Quick Facts
The Girl: Kelsey Simone
Age: 19
Location: New York, U.S.A.
Profession: YouTuber
Subscribers: 1.7 million
Instagram: @k.els.e.y
Followers: 899k
Celebrity Crush: Justin Bieber
Style: Sophisticated Neutrals
1. Neutrals
The first thing you’ll probably notice about Kelsey is that her wardrobe is almost completely comprised of neutral-coloured clothing. We’re talking black to grey to white to beige, with a sprinkling of blue denim, here and there. This is especially obvious in her 2016 and 2018 room tour videos in which she highlights how much of her life has been taken over by her preferred palette of neutral colours. And it’s not hard to understand why. Neutral colours are always in fashion for two reasons. Number one: they are universally flattering. Number two: they are easy to mix and match, without looking messy. As such, Kelsey’s style is super chic but also professional and elegant. She’s a great source of inspiration if you’re a working girl on a budget; the classic pieces she uses as bases for her outfits can be re-worn in many different ways, making tens or hundreds of new looks! She may not wear bright colours but her outfits always pack a punch.
2. Patterns and textures
Just because her outfits are neutral does NOT mean they are boring. To keep looks visually interesting without much colour, Kelsey plays with different patterns and textures. She does not shy away from fur or graphic eye-catching prints. This might be a bit scary for those of us that aren’t a fan of bold statement pieces, but they are surprisingly easy to wear when combined with other neutral clothing. One of her favourite patterns to wear is a good pin stripe! This simple, yet striking print is super versatile and can be found in dress pants, shirts, blazers, jeans…basically any item of clothing you could possibly think of.
3. Statement pieces
Even though a simple white tee and blue jeans is a great look, it’s not like the pieces that Kelsey wears are your average basics. She tends to shop for pieces that have interesting details such as unique hemlines, sleeves, necklines, or different types of fit. These are all ways to keep black and white looks fun and fresh. Clothing with some unexpected details can bring an understated outfit to the next level.
4. Accessories
In her video titled “How to Look Bad and Boujee on a Budget!”, Kelsey explains that the key to looking super trendy and cute, without spending that much money, is to accessorize. Accessories are so important because they are the pieces that are going to give your outfit the extra wow factor and draw people’s interest. A quick glance over her Instagram shows that Kelsey is a huge fan of gold jewelry with accents of pearl or crystal. With two piercings per ear, she enjoys stacking earrings and will sometimes wear a statement ear cuff. More noticeably, she loves to layer multiple dainty necklaces, a look that has become quite popular in the last few years. She also styles her looks with different belts, bags, sunglasses, and shoes which can absolutely transform an outfit. While she does have an extensive designer collection, she emphasizes that the pieces you wear do not have to be expensive in order for you to look expensive. You can find many designer dupes online and at stores like Forever 21.
5. Simple makeup
In the past few years, Kelsey has made an effort to pare down her everyday makeup routine so that it is only comprised of four or five products. This includes tinted moisturizer (usually of the Laura Mercier variety), concealer, some rose-scented facial spray, highlighter, brow gel, and mascara. Her preferred look is very fresh and summer-y with glowing skin and thick brows. When it comes to hair, a super easy look she does all the time is a slicked back bun. She calls this her “bald-headed look” and usually uses Ouai Finishing Crème to smooth away any frizz. This hair is high fashion without even trying.
6. Confidence
A hidden gem of advice that Kelsey swears by is that the way you wear your clothes is important. If you bring a lot of confidence to an outfit, you could literally wear anything and look good. Of course this is easier said than done, but for some reason, the way she said it really stuck with me. It’s not a crime to be okay with the way that you look. In today’s society, so many of us are comparing ourselves to others, whether it be our friends or our favourite celebrities. These unrealistic beauty standards can fill us with the fear that what we are isn’t good enough. But in her words exactly, “there’s nothing wrong with being content with the way that you are.” And you don’t need to look like someone else to be beautiful.
Kelsey has spoken about confidence several times throughout her YouTube videos and she has even acknowledged a time where she wasn’t all that confident. She would wear clothes that she thought would impress other people, instead of wearing the clothes that she, herself, would like. When she finally started dressing for herself, she was able to strengthen her own sense of style and gain confidence through expressing her individuality. I hope her story can inspire you to live by your own rules and trust in yourself more and more every day. Your time is so precious and there are better ways to spend it than on thinking about what Becky or Brian think of you. Your own opinion should matter the most!
Now that you’ve read this article, please head on over to her YouTube and Instagram to show this gorgeous gal some love! If you’re in need of more inspo, you can check out her We Heart It page @rosiecheeksss where she maintains a collection of photos that she, herself, is inspired by. She said, “It’s sort of what I’d love my dream Instagram to look like.” But I think I speak for all of us when I say that her Instagram feed is #goals as it is. Have you ever seen anything so aesthetic?!
Sources: All photos courtesy of Kelsey Simone.