SheerLuxe Qs: Theodora Aspart, The Fashion & Beauty Rules Of A Former Vogue Editor

I would describe my style as… The typical Parisian woman – I know, it’s a total cliché. I mix dressy with casual and try to keep things simple. I never try too hard. I like the ‘I just put on what I found in the closet’ look. I never wear more than one statement piece at a time. “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”, as Coco Chanel once said.

My fail-safe outfit is… Dark, slim-fit jeans, loose sweater, medium heeled boots, leather belt (possibly with a cowboy style buckle) and tons of bracelets. If it's cold outside, I wear a wool coat that I belt as well.

The high-end brands that I live in are… Chloé, Celine, Chanel, Valentino, Isabel Marant, Saint Laurent.

And for affordability, I love… Uniqlo for men’s cashmere sweaters (I use to borrow my husband’s) and online shopping at Zara.

On my wish list right now are… The new Small Besace 16 Bag by Celine, Alanui oversized cardigans, and Chanel bicolor medium heel suede boots – I’m hoping they will do them again next winter.

I don’t mind spending on timeless pieces… But I don't want to bankrupt myself on stuff that screams what season it’s from.

The best thing I ever bought is… My Chanel Classique bag. I’m pretty sure I’ll never regret purchasing that.

I’m not really into vintage… Except for watches and jewellery. My Cartier Santos watch and my engagement ring, which dates back to the late twenties, are my most treasured, vintage pieces.

I often wear at least one piece from Isabel Marant pretty much every day… Because everything that she designs is both stylish and easy to wear. It’s never too much. You never feel disguised. You can wear it everywhere and anywhere: it’s ok at the office, it’s ok to go to the park with your kids, it’s ok to go out at night. It's the most effortless fashion statement I know.

When I need to look smart and feel powerful, I wear… A blazer, black skinny leather pants and very high heeled boots.

For evenings, I love a lamé or sequined top… But like I said, I’m French... So I would counterbalance that with loose hair and nude make-up look.

Shoes are everything… I have to say that I style myself every morning, starting with the shoes I want to wear. I'm quite changeable when it comes to accessories brands; I have plenty of shoes from Chloé, Chanel, Isabel Marant, Burberry, Miu Miu, Saint Laurent and Hermès. My favourite bags come from Dior, Celine, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Chloé, and Givenchy. I love fringes, so I have quite a few fringed bags (Ralph Lauren, Roger Vivier) and my latest purchase is a tartan bag by Balenciaga. And I love to wear a clutch in the daytime instead of a handbag.

I’m into jewellery so much that… I created my own jewellery brand. It’s called Rocks and it was launched a few weeks ago. I use natural crystals and combine them in order to create mind-boosting necklaces (you can check it out at rocks-jewelry.com).

My style doesn’t change on holiday… But I do love Ancient Greek sandals by Stella Luna. Valentino is great for flat sandals and Erès for swimsuits. I’m planning to buy Zimmermann swimwear and romantic blouses this summer.

My ultimate style icons are… Thelma & Louise.

The one thing I would never wear is… Flesh-coloured tights.

The best advice I learnt working for Vogue for 12 years was to… Roll up your coat sleeves, stand up straight and put everything you need in your pocket instead of carrying a bag. You feel like the coolest girl in town already, don’t you?

My earliest fashion memory is of… My mother wearing Kenzo floral prints back to the late eighties, and my grandmother's Pleats Please dresses.

Theodora’s cheat sheet to shopping the best…

Denim: Seafarer.
Shoes: I’m most comfortable in Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant and Hermès.
Blazers: Hedi Slimane, no matter what brand he designs them for.
Lingerie: Stella McCartney, Erès.
T-shirts: Maison Standards.
Eveningwear: Attico.

Shop Theodora's fashion picks below...

BEAUTY

There’s nothing better than natural beauty. I’ve never had plastic surgery, I’ve never had any cosmetic medicine treatment so far. I’m always looking for the purest cosmetic formulas. I’m obsessed with organic skincare – not all the products I use are organic but most of them are. I think the best beauty products are the water you drink and the healthy food you eat.

