Kristina O’Neill

I have been desperately trying to figure out how to describe my good friend, Kristina O’Neill, a former colleague and editor of the WSJ. magazine. My best? She is very much like Jo in Little Women. Kristina is one of the most authentic women in fashion I know. Enthusiastic, completely lacking in pretense (a feat in itself when it comes to fashion), hard-working, and glamorous without really realizing so. Kristina is a working mother with a gorgeous daughter and adorable husband.

Despite her hectic schedule, she was happy to answer my extensive questionnaire. Of course, so am I….

Current Uniform: Black, black, and more black. I am making a real effort to pull myself together more, and black seems to be the easiest route. That means I’m mixing all my shades and textures, so a typical outfit is my thick linen Alexander Wang jacket with an ankle-length Zero dress, Uniqlo heat-tech tights, and my suede Burberry wedges from last winter. I bought a pair of Celine tuxedo pants with a satin cummerbund that I love wearing with a white T-shirt, my Rick Owens motorcycle jacket, and my Michael Kors Mongolian vest. I am not precious about my clothes, and the more push-pull in an outfit the better. I am STILL rocking my Balmain fringe boots from a few years back—those are going to be hard to retire. I’ve also been wearing red lipstick morning, noon, and night.

Weekend Uniform: I wish I could say that it’s a huge departure from my workweek uniform, but it’s not: more black! Current/Elliot dark-gray jeans, Alexander Wang sweatshirts and T-shirts. It’s been so cold, I broke down and bought a Patagonia vest to layer under everything—my puffer, my furs. I haven’t felt the real motivation to put on proper footwear, just my trusty L.L. Bean boots.

What are you obsessed with for spring? I just bought my first Zero Maria Cornejo dress, and boy do I feel late to the party. Not sure how I’ve gone this long without her in my closet. I also loved all the denim on the runways, especially at Celine. I will probably splurge on the denim tunic when I’m in Paris.

Current favorite bag and shoes: A navy-blue quilted Chanel 2.55. It’s a bit oversize and feels so right against all the black. I’ve been on the hunt for a red jersey 2.55, but I haven’t had any luck. (Karl, if you are reading this, please reissue!) I wish I could say there’s some new footwear in my wardrobe, but I’ve been pretty uninspired lately. So back to the Burberry and Balmain boots!

You can never have too many… Striped T-shirts. My friends are ready to have a stripe-rvention!

Women whose style inspires you: Duh, Kate Moss! But also Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, and Sofia Coppola.

Carrying her Papier + notebooks and wearing K. Jacques sandals

Five essentials: couldn’t help myself, I did 10!
1. Quelques Fleurs perfume, so granny but so right!
2. Cartier stationery with my name engraved in hot pink
3. Papier + clothbound notebooks in gray
4. My stack of gold rings. I wear five on my ring finger—a superthin Jennifer Meyer with a teeny-tiny diamond, a superthin Caitlin Mociun band, my grandmother’s engagement ring from 1946 engraved with my grandfather’s name, a Cartier Entrelacés ring, and an organic Dean Harris ring my husband gave me as a “ring holder” when we got engaged and I couldn’t make up my mind about an engagement ring. The irony is that I only wear this ring now!
5. Falke tights
6. By Terry Baume de Rose
7. Klorane dry shampoo—non-areosol
8. Color with Reyed at Fekkai
9. Lancôme Red Haute lipstick
10. K. Jacques gladiator sandals. I always have three or four pairs in rotation when the weather warms up. I already bought my summer ones—red suede Fregate fringe gladiators and the classic Agopos in silver.

Hotel: The Lancaster in Paris

Favorite vacation spot: Bluefields Bay, Jamaica, and my parents’ house in Virginia. But I’m also very fond of the staycation.

Long-flight musts:
Back issues of The New Yorker and current issues of Grazia, People and Us Weekly
iPad
Armand Diradourian cashmere blanket
Lots of water to balance out the wine!

Favorite sites: I’m a Net-a-Porter fiend. I very rarely set foot into brick-and mortar stores these days, so almost all of my purchases come from NAP. I also love jcrew.com and shopbird.com.

Being a WORKING mom means… There’s no such thing as quantity time; it’s all about quality.

Favorite non-work activity: QT with my husband and daughter

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GIULIVA HERITAGE

The Heidi cable-knit wool cardigan

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Patchwork Fair Isle-intarsia wool sweater

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Gucci Horsebit 1955 small bag

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Belted wool-twill jacket

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Hooded virgin-wool duffel coat

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Belted distressed denim jacket

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Hooded velvet cape

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Hooded wool duffle coat

VINCE

Cashmere sweater

SACAI

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RAEY

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