Hey, Style Slayers — Happy Moda Monday!
Welcome Inside the Closet! In this edition, we’re sharing 1 quest, 2 tips, and 3 looks to help you embrace your unique style superpowers — Let’s step in! 👇
1 Quest for you to try
It’s my birthday and I’ll STYLE if I want to! I’m turning 35 at the end of this week (cue the vampire comments from those who don’t think I look a day over 22). More than just another birthday, though, there is something special I want to celebrate this year: the style evolution that brought me here. As a teen, I was the one in the anime tee, the full outline of my eye in black eyeliner, and what some thought were slightly-too-many zippers or safety pins on my clothes, all topped off with a distinct lack of eyebrows. Inspired by the early 2000s Hot Topic aesthetic, I found freedom in the alternative—and now, decades later, I’ve sharpened that aesthetic into something elegant, powerful, and unmistakably me.
So this isn’t just a birthday post—it’s a style level-up challenge! A chance to reflect, refine, and reclaim what makes your look yours, whether you’re turning 35, 65, 25, or you’re just ready to evolve. For this week’s style quest, join me at “Level 35: Elegance with Edge” by honoring your evolution from teen angst to adult allure.
How to participate
- Choose: Select one element from your early style identity—band merch, combat boots, multiple layered polos with multiple popped collars (no judgement)—and pick one signature from your current style (such as a bold lip, a badass blazer, or heeled boots).
- Create: Blend the two into a look that shows the journey from then to now. Maybe it’s a band shirt under a tailored jacket. Maybe it’s a pair of overalls paired with colorful stilettos. Let your past and present combine to create something uniquely you!
- Capture: Take a photo that feels like a before & after energy in one. Reflect on what your teenage self would think of your current style. Then, share your outfit with #VostraModaQuest, or reply to this email with your entry!
The most inspiring outfit will be featured next week! Please let me know if you would like to remain anonymous.
2 Tips to help you slay
For me, 35 isn’t about reinvention—it’s about reclamation. I didn’t abandon who I was at 15 – I just learned to tailor her (and fill in her eyebrows), embrace the edgy silhouettes she loved, and remind her she never had to blend in to belong. I’ll be celebrating this birthday by wearing a fun outfit, enjoying a nice glass of bourbon, and probably listening to a playlist that has MCR on it. Here’s to 35 years of turning heads—quietly, sharply, and with style that leaves a mark!
— Your teen aesthetic may not have been a phase – think of it as a blueprint instead. While I no longer wear spiked chokers (let’s be real, it was the studded hem from a shirt that I ripped up and turned into a necklace) daily, I can still play with the alternative style I grew up loving. But today, it might look like a structured blazer with cutouts paired with a cat-eye liner so sharp it could defend my honor. Don’t just erase your early style, find ways to elevate it instead!
Our style suggestions
- If it makes you stand straighter, it’s a keeper: I don’t mean physically like a corset (…although…). Certain items can help command your outfit and create your presence. Think items like a structured jacket or blazer, a great fitting dress, or a well-tailored button down, and of course, the perfect boot. Keep the pieces that boost your boldness in rotation. Remember, confidence isn’t a mood; it’s a muscle.
- A signature look is personality in practice: Speaking of muscles that need to be exercised, creating a signature style takes practice, and being open to sharing your own interests allows for moments of true self-expression. Because the style you curate is a declaration of you. Invest in YOUR staples and allow yourself to have fun with fashion again.
3 Looks for you to shop
Upgrade your wardrobe with just one click! Shop these fresh looks to trend the multiverse and never go out of style.
The Mr.
The Mx.
The Ms.
Until next week!
👉 Share your quest success with #VostraModaQuest or reply to this email for a chance to be featured in next week’s email. Please let me know if you would like to remain anonymous.
“Today is the oldest you have been, and the youngest you will ever be. Make the most of it!” —Eleanor Roosevelt