In the morning… I start by massaging my skin with a jade roller.  I love its cooling effect. It’s very helpful to feel awake and I think it makes a difference, radiance wise. Then, I have a very simple regime: soft cleansing lotion plus toner, serum and day cream.

At night Idouble cleanse… (there's nothing like Lait Onctueux Capital + Lotion Lactée by Joëlle Ciocco), then toner, serum, night cream and tons of lip balm. I spend a few minutes massaging my skin with the first cleanser. It really improves its radiance and firmness. Plus, it’s super relaxing before going to sleep.

And for make-up…I use a concealer on dark circles and on the sides of the nostrils. I create a light sun-kissed look with terracotta powder on cheeks, forehead and top of the nose. Baby pink cream blush on my cheekbones. Black mascara on my eyelashes. Homeoplasmine Ointment (Boiron) on my lips. I don't really change it up in the evening, I just use a black pencil around my eyes, that's pretty much it. I wish I were a red lipstick girl but I’m not: red lipstick looks very bad on me, it makes me look 10 years older than I am.

If I had to pass on my most treasured make-up tip, it would be to… avoid foundation if you want to look younger. Just use a concealer if it’s necessary.

I always stay out of the sun…as I have light-coloured skin (I even have a few freckles on my cheeks) I like Shiseido Urban Environment Oil Free UV Protector SPF 42.

I’m very careful not to pluck my eyebrows  too much… I like themto look very natural. I just style them with clear grooming gel, such as Boy Brow by Glossier. Also, I sometimes use Diorshow Brow Styler.

I have naturally wavy hair that I don’t style much… I rub a small amount of jojoba oil in my hands before distributing it throughout the hair. I let sit for a few minutes, then I wash my hair, make a blow-dry and that's it. My favourite products are from the L’Oréal Professionnel Source Essentielle line – it’s their first 80% vegan line.

If I’m feeling tired or have had little sleep… I drink litres of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice and place two spoons in freezer, let them cool, then put them on my closed eyes for a few minutes. I also use Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir, which is my secret weapon to give my skin a boost of radiance – plus, it’s great for prepping make-up.

The fragrances I always wear are… Eau de Givenchy by Givenchy and Eau Indélébile by Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle

My favourite French pharmacy products are… Homeoplasmine Oitment, as mentioned earlier, La Roche-Posay Serozinc Lotion Spray (it’s a refreshing toner infused with zinc sulphate, which is both purifying and soothing - I use it twice a day), and two products by Caudalie: the Beauty Elixir (as above) and Resveratrol Lift Night Infusion Cream (just LOVE its herbal, calming smell).

I’m a vegetarian and stopped eating sugar seven or eight years ago… I do five-day cleanses twice a year and I drink lemon juice every damn day! I do all that to stay healthy and fit, but it has a positive effect on my skin too.

The supplements I swear by are… Prebiotics (Pilèje Biofilm) and marin magnesium (Pilèje Formag). In winter, I also take Echinacea (Solgar) to boost my immune system. And I drink birch juice (Weleda) from time to time.

My first beauty memory is of… My mother’s red lipstick and the scent of Shalimar (by Guerlain) when she tucked me in at night.

The best tip I’ve learnt from a make-up artist is to… always bend your mascara brush. It makes the application way easier.

Theodora’s cheat sheet to shopping the best…

Moisturiser: La Mer The Moisturizing Gel Cream
Serum: Weleda Evening Primrose Serum
Mascara: Helena Rubinstein Lash Queen Feline Black
Lipstick: no lipstick
Anti-ageing products: Biologique Recherche.
Foundation: 0.09 Touch au Ginseng, Erborian. I’m not really a foundation girl.
Blush/bronzer: Cloud Paint Cheek Color by Glossier. Terracotta Light by Guerlain.
Body products: I'm crazy about Saje Natural Wellness body products. I discovered the brand in LA (it’s Canadian but they have a shop on Abbot Kinney), I could just buy everything.
Nail shade: Le Rouge Noir, Chanel.
Skin savior: The original Skin Food by Weleda. It’s a saviour of dry skin; you can use it on your face, your hands, your elbows, your feet... It’s my emergency treatment. And it’s 100% organic

Shop Theodora's beauty picks below...

Follow Theodora on Instagram @theodora.aspart and check out Rocks Jewelry here.