboutin heels.

HEDI TOUB

Founder & Owner, Ready Set Fun, readysetfun.com

How would you describe your personal style?

I’ve had a SoCal style since I grew up—think beach vibes with a hint of ’80s.

How does your style play into your personality, everyday life or profession?

My style has translated itself into the architecture of our home (Spanish style), work (Ready Set Fun, ’80s vibe) and even the music I play daily (Depeche Mode, Lady Gaga).

What does your style mean to you?

l stay true to who I am. I don’t like following trends… love finding new contemporary designers that have simple, fresh styles.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

A good black mini cocktail dress with pointy-toe pumps. Always a classic and easy.

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day?

Always be you and stay true to what looks good on you rather than following what everyone else does.

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

Isabel Marant, Zimmermann, Noam, Jonathan Simkhai, Alessandra Rich; I love contemporary designers with a fresh, simple look—high fashion while affordable and supporting new upcoming designers.

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

A pair of blue Levi’s, a white V-neck T-shirt, a black blazer and black pumps

Who is your style icon?

Audrey Hepburn meets J. Lo!

Young wears a silk maxi and mesh top from Beautiful People Los Angeles paired with jewelry from S. Carter Designs and heels from Gucci.

REBECCA YOUNG

Owner & Founder, REBECCA Boutique, shop-rebecca.com

How would you describe your personal style?

I would describe my style as understated with a love of luxe bohemian.

How does your style play into your personality, everyday life or profession?

Because I own a women’s clothing store, I love dressing every woman in clothes that are easy and effortless, fit in a small bag and are chic for wherever they go in the world. I’m always on the hunt for beautiful pieces that work together in different ways. That passion has influenced my style and I hope my customers’ approach to style.

What does your style mean to you?

My style gives me an outlet for creativity. It is ever-changing and evolving. Because it is unique to me, my style gives me confidence for what I’m doing each day.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

I have a collection of wonderfully ethereal silk slip dresses in jewel tones from Beautiful People Los Angeles. They are timeless and easily adapt to my personal style. I can wear them with sandals in the summer and layer with boots and cashmere in fall and winter. I always feel elegant wearing them.

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day?

Less is more.

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

I love Gucci for shoes and bags, S. Carter Designs for amazing jewelry that feeds my love of bohemian layering, Avenue Montaigne for pants that I can wear anywhere in the world, Minnie Rose for yummy cashmere, Natalie Martin for beautiful prints when I’m in the mood for more color. I marvel at the fluid pieces from Beautiful People Los Angeles and wear something from that designer every day.

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

My go-to outfit is super easy and gets me out the door fast: skinny pants from Avenue Montaigne in a range of colors and prints, Gucci shoes, a silk cami, and I just add luxe cashmere in fall and winter.

Who is your style icon?

Because my personal style is always evolving, which I love, so do my style icons. Right now, certainly Christine Centenera, Poppy Delevingne and Nicole Kidman inspire me.

Lane wears Balmain leather pants, an Amanda Uprichard jacket with Gianvito Rossi heels.

LORI LANE

Senior Vice President, New Homes Division, Luxury Collection and Corporate Marketing, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia, bhhsgeorgia.com

How would you describe your personal style?

Classic not trendy. I tend to stick to the basics, clean lines and solid neutrals. I don’t put a lot of thought into designers as much as I stick to what I think looks good on me, and not necessarily what is trendy at the moment. When it comes to evening attire or parties or events, I like to be more edgy and daring, but I still stick with what is the most flattering, not what is necessarily in style at the moment.

How does your style play into your personality, everyday life or profession?

I think it is important to feel good and be comfortable and confident when you go to work so the focus is 100% on getting the job done. I am not into patterns, flashy or bright colors—that would make me uncomfortable. I do love high heels; for me they are as comfortable as sneakers and sometimes the best part of an outfit. They also make me appear taller, which is nice when you are 5-foot-4. Outside of work I can be more trendy and fun with clothes, but I like to be comfortable and still more neutral in color. I stay pretty casual on the weekends.

What does your style mean to you?

Style to me is how you look when you feel the most confident and comfortable. When you are confident, you naturally look good regardless of what you are wearing.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

I am not sure I have one thing. I think it is more sentimental jewelry I wear daily and some accessories that have been given to me over the years. For example, my team gave me a Ferragamo belt one year, a pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes another. ... I would say if anyone thinks I am ‘trendy’ it’s a few of the stylish ladies on my team who should get the credit.

