Presentable #32: Women Who Inspire My Personal Style (Part 1)

Sharing out my favorite newsletters written by some of the most stylish women writers here on Substack.

Hey friend!

Welcome back to another edition of my weekly newsletter. Today, I want to share one of my sources of style inspiration as of late, and how I’ve been trying to imitate looks put together by some of the most stylish women writers on

Substack

.

There are thousands of newsletters on this platform, all belonging to different categories like “Culture,” “Technology,” “Politics,” etc. but my favorite ones are under “Fashion and Beauty”—which is how I discovered each one shared below.

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Women Who Inspire My Personal Style

Okay, so this topic isn’t entirely new, and the original inspiration behind today’s article came from one of my favorite menswear writers, Simon Crompton of Permanent Style, who wrote “The Unexpected Inspiration of Ralph Lauren Womenswear” back in 2020.

Reflecting back to my days at fashion school in 2014, I remember having a homework assignment where I created a fictitious brand that made androgynous clothing; clothes that could be worn by both men and women.

I was into the idea then, and it’s something that’s stuck with me over the past decade. I’ve maintained an interest in what women wear, and I’m always intrigued by just how good they look when wearing men’s clothes.

It’s strange that even today, it’s generally not as accepted for men to dress like women. Yes, we’ve seen celebrities like Harry Styles and Bad Bunny wear dresses on the red carpet, but that’s far, far away from what I think men should actually wear, and, there are just some things that we (guys) can’t pull off.

Images via Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar

I think it’s cool that the lines are continuing to blur. I also think it’s totally okay for guys to be comfortable subscribing, following, and liking content they see from stylish women, whether they’re content creators on Instagram, vloggers on YouTube, or writers on Substack.

Women are naturally more beautiful than men, and are able to pull off looks that make them look more attractive or exemplify their curves. What looks “sexy” on a man or woman are very different things.

For example, I’ve seen a woman wear a collared shirt, with only a few buttons buttoned, creating a dramatic v-shape down her chest. When a guy does this, it can come off as “douchey” or unflattering. Figuring out how to incorporate similar looks while still retaining a sense of masculinity is something I’ve continued to experiment with and keep trying out.

Image via Instagram (lon.space) and me on the right

I’ve taken small steps, like leaving one more button undone for collared shirts than what I used to. Maybe I’ll be brave enough take it down another before the end of summer. Again, it might not always work or look right, but it’s worth trying out to see if it does.

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Okay, so now let’s get into a few of my favorite newsletters here on Substack that continue to inspire me and influence my personal style.

5 Things You Should Buy by Becky Malinsky

Becky Malinsky

seems to be the “OG” here on Substack. Her newsletter has over 29,000 subscribers, with thousands of paid subscribers. She’s crushing it. I love how many pictures she includes in every issue, providing tons of different outfit ideas and ways to wear all the pieces in her wardrobe.

Her weekly topics are usually on trend with what’s going on in my mind and I always look forward to her newsletter hitting my inbox. One of my favorite issues she published back in May of this year was “What is the Levi's 501 Secret Sauce?” where she talked about all the different cuts, fits, and colors of the most popular jean on the planet.

Here’s a couple of my favorite looks from her previous issues:

Images via 5 Things You Should Buy by Becky Malinsky

The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine Cohen

One of my other favorite newsletters is written by

Leandra Medine Cohen

who lives in New York City, and has some of the most unique sense of style I’ve ever seen. The way she pairs fringe with lace, leather with linen, and any other unexpected combinations, she finds a way to pull it off.

As someone who’s of a taller and slim build, I’m always curious to see how she layers pieces to get that extra bit of “oomf” that makes her looks stand out. Also, her accessories game is always on point, pairing the right purse, tote, bracelet, or belt with each look. I’m definitely inspired to add more accessories to my own collection.

Also, she has her own online shop called “Cafe Leandra” where she features and sells items from her looks from the newsletter. Super smart idea and makes me want to do the same instead of just selling my old stuff on eBay.

Checkout her recent issue where she shared 37 different summer looks:

A lookbook of outfit ideas for the last month of summer

Here’s a few of my favorite looks from that issue:

Images via The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine Cohen

Jenny Sais Quoi by Jenny Walton

I originally discovered

Jenny Walton

through The Sartorialist’s Instagram, and recently found out she launched a newsletter, which I immediately subscribed to. She’s been one of the most fashionable women on the internet, and I’d describe her look as a modern day Audrey Hepburn.

I’m excited to see more content, outfits, and travel recommendations from her, and it looks like she’s just getting started. I’m really looking forward to reading more from her in the future, and would recommend checking our her latest issue called “Getting Ready For Fall,” where she shared a peak at her style inspiration from women in the 60’s and 70’s.

Images via Jenny Sais Quoi by Jenny Walton

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Additional Newsletters To Checkout

• Really Good Vintage — excellent title and branding, with tons of links to buy vintage items, all curated by

  Maggie Lanham
  .

• Earl Earl
  — currently reading through
  Laurel Pantin
  ’s advice for “How to Look Like A Hot Guy This Summer”.

• thanks it's from...
  — a great source for finding things from eBay, all hand picked by
  nora
  . I want to borrow this idea and make a similar newsletter for men someday.