We all have that one friend we turn to for fashion advice. On the internet, that second set of eyes is Laurel Pantin—a writer, editor, mom, and entrepreneur-about-town—whose never overdressed or underdressed. Ask Earl is a direct line to Pantin’s brain, where once a month, she’ll help you solve the age-old question of what to wear—and how to wear it, well—for any possible scenario. Trying to figure out how to style work pants without looking corporate? Or how to pack for a long-haul flight with toddlers? Maybe it’s summer outfit ideas that don’t involve dresses... Whatever your question, Ask Earl is where you’ll find the answer.
Hi! I’m Laurel Pantin, and this is my dream come true. I write a style and shopping newsletter on Substack called Earl Earl where I write about, well, a lot of things, but mostly personal styling and identity, and how to feel current without looking trendy. Last October, I brought my newsletter to life when I opened Earl IRL (get the pun?) in Beverly Hills. It’s a teeny tiny boutique and styling studio where I can work one-on-one with clients helping them figure out their own personal style, and build an arsenal of clothing that makes them feel excellent. My favorite thing in the world (besides my kids) is helping people solve their style and wardrobe, and I’ve made it my job—my actual job—to answer styling questions. What a trip!
And now I’m more than delighted to bring my perspective and eye to Replica Handbag Store Shopping, and to launch my new column, Ask Earl. Every month I’ll be answering a real style question from a real reader, and hopefully making getting dressed every day both a little easier, and a little more exciting. My personal style sweet spot is a blend of practicality and expressiveness. I’m not really a minimalist or a maximalist, I’m emotional about clothing, and inspired by an outfit’s ability to make something innate and personal visible to others. Style is one more way of communicating something interior, and when you feel like you’re properly expressing yourself visually, the rest of your day becomes so much easier.
So, for my very first Ask Earl, I’m talking about color. I wear a lot of color in my everyday life, and a lot of very bright ones. On the runways this season, we saw so much bold, primary color from brands like Loewe, Celine, and Dries van Noten (my favorite), and it is super intimidating for a lot of people! However, after a few years of beige and neutrals, it feels so good to wear something bright. Here are some of the ways I do it.
One Pop and an Accessory
I hate the term “a pop of color”, because I think it usually looks gimmicky and only makes the color feel like more on an outlier. But in this case, I think it works because instead of a bright sweater with a black outfit, I’m wearing navy, which is also a color. Whenever I’m wearing color, I need to wear it with more color, not black or white. The navy suit is from Kallmeyer, and while it’s dark and traditional, it’s a beautiful color. The sweater is a super-off shade of yellow-green from Zankov, and if I were wearing it with black it would look a little jarring. The navy softens it. Then, the bright blue Esha Soni bag brings out the blue in the suit, and meets the weirdness of the Zankov sweater.
Try it With Beige
I shouldn’t hate on beige, it’s a great backdrop for bright hues, and if you’re a little intimidated by brights, mixing a few colors with beige is an easy way to make it gel without muting anything. This Kallmeyer blazer and the B-Sides jeans are an excellent foundation for the cobalt tee and lavender sweatshirt from Everybody.World, and this terrific bi-color Cahu tote.
Go Mono
A very easy way to pull off something very bold, is to wear head-to-toe color in two different textures. These Comme Si satin bias-cut pants in deep red, and the poplin shirt in a similar tone is one of my favorite combinations. The poplin contrasts beautifully with the sheen of the pants, and wearing two pieces of the same color takes a lot of guesswork out of whether or not something “goes”. It looks very styled and personal, but with almost no effort.
Bold + Bold
My main philosophy about wearing bright or kind of “off” colors is to wear one with another. If you meet crazy with crazy, (in this case, neon green with bright orange plus pink—and a little yellow) the two make a weird harmony. Someone is less likely to be like, “Woah! Crazy sweatshirt!” if you’re wearing it with another statement-making shade, than if you’re wearing it with jeans, for example. The only rule is that it all has to be solids—no prints or patterns. It doesn’t seem like it should work, but it does.
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The Kitchen Sink
Someone recently asked me how I decide what colors to wear and which colors “work” for me, and I’d genuinely never thought about it. If I like the color, I wear it, and I’ll put it with other colors I like. It’s kind of like decorating your home, in my opinion. If you love every single thing you put in your house, it will “work” because the throughline, your taste, will make it all look and feel cohesive. Trusting your instincts like that is also a great way to discover what your personal style actually is! So anyway, this outfit is that. I love this egg-yolk yellow Everybody.world tee, I love the electric blue polo, and I love these aloe-green pants from Claudent (a UPF 50 brand we just started carrying at the store!). Would someone put them together on a moodboard? Probably not, but when you put them on as an outfit, they work. The jacket is kind of a grey-blue in person, and it’s from Birrot, another brand we just brought on at Earl IRL. This is, in my opinion, a perfect personality-forward outfit for running around all day.