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day?

When I was in my early 20s and shopping for a dress for an event, my grandmother told me that women often make the mistake of showing too much skin, and showing less is often far more flattering. She said, as an example, long sleeves can be far more attractive than bare arms. I am sure she was partially encouraging me to be more conservative at the time, but I agree with her and I always think about it when trying on dresses.

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

I wear so many different brands, but staple items would be Vince, Alice + Olivia, mix of Prada, Akris, Ralph Lauren and Theory basics, suits, etc. Of course, to marvel maybe Versace.

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

For work, it is a sophisticated black jacket, black pants, a blouse and a pair of heels—elegant, simple, not distracting but professional. When not at work, loose-fitting but still flattering pants or jeans; a T-shirt, sweater or fun jacket; wedges, sandals or boots are my go-to.

Alberico wears an LBD with vintage Chanel wraparound heels.

ILANA ALBERICO

CEO, Spa Space App, spaspace.com

How would you describe your personal style?

Simple and classic with a snippet of glam

How does your style play into your personality, everyday life or profession?

As a mom of two and an executive, I gravitate toward flexible, polished and not overly styled. I need to be able to go from the playroom to the boardroom pretty quickly, so I love pieces that are both comfortable and classic. One of my good friends who is also a mom and works at a large tech company laughs because my closet is so monochromatic. I invest in staple pieces and pair them with glam vintage pieces that my mother-in-law hands down to me.

What does your style mean to you?

Style is not just what you wear or what you see. Style encompasses the holistic impression you give with your presence. To me, I believe that my attitude, authenticity and adaptability are just as much a part of my style as the pieces in my closet.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

A pair of vintage heels that my mother-in-law gave me before I married her son. It meant a lot to me because she must have known I’d be around for a while.

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day?

My grandmother was incredibly stylish and enjoyed going to events well into her 80s. She would wear dresses even around the house. When I would ask her about it, she would say, ‘There’s no reason to ever wear a schmatta,” which is a Yiddish word that means a ratty piece of clothing. Even on days that I have nothing to do, I get myself nicely dressed.

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

Coco Chanel—timeless designs, little black dresses

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

Slim high-waisted pants with a blouse and a heel. I love sensual fabrics like silk and satin.

Who is your style icon?

Believe it or not, I appreciate Madonna as a style icon because she took risks and expanded the conversation on style, and as she got older she brought awareness to having a strong body (via yoga and strength training) as part of her presentation. But other than her, my mother-in-law, Becky Alberico, because she’s still the most stylish woman I know and shares her closet with me.

Simone wears a structured white blazer and pants from Because of Alice with heels from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Arian Simone

Co-Founder, General Partner, Fearless Fund, fearless. fund

How would you describe your personal style?

Fearless. Bold. Fun.

How does your style play into your personality, everyday life or profession?

I’ve always had a passion for fashion and love expressing myself through my personal style. I feel like you should be unapologetic about who you are on the inside and having it be seen on the outside. For me, that means embracing striking color, fun patterns and bold style.

As an investor through Fearless Fund, the first VC fund built by women of color for women of color, I work to support and scale their businesses. In addition, I also believe in the importance of mentorship. Through our Get Venture Ready program, Fearless Fund helps women of color business owners acquire the needed training, mentorship, knowledge and skills needed to gain access to capital.

I’m also a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, angel investor, bestselling author and former PR and marketing specialist, so my style is so important to me personally and professionally.

What does your style mean to you?

My style is a creative expression of who I am. I like a lot of statement pieces and love to incorporate color into all of my looks.

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe and why?

I have many Nadine Merabi pieces in my wardrobe and love each one of them. They come tailored to my measurements, so they fit perfectly!

What is the best piece of fashion advice you’ve gotten and still practice to this day? A great piece of fashion advice I have stayed true to is to be sure to get your special pieces that are in your wardrobe tailored to fit you.

What are your favorite designer brands to wear? To marvel over?

I don’t have any favorite designer brands. I’m more of the type of person that if it speaks to me, I’ll buy it, wear it and love it. If I had to name a designer, though, Versace and Moschino come to mind.

What is your go-to outfit? Or what outfit makes you feel the most “you”?

Something that’s both sexy and comfortable. My typical go-to is a cotton stretchy dress that I can take from day to night.

Who is your style icon?

My mother