1. I've always been interested in having a sense of style, but there were a lot of growing pains because there were a lot of times I couldn't afford things, I didn't know how to dress/what worked for my body, &/or I liked so many styles--& tried to incorporate them all--it ultimately looked like I had no style at all.

My go-to pieces have varied a lot. In my early 20s it was my favorite blue & black patterned sundress I could dress up or down & layer to make season appropriate. With black ballet flats.

In my mid-late 20s it was my navy cigarettes pants or black pencil skirt & a black sweater. With black boots or black mary janes.

Now it's a ties between a little black shift dress & a colored blocked black & blue dress, both which I can dress up or down & layer. Black boots or mary janes. But I still wear the other two looks.

1. Vibe--depends what I'm dressing for, where I am, but I always want to look pulled together, ideally effortless cool. I like (traditionally) feminine shapes & accessories (dresses, tights), & masculine colors, fabrics, patterns (i.e. black, tweed, herringbone).

2. Combo of firm decision & has evolved over time. One thing that changed it was a job wear everyone dressed both very professional & very fashionable. It was there was I learned what colors work bets for me (through trial & error), started sticking to a much more limited color palette (which I now love), & learned how to edit my style.

Getting older (in my 30s) has had an effect of my style, too. I think I've become more aware of dressing for my body, doing my hair (which I never bothered with before), actually like wearing make-up, more than just lip gloss.

1. Changing my clothes was pretty easy. I didn't really have anyone I could ask, but I "sought advice" in a way by emulating style icons I love. My hair & make-up has been harder, largely because I'm mixed race & up until very recently there was practically no one (in magazines, etc.) to look to for what I like.

2. The most valuable thing I've learned is just liking something isn't enough reason (for me) to wear it. It has to work for my body, and for the style I'm going for.

Also, I always read tags now & never buy cheap fabrics--even if they look great. Acrylic, for example, doesn't breathe--I never, ever wear it. It doesn't matter if I start out looking great, three hours later it feels horrible (on me).