Mixing the fashions of the legendary British movie icon Audrey Hepburn with that of the Baker Street-based detective Sherlock Holmes, Lily Rockefeller ’14 blends classy retro with a touch of modern indie style.
Rockefeller is a New York City native and often incorporates elements of past and present New York fashion styles as well as styles from classic movies and literature into her everyday outfits.
A typical outfit Rockefeller could be spotted in is brown corduroy trousers paired with a white button-down shirt, a checkered blazer, a red scarf and oxfords, topped off with her vintage square-lensed glasses.
Her experience attending an all-girls’ school prior to coming to Andover has also influenced the way she dresses.
“The only things that I could wear were collared shirts and plaid skirts. So instead of getting a whole new wardrobe, I just decided to pair my many collared shirts with funky, patterned trousers and a pair of classic oxfords,” said Rockefeller.
Rockefeller’s wardrobe is also comprised of clothing she purchased from various thrift stores. The unexpected variety available in thrift stores adds more individuality to her fashion style.
“I love that I can always recognize Lily from any distance. Her style stands out in a crowd not only because she wears interesting clothes but because it’s so distinctively Lily. It’s not ‘preppy’ or ‘hipster’ or anything else. Her style is just so her,” said Eric Alpert ’14.
Because of Rockefeller’s love for shopping at thrift stores, many of her clothes have intriguing stories behind them. Rockefeller recalled a simple red, v-neck sweater that has a memory attached to it.
“I bought this [red sweater] in Alaska. I was doing a program over the summer, [Student Conservation Association], where you go to a national park and build walking trails for a month. We were sleeping in tents, outside in the cold Alaska weather. Unfortunately, I did not have enough clothes on me that were warm enough, so I had to go to a thrift store and buy [the sweater],” said Rockefeller.
She laughed at the suggestion that the hit song “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore, which has popularized the idea of thrift-store-shopping, has made finding “steals” at thrift stores increasingly difficult.
“Lily’s style is so sophisticated, funky, and unique. She picks up individual and eccentric items to turn them into stylish, well put-together outfits. She always looks great!” said Mayze Teitler ’14.
Over time, Rockefeller has allowed her style to evolve naturally and by experimentation. She adopts new tidbits from different stages of her life to her growing fashion sense. A self-proclaimed former tomboy, Rockefeller said she began to think about fashion extensively during her eighth and ninth grade years.
Rockefeller said that she still incorporates menswear into her outfits, often sporting a variety of top hats and bowler hats. She embraces both men’s and women’s fashions, merging them together on occasion.
She can often be spotted in Lower Left of Paresky Commons donning a black-collared beige button-down shirt with a red knee-length skirt and grey striped wool tights, topped with a plain black bowler hat, her favorite clothing item.
“It was such a change coming to a school with no dress code. Even though I never minded having a dress code, I guess it’s nice to add a little personality on how I dress,” Rockefeller said.
In addition to her extensive collections of vintage sweaters and hats, Rockefeller also loves to collect button-down shirts in different materials. A well-worn white button-down shirt is now a staple in her outfits.
“There is this [button-down] shirt that I got from my grandmother. When I was younger, I didn’t like clothing of nice material. Because she wanted me to wear nicer clothes, she finally bought [this shirt] for me. After awhile, I actually started liking it,” said Rockefeller.
Rockefeller said that she enjoys developing her own style but does not feel the need to call attention to herself for her unique fashion choices.
“My fashion choice is not an attention thing, it’s more of a confidence thing. You know, when you’re walking around campus and you think, ‘I look pretty good, pretty put together,’” said Rockefeller.
