080: GRACE DOUGHERTY
lives in an Elsa Peretti belt and Olga Basha jeans.
Multi-hyphenates abound on Habiter. This week, I spoke with Grace Dougherty - a writer, stylist, and actress (twist!) who recently relocated from New York to Los Angeles. Grace is a jeans-and-tee kind of gal, just like me: someone who genuinely appreciates the quality and longevity of a well-made basic. But her pared-back style still has plenty of personality. She deftly mixes heavy-hitters, like a fabulous Elsa Peretti belt or Phoebe-era Chloé, in with her everyday.
Grace was one of the first, and most emphatic, respondents to a “best T-shirts” query I posted on Instagram recently (her picks are Flore Flore and 6397). I love chatting with girls who relish the hunt for the best brands, and who are willing to share their bounty. (The results of that survey are coming soon, by the way!)
Beyond fashion, Grace has an eye for just about everything. If you love interiors, you’ll enjoy reading about her Facebook Marketplace–fueled apartment redecoration on her Substack, Jelly Sandwich. I asked Grace to tell me what she’s been living in lately.
Describe your personal style.
Classic with a bit of New England flare and California cool.
How often do you shop?
Is it bad to say that I shop every week???? Don’t judge me, but I am always browsing. It’s part of my job to discover brands and know what’s on the market. I am always putting outfits together on the paper doll version of myself in my head. I’m not always clicking purchase, but there’s always pieces I’m thinking about. I collect Prada from 2003, 2006, and 2009 (who doesn’t) and Phoebe-era Chloe so I’m always looking out for those, too.
Where do you shop the most?
80% of my wardrobe is from Scout in LA and Sorbara’s in New York. These are the best vintage stores in the country as far as I’m concerned. If I’m not shopping there in person I am shopping online at The RealReal and various other sites that I can’t stay away from such as La Garconne, Flore Flore, J. Crew, Alex Mill, and the like.
GRACE’S MOST WORN
Something remarkable came out of a wrong-place-wrong-time situationship I was in shortly after moving to LA and that is my beloved pair of Dries Van Noten jeans (similar linked). On our walk-of-shame coffee morning he had on the most perfect pair of pants to which I inquired instantly. Later that week I rushed to the Dries store on La Cienega and purchased a pair myself. Men’s, of course! These jeans have seen multiple cities, oceans, countries, and yellow cabs. I absolutely adore them as seen by the wear in the once very dark wash that has now turned a tousled blue in the bum and knees. The best pairing with these pantaloons is my Judy Turner zip up (not exact but similar linked) and my Elsa Peretti Taurus belt (I am not a Taurus sun, but my Venus is!). I bought my Judy Turner while on my first real fashion assistant stint, and my Elsa belt shortly thereafter. I found the belt on The Real Real for a shocking 156 bucks. It is by far the most complimented piece I own. Similar silver buckle elegance here.
Denim is something I feel most myself in so I feel ok splurging on it. My other two most worn pairs are from Olga Basha and Auralee. The Auralee ones snatch me and make me look like an important woman with an important job. The Olga Basha’s are essentially my second skin because I wear them so often, plus Celine is a total hoot and I love her brain.
I will ALWAYS stand by the classic white tee and jeans combo especially since I have fallen in love with a man who wears that as his uniform everyday and looks like such a hunk doing it. Plus look at James Dean…Marlon Brando…hello!!! The best white tees are from 6397 and Flore Flore. I size up in Flore Flore because they can feel a bit tight which I HATE. I also have a ton of white tees from Scout in LA. They have the best single stitch perfectly soft selection.
If it’s not a white tee, it’s a button down. I have tons from Kathleen and other miscellaneous fleas. I love the Barneys ones. Also Brooks Brothers, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Brioni, and just found a Perry Ellis one last weekend.
A few years ago my friend Brooke Callahan informed me of the Porselli ballet flats that are made in Milan. She prefaced that they take many months to come as they are made custom. They come in every color of the rainbow and more. Metallics, suedes…I suggest ordering more than one at a time to make it worth the wait. My third and fourth pair just came in the mail last week. I have gotten the first two re-soled once already. I wear these into the ground (I even wore them on a 13 hour set day- not my smartest move!) and get compliments on them all the time. When people ask me what the best ballet flat is, I’m always going to say these.
