039: JENN PARK
lives in silk button downs, scarves, and joggers.
Hello, my lovely readers. Happy Friday. I am writing to you on February 22, 2024 or, as it will henceforth be known, Prada show day - one of my favorite days of the year. Shall we allow ourselves a moment to drool?
It’s fashion month, as you already know, and with the Milan and Paris shows still ahead, the major themes of the season have yet to be fleshed out. Fashion’s traveling circus can be tiresome, but Thom Browne made a case for its necessity in a recent interview with Puck, which I really enjoyed. For Browne, a commercially-successful designer known for his signature shrunken suits, fashion shows keep his salable clothing interesting to consumers. In his words, “the commercial side of what we do doesn’t exist without [the runway]…When we do fittings and put people in the classic gray suit, it still looks good because every couple of months, there’s a new idea that keeps it feeling good.”
At the end of the day, good fashion and good ideas have the ability to make the old feel new again. I notice the industry’s cyclical nature more as I age. Recently I wrote about the return of early aughts preppy style for W Magazine (a trend I can get behind) and listened to the hosts of Vogue’s podcast discuss the comeback of skinny jeans (absolutely not!).
It’s possible that Jenn Park feels fashion’s retrospective pull more strongly than most. She is a designer and visual researcher with an excellent eye and an endless knowledge of fashion history. Jenn’s visual archive, which she catalogues digitally on her popular Instagram account Sculpting in Time, informs her work as the Head of Design and Development at Maryam Nassir Zadeh and inspires her personal style. I caught up with Jenn about what she’s been living in lately.
Describe your personal style. What are you living in right now and why?
JENN: My style is classic but unexpected. I love the ritual of dressing. There's a certain kind of femininity and sensuality that I'm attracted to when I'm putting clothes together but there's also a need to balance it with an interesting accessory, a weird color (or color combination), or mixing of high and low pieces.
I find a lot of inspiration through my research. I love the history of clothes, I have such an appreciation for it. I think it influences my wardrobe both consciously and unconsciously. I’m drawn to the late 70s/90s and early aughts. But lately I’ve been attracted to 80s volume as well.
The only thing getting me through the winter is that I get to accessorize: ear muffs, scarves, gloves, leg warmers, stirrups, headgear, various socks and tights. Also, vintage fur in the form of trims, a snood even (remember those?). I live for accessories. It adds so much interest and personality.
Lastly, cashmere is my heattech. It holds in heat so much better and it feels so incredibly luxurious. I realize I don’t need much else when I have it on.
How often do you shop?
JENN: I’m extremely lucky to get clothes through work. Half my closet is Maryam Nassir Zadeh and the other half is all secondhand/vintage. I rarely buy new. I’m almost 40 so I’ve been collecting and curating my wardrobe for a while now and I feel like it’s in a really good place. The good thing about working at a fashion brand is that I don’t have to shop as much, but because of the collector and fashion enthusiast in me, I’m always looking.
Where do you shop the most?
JENN: Everyone’s favorite: TRR. There are incredible gems on there, archival pieces, sometimes for nothing. I also poke around eBay from time to time. I love eBay, I’ve been using it for 20 years. I love the weird, terrible photos, the descriptions, unexpected oddities. I also love flea markets when I’m traveling and vintage fairs when they’re in town (A Current Affair and the Manhattan Vintage Show). I just like to go and look sometimes. I love the possibility of finding something rare and special. I get so excited finding archival pieces that I've seen through my research. It's so wild to see them in the flesh.
JENN’S MOST WORN
V-NECK SWEATERS
These are my uniform in the fall and winter in different weights and yarns. When I love something, I’ll buy it in every color. I’m obsessed with our MNZ version called the Renato sweater. It’s lightweight and it functions more like a top than a sweater. I wear the Medium so there’s some ease.
SILK BUTTON DOWNS
A very “me” outfit: a silk button down paired with a straight skirt. This is the equivalent of someone’s t-shirt and jeans. There are variations on this, maybe a pleated skirt or a trouser in colder seasons, but the top remains and has become a uniform.
JOGGERS AND KNIT PANTS
I love a soft, knit pant in the colder months especially in a jogger silhouette. I’ve always been inspired by dance and I like styling a jogger pant, or even a sweatpant, with leg warmers or stirrups underneath. I felt validated when I saw this styling echoed in the recent Lemaire runway.
CORDUROYS
I wear them when I want to be casual but don’t want to wear jeans. Corduroys can be elevated in the right silhouette- a trouser style or my favorite, a relaxed flare in a high waist, is so flattering. Bonus points for an interesting color. I randomly bought mine from Uniqlo a few years ago and I wish I got them in all the colors. This is my go-to outfit for running around.
JEWELRY
I have such a softness and affinity for jewelry. Anything unique and interesting, but also classic.
BELTS
Both simple and novelty. I feel like belts are so underrated. They’re such a special way to adorn your outfits. They can make such a statement and completely change a look much more than any accessory because they’re center stage on your body.
SCARVES
An essential for winter. I have way too many.
Best buy of 2023?
JENN: Donna Karan SS04 silk/linen trench coat with a draped collar in charmeuse. I love long coats and this one can be worn by itself as a dress. It hangs so beautifully on the body.
What are you currently searching for?
JENN: A vintage muffler, the last missing puzzle in my winter accessories arsenal… Low heeled pumps with a high vamp, they feel new again. A more polished bag which I decided was vintage Gucci, specifically the Jackie 1961. Shawls in varying weights and fabrics. You can dress them up or down - instant elegance. And forever looking for old Ghost.
Do you change your accessories daily or wear the same ones?
JENN: There are a few that I wear daily: my mother’s vintage Seiko watch. It’s both gold and silver which is nice because I can mix metals with the rest of my jewelry if I want to. A Sonia Boyajian jewel bracelet from 10+ years ago that I bought myself when I was working at the MNZ store, a vintage green and red linked ring that looks vaguely old Gucci. The rest I play with depending on my outfit. I feel strange without jewelry and always need to have something on.
Love this interview!
love Jenn's styling ❤️