Fashionable Life: A Lacey Perspective

by Laura

Lacey Maffettone mixes feminine pleats with a biker-chic moto jacket for a look of juxtaposition.

By Laura Wainman

Lacey Maffettone, the face of A Lacey Perspective, combines black and white, a motorcycle jacket and leather for an avant garde take on femininity. (Photo courtesy of Lacey Maffettone)

In our November issue, we featured a hand-picked guide to the runway’s top 10 trends (p. 54-57), including black and white, studs, peplum, metallic brocade, capes, leather accents, herringbone, ankle boots, motorcycle jackets and military-inspired ware. Now, we have sought out the area’s top fashion bloggers to showcase their takes on the trends. Tune in each Tuesday for the next several weeks to see trendy outfits created by Washington’s finest-dressed and exclusive interviews with the women behind the blogs.

Lacey Maffettone never intended to become a personal style blogger. When she started blogging in May of 2010, she had just moved to Washington and she wanted to share her thoughts on the fashion of the city. She’d post tips on how an outfit could have been improved or the one thing that could have made a look work. A Lacey Perspective was a fashion blog, but not a style blog. When a reader wrote to say, “you think you know so much about fashion but what are you wearing?” she took it as a challenge. Maffettone began posting photos of her daily outfits, and a personal style star was born.

Now, she sees blogging as an opportunity to give Washington the chance to see how trends work on real women, rather than just models in a magazine. And two and a half years later she has created an entire community of women who want to share how trends work for them through CapFABB – an organization, co-founded with fellow blogger Liz Fassbender, of nearly 600 local fashion and beauty bloggers who unite in their love of the fashion industry.

“The best part of blogging has been the amazingly talented group of fashionistas I’ve met and fallen in love with,” says Maffettone. They inspired me every day to push my boundaries and try something new.”

Personally, we’ve been readers of A Lacey Perspective for two years and we fell in love with the risks Maffettone takes and how she manages to make them District-approved. Floral trousers? She’s rocked them in a business casual way we never would have thought possible. Stripes and polka dots? She left us craving the combo for weeks.We recently caught up with the risk-taker to find out what trends can work in Washington, how to mix feminine and edgy pieces and what stores she loves to shop.

Washington Life: What is your niche in the Washington blogosphere?
Lacey Maffettone: My niche is finding what DC is comfortable with, and then taking a few risks with them. I love seeing trends that are having no problem in New York, like pattern mixing and colorblocking, and figuring out how to integrate them in business casual fashion.

WL: Do you think there are any trends that can’t work in the District?
LM: I don’t think there are any trends that can’t work here, it’s all in the way you do it.

Maffettone chose this outfit for a local fashion event because of the juxtaposition between hard and soft elements. (Photo courtesy of Lacey Maffettone)

WL: How has blogging changed how you view fashion?
LM: I’ve realized what works for my body, what colors are right and I’ve tried trends I never thought I’d try. I look back at my blog and some of the things I wore and wonder what I was thinking.

WL: Where do you see yourself in five years?
LM: I hope I’m still blogging because I don’t think is a fad. I hope I am helping the DC fashion industry continue to grow, and taking a larger role in that. Maybe I’ll take a step away from politics and go towards fashion.

WL: Describe your style in five words or less:
LM: Feminine, colorful and preppy.

WL: What is your favorite neighborhood for shopping?
LM: It’s a tie between Adams Morgan/ U street for vintage and Georgetown for great window shopping. And I do a lot of online shopping.

WL: Do you have any specific stores in those neighborhoods that you prefer?
LM: Meeps, Hu’s Shoes, Zara and H&M.

WL: What fashion era do you most relate to?
LM: Probably the 30s and 40s. I love the femininity, the sparkle and full skirts.

WL: Biggest fashion pet peeve:
LM: Women being constrained by the size of their clothing. It shouldn’t be about the number. If a six fits you better than a four, wear the six and feel confident in what you wear.

WL: What will you never wear again?
LM: I’m not sure because I’ve said things before and been wrong, then it comes back and I give it a shot and love it. I said never neon, and it came back. It all comes back and it is worth a shot.

WL: Favorite trend:
LM: Definitely peplum. It flatters my body. I can’t stop buying it.

WL: Trend you can’t get on board with:
LM: Wedge sneakers. I considered giving it a shot, but I just can’t.

WL: What is the most practical shoe for a Washington woman?
LM: The perfect nude pump. It will be classic forever, whether it is a Louboutin or Steve Madden.

WL: Favorite shoe in your closet:
LM: It changes all the time, but right now I have a pair of bubblegum pink pumps that I keep grabbing. If I’m in a t-shirt and jeans the pink pump adds color, but if Im in all black it works too.

WL: What is your go-to accessory right now?
LM: Really simple, stackable rings. And my monogrammed necklace is on me almost every day.

WL: What one item can’t you stop obsessing over?
LM: A camel-colored Burberry trench with leather sleeves. I’m madly in love. Every winter I feel like I’m going to pull the trigger, but I don’t.

WL: Who are your Washington style icons?
LM: The first real style blogger I met was E of District of Chic. She has an incredible mix of vintage and business looks. I have great respect for Holly Thomas of Refinery 29. She pulls of looks I never could. And of course our First Lady, who pushes the boundaries and shows that she isn’t afraid to dress like a woman.

WL: Five Washington winter must-haves:
LM: Black pea coat, heeled black boots, red lipstick (especially in the winter!), leopard scarf and a cream, chunky fisherman’s sweater

Maffettone's advice on creating a look of juxtaposition? "Don't go overboard. Keep it to one opposing item." (Photo courtesy of Lacey Maffettone)

WL: Finish this sentence: “I never leave home without my…”
LM: Karen Walker sunglasses

Would you rather wear…

WL: A leather jacket or boyfriend blazer?
LM: Leather jacket

WL: Heels or Flats?
LM: Heels

WL: Red lipstick or black eyeliner?
LM: Red lipstick

WL: An oversized watch or spiked bracelet?
LM: Oversized watch

WL: Faux or fur?
LM: Faux

WL: Ankle booties or over the knee boots?
LM: Over the Knee boots

WL: A Chanel bag or Louboutin pumps?
LM: Louboutins

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