I bought the Lemaire Twisted Shirt for my 24th birthday right before lockdown in 2020 and I still find myself grabbing for it years later. It is the ideal piece for me. Simple, but with a twist (no pun intended). I wore it for my housewarming party last weekend and still get just as many compliments on it as when I first bought it 5 years ago. Timeless!
Best buy of the last year?
The year is almost up so let’s go with my best of 2025 to which I’ll direct your attention back to the Olga Basha jeans. Before these babies I used to pretty religiously wear vintage Levi’s, and while those are still great, I’m considering my closet more as I near my 30’s. I want to feel polished and put together and GROWN UP! These jeans help me feel that way. I can dress them up or down. I will wear them on a sleepy morning pastry run or to an Oasis concert. The duality!
What are you currently searching for?
I have never in my life owned a boot that owns me. I’m looking for a perfect round toe flat riding boot.
What’s your go-to bodega/coffee/grocery-run outfit?
In LA we don’t have bodega’s, just gas stations and Griffith Park. If I’m doing anything early in the morning it’s going to The Trails for a scone and a coffee and a long walk. I’ll wear my Horse Sport shorts with a vintage crewneck or a pair of deadstock baggy sweats from Scout with a big zip up hoodie.
Does your style change when you go to work?
Something about me is that I have about 4 jobs which keeps me on my toes. I work on set as a fashion assistant, I work from home as a consultant for brands (but also sometimes in person), I write, and I’m an actress.
If I’m working on set I will go a bit method with how I dress. If I’m working on an editorial, I will dress kind of like how I perceive the magazine’s overall taste or style to be. I like wearing scarves as belts or tying a knit over my shoulders. If it’s an ad job I will adopt more of my everyday uniform.
If I’m working an event with a client it’s important to appear very elegant and put together. Earlier this year I wore a fabulous Michael Kors floor length skirt from Uma Los Angeles and a Phoebe-era Chloe top that I miraculously found on The Real Real and rushed to the Brentwood location for pick-up.
What’s your go-to out for a night out?
Since I moved to LA (embarassing, it will always be chicer to be a New Yorker than an Angeleno) I have become a homebody and joke with my friends that I will venture out of my lair at least once a quarter. When this happens, I don’t stray from my usual garb. If I’m attending a fabulous party I try to add a little old money flair like a ruffly skirt or something with taffeta.
What clothing item or accessory do you always travel with?
I always travel with my large L.L. Bean Boat & Tote in white with white embroidered DOUGHERTY across the front. It’s a great Mary Poppins bag. It sometimes weighs more than my suitcase! It’s crucial to bring a cashmere wrap of some kind to rest your head on or tie around your head and go incognito mode. I really detest flying. It’s much more romantic to take the Amtrak which I used to do often when I lived on the East Coast. I love wearing my vintage military fatigues for a long flight. They’re sweatpants in disguise.
Do you change your accessories or wear the same ones?
When you say accessories to me I really think you mean jewelry to which I’ll tell you I have a rather fraught relationship with. I am allergic to silver or anything “gold plated” so everything I put in my ear holes has to be 24 carat gold which I hate, or platinum. I am a silver girl through and through after spending years wearing 6 gold chains stacked on top of each other from New Top Jewelry in my college years. For special occasions or when I’m feeling the need to change my personality to A Lady Who Wears Earrings, I’ll wear some from Sophie Buhai (no longer available but these are similar). I don’t wear jewelry everyday because I think it often wears me more than I wear it. Sometimes if I have a manicure I’ll wear my Bite Ring from Old Jewelry. The accessory I wear most is the aforementioned Elsa Peretti belt which I am hoping (fingers crossed) has become my signature.
Love! I will admit I fangirl’ed when I saw her at my hotel in Silver Lake back in August. Also agree on the fatigues. 100% cotton OG-107 military pants are basically sweats.
My North Star