Style Muse: Yasmin Sewell

Yasmin Sewell's style often features interesting color combinations and layering. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

From “Street Style” To IRL Style

I became aware of Yasmin Sewell a few years ago when she appeared on The Sartorialist. I’ll admit, the first thing I noticed was her fabulous hair. But I was also captivated by her imaginative yet relatable style. She’s frequently featured on “best of Fashion Week street style” roundups, and with good reason. While some of her looks might be a bit too “fashion-y” for everyday, there are some consistent elements to her style that continue to inspire me.

As with most of the women whose style I admire, her body type and coloring are completely different from my own. So I usually have to parse and translate the elements that appeal to me in a way that works for my body and lifestyle.

Color

She’s not afraid of bold, sophisticated color, or unexpected combinations. The colors are never insipid, nor the combinations clownish. She often grounds a look with neutrals. I’ve been itching to wear a bit more color, and to try some bolder pairings, and have been using some of her outfits as inspiration.

Silhouette

A longer layer, often a coat or lightweight duster, is frequently a part of her style formula.

Yin-Yang Balance

Her looks have a mix of masculine and feminine, soft and structured elements that appeals to me.

Footwear

She always has some fabulous shoes or boots that are an exclamation point on her outfit.

A Color Story…

Inspired by Yasmin Sewell, an outfit with unexpected color combinations. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

fragrance | ring | booties | jacket | sweater | jeans | earrings | bag

This is a bit of a “thinking out loud” exercise in putting together colors and silhouettes. Yes, some of the items I’ve included are pricey. While it can sometimes be more challenging to find those sophisticated, saturated colors at the low-end of the price spectrum, J.Crew, Mango, Uniqlo, and H&M have some pretty good options.

Do you have one or more Style Muses? How do you translate their style to your own?

In Living Color…

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22 Comments

  1. I loves the way she dresses! I am especially in love with the deep mustard color (her jacket, your featured booties, the T-shirt). In our bleak Midwestern winters I frequently try bold color combinations.

    I notice that you feature L’Heure Bleue. Do you wear it? I do, and I find that I am among the few. It’s a fragrance from long ago that some people just don’t “get”. My husband doesn’t like it until it’s mellowed a couple of hours. I also love that time of day, whether in Paris, Chicago, or in my own house. It’s sexy and boosts my hopes for a nice evening to follow, with romance and adventure perhaps?

    One of my style muses is Tonne Goodman, Vogue’s Fashion Director. Her “uniform” consists of straight-leg immaculate white jeans, a black turtleneck, black flats (loafers, nice ones) and a Charvet scarf. Always works. I fall back on it on those rushed mornings.
    I’d love to see more posts like this!

  2. What a fun exercise! I wonder how many women do this? I usually take general trends and try to find them modified to my colors, styling, age. One woman whose dress I’ve always admired is Diane Keaton. Although she wears a lot of B&W (I don’t) that woman can accessorize! I remember her saying one time she doesn’t get fully dress, but dressed fully ;). I’ve never heard of Yasmin Sewell, she has fabulous style. (I’ll probably see her “everywhere” now!) I’d wear the top right outfit whole-cloth except with “dirty” jeans. Thanks for pulling me out of my stressed out day today, Susan!

  3. I love it when someone picks apart a style, whether in decor or fashion, to help the eye pick up the details that make it stand out. Thank you for introducing us to Yasmin. She might just be my style muse, too.

  4. Thank you again for introducing me to new and inspiring women. I love a classic look with a twist and adding some color and an “exclamation point” shoe or boot is a great idea to freshen my look. Great job, bien sur!

  5. Great post, Susan. Yemen’s color choices are great, and I truly am taken by your jade/gold (mustard?) pieces paired with the blue/denims above. I could do that. And I should.

    FYI, my most constant style muse remains (as she has been for a few years now) Debbie Harry. Not the Debbie in high-end pieces delivered gratis from Big Fashion Houses, but Debbie in 501s, a graphic tee, and a moto. And perfect lipstick, of course. 🙂 And maybe an Hermes bandana.

    Anyway, clothes are such fun toys. 🙂

  6. Mes pensées chère amie c’est que vous avez du bon goût.
    Et c’est drôle que vous parliez des cheveux de cette jeune femme ríen d’speciales mais cette même Remarque a eté faite par une amie française I’l y a quelques années auprès des femmes vénézueliennes.
    Mais ici dans mon pays ça ne nous étonne pas parsque la plupart des femmes ont de beaux cheveux.
    Je vous lis regulièrment

  7. I don’t think I’ve really noticed her before, mainly because she’s young, tall and thin. (although you’re right she does have fantastic hair!) Anyhow I look for women more like me ahem you for instance. Love the outfit you’ve put together in this blog.

  8. I will quibble only with your choice of fragrance! L’ Heure Bleue seems too pensive and melancholy for such a bold look. Surely Mitsouko would be better! :o)

    I adore that bag and the shoes. And you are my style maven!

  9. Thanks for bringing me back to reality. Left for work today with half my wardrobe heaped on my bed, have to pack tonight for 10 days out of town….leaving at the crack of dawn, driving….but don’t want that to “let me” load up an outfit a day (with shoes to match!) in my car. Been following the “what I pack” articles with much interest. Have been obsessing in my cubicle about the frenzy of packing facing me when I get home….between your articles and the looks of the lovely Yasmin…I think I’ve got this. And in one small suitcase, too. Deep slow breaths……

  10. I was driven to try and recreate some of this look despite my end of year budget vows. I found wonderful items on eBay! Green cocoon coat from Banana, Ted Baker navy bag with floral flap, bright cognac Aquatalia boots all within my (low) budget! What a mood boost at the end of the year. Thanks so much Susan.

  11. I’m learning to embrace colour again as I age.
    When I was a young girl I loved orange, didn’t start wearing it till my late 50’s. Loved red but didn’t start wearing it till my 30’s.
    Why are we afraid of colour as we age or our partners tell us – we suit dark colours.
    The older I get , the less afraid I am of making bolder colour choices.
    Be brave I say and embrace colour.

  12. I totally have been a fan of Yasmin Sewell for a while now. I need to work on combining elements in my closet to mimic her style, for sure–thanks for reminding me that this is one of my goals. In fact, maybe I’ll officially make it a goal of 2018 to do more with layering dresses over trousers and denim, and working with unexpected color combinations!

  13. The other thing I love about her is that she never looks “done”, there is a loose, relaxed attitude about her. And she has not blown out her natural curl.

  14. Yasmin Sewell has great style. She’s in tune with her lean body, great hair cut, long neck, that “Je ne sais quoi” attitude, etc…..it’s a whole package cum attitude. She knows who she is and knows her body. The style just follows that awareness. It’s not that hard!!

    1. I don’t think it’s always that simple though. There’s a lot more to style than just physicality. I think our personalities, aesthetics, values, etc. also factor in. The challenge can be in balancing all of these different elements.