It's All About Personal Style

I like it because...

My name is Megan and I am the co-founder of FRĒDA SALVADOR. I believe that getting dressed is my superpower and I want to inspire women to fall in love with their own personal style. Personal style is just that, personal. It’s not about trends, labels and having what other people have. It’s about feeling incredible and expressing yourself.

At the core, my personal style gives me confidence, it tells a story, it affects my mood, it sparks conversations with strangers (More of this please. Compliment each other!) It makes me feel like me. Just like most people, I get inspired by other women and how they dress. It’s less about ‘I want what she has’ it’s more about ‘I like it because…’

This substack may go in a million places as it starts. I love to write, I love finding pieces that build my wardrobe and I love finding things for other people. I know for sure I will include links to what’s inspiring me. I will also walk you through how I navigate online shopping to find what I am looking for. As you are reading this and future posts, my hope is that my methods/ideas inspire you and liberate you to dress for yourself. You may not vibe with my personal style and choices. That’s totally fine! It’s more about the method of why I am making the choices I am making to feel great. This journey is about you and finding/loving your own personal style.

For my first post, I thought it would be fun to walk through the entire process of Inspiration to Purchase. I want to start off by saying that Cris and I started FRĒDA to connect with and empower women. You all inspire us daily. We see you IRL, we see you on Instagram, we are excited to see you here. We love seeing your style because it inspires ours. So when I am out in the world taking in street style or scrolling through IG, in it’s simplest form, this is how it goes down:

SEEING SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO ME. THE INSPIRATION.

This picture of Courtney Grow stopped my in my tracks on IG. Everything about it makes me happy. It brings me back to my 20’s, living and working in New York. My work life was demanding (Calvin Klein c. 1999) but life after work was soooo fun. This picture sparked a nostalgic memory. In addition to the good vibes, her coat…HER COAT. Why do I like her coat so much? I like it because…it’s a little hippie (me!) it’s a little western (me!) The coat and the shoes (FREDA’s ELBA penny loafers) are her entire outfit. I love seeing this coat sexy and playful here, but for me I like it because it feels elevated and it has movement and texture. It would bring my outfit to the life. I like extra.

THE SEARCH BEGINS…

How I navigate: Because this is a leather jacket with potentially high price tag, I start with The Real Real. I like the sustainability of consigned, plus maybe I can afford a higher quality/designer brand since it’s second hand.

Once I am on the site I type “Leather Fringe” into the search and then I filter by ‘Women’ and then ‘Clothing.’ The fun thing about The Real Real is the discovery. I would have never known I’d be attracted to a colorful metallic moto jacket with fringe, but then there it is. I “heart” it and keep scrolling to find a more classic version.

MY PERFECT JACKET FOUND! Luck? Divine timing? Meant to be mine? All of the above? The R13 jacket fringe leather jacket I pulled for a FREDA shoot a couple of years ago was on The Real Real. Purchase made.

I LIKE IT BECAUSE…

It’s one sized fits all and oversized. It feels like a fresh, modern take on the hippie/western versions I have been trying on and not purchasing in vintage shops. The color is super neutral and earthy and it’s SOFT. I think it’s truly the softness and lack of structure that speaks to me most. Feels versatile.

Here’s a FRĒDA campaign photo of the jacket. I love how it tames down the very feminine and dressy vibe of the metallic skirt and JAYLA stacked ballet flat. I notice I like to dress with conflicting things. If one piece feels one way, then I typically choose something else that is the complete opposite to balance it out. Conflict/balance.

And here’s how I am wearing it; with patent leather pants by Citizens of Humanity and a lace top from Sezane at FRĒDA’s Fillmore store opening party. I like how everything is in the same neutral color family but there is texture in the lace and movement in the fringe. This is how I do neutral :) It’s still bold. I also love the more man tailored vibe that FRĒDA’s oxfords add to the mix. Conflict/balance.

And at our cabin in Montana I am wearing it with vintage jewelry and jeans and FREDA’s JADA ballet flat in latte. I feel a little hippie, free, loose, but I like feeling that way there. I appreciate that the ballet flats put the fashion back into the equation. It would have felt too one directional western. Conflict/balance.

OK, THESE ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE!

Even though I found my coat several months ago, I just did a quick search and these are currently available.

• A St Laurent that is a higher price range, but a classic, closet staple forever. Investment piece mentality.

• A St Laurent suede trucker jacket with fringed sleeves and back for $362. (Cannot believe this price and jacket!)

• A vintage Dolce & Gabbana western blazer for $350

• Haute Hippie leather trench with fringe for $201. (Run!)

• Non-leather STUNNER Sizes are limited, but I also saw some on Ebay

I hope you got something out of this post! An inspiration, or maybe even a fun, new jacket. I’d love to hear your thoughts below on what you would like me to write about and share on this substack. Feels wide open at this time! Thank you :)