Courtney Grow Shares Her Style Dos & Don’ts

DO dress to improve your own day.

The best style rule I have is to dress in a way that improves my own day. The most elegant thing you can do is look comfortable – and that only happens when you feel happy with what you’re wearing. I think less about impressing others and more about how my clothes make me feel.

DON’T follow rules that make you self-conscious.

I don’t put much stock in strict style commandments. If something makes you self-conscious, then that’s your don’t. Otherwise, everything is a why not – it’s fashion and it’s supposed to be fun.

DO embrace layering.

Winter is when I have the most fun with fashion because it’s all about curiosity. What happens if I put this coat over this blazer over this knit? I love the texture and the contradiction of it all, and I never mind if the final look is a little bit undone. Lately I’ve been wearing a white Renggli long-sleeved tee under all my sweaters – it’s a perfect base layer that quietly makes everything work better.

DON’T build an autumn wardrobe around pieces you never wear.

My essentials for colder months are always the same: a long dramatic coat, a chunky sweater, tailored trousers, vintage Levi’s and a leather jacket. I don’t worry about deliberately deviating from that. However, it’s fun to have one slightly impractical piece that brings you joy. It doesn’t have to make sense – it just has to make you smile.

DON’T fear the impractical.

When I want an outfit to feel polished instead of purely practical, I’ll add something slightly impractical on purpose. It’s a small shift but it stops the look from feeling too functional and gives the outfit a bit of personality.

DO embrace the trends that feel like you.

If a trend feels like homework, I’m not interested. Anything that requires too much effort, deciphering or justification usually isn’t right for me. I’d rather let trends filter in naturally instead of feeling obliged to participate.

DON’T forget to borrow from the boys.

I’m still very much in my “steal sweaters from my husband” era. There’s something about an oversized men’s knit that hits the perfect relaxed note. I’ve also been replicating outfits I’ve seen on JFK Jr – really simple combinations that are always wearable and cool.

DO invest in a great leather jacket.

Few pieces are more versatile than a great leather jacket. Once you find one that fits your lifestyle, it works for almost everything – with denim, over dresses, with tailoring. It’s the kind of piece that earns its place time and again.

DON’T go too matchy-matchy with accessories.

I like accessories that feel inevitable – not overly matched, not overly considered, just right. Like they arrived there on their own. At the same time, I’ll never say no to  ‘the wrong’ accessory. Sometimes the piece that feels slightly off only makes an outfit more interesting.

DO rethink party season.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about prioritising a party shoe over a party dress. It’s such an easy way to shift an outfit’s entire energy without having to rebuild the whole look. 

DON’T be afraid to mix textures.

When I’m mixing fabrics, I think about contrast the same way I think about conversation – something soft, something sharp, something that doesn’t try too hard to agree. That balance keeps my winter outfits interesting without the need to overthink them.

DO freshen up your wardrobe staples.

When it comes to making basics like jeans, blazers and knits feel more current, indifference is a great styling tool. Don’t force them to feel new – just wear them with small tweaks or unexpected pairings and they will naturally feel modern again.

DON’T rush out of a style rut.

If you’re in a style rut, don’t try to force your way out of it. Sometimes, boredom is just your taste evolving in silence. I always think it’s helpful to start with what you actually wear, not what you wish you wore – there’s honesty in that repetition and that’s usually where your personal style is hiding.

DO take one bold step.

If you want to be bolder, wear one thing that feels slightly too much and then forget you made the choice. Real confidence is forgetting. Once you’re out the door, it just becomes part of you.

DON’T police other people’s style.

If I have a style ick, it’s people being rude or stopping someone from wearing or buying something they love. Style should feel expansive, not restrictive.

DO pay attention to posture.

Good posture changes everything. I say this from observation, not expertise – but looking at ease makes such a difference. Again, the more comfortable I feel in my clothes, the easier that becomes.

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