Style Diaries: Jasmine Cheek
Hi! For those who may not know you, can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about where you’re based and what you do?
My name is Jasmine, and I am a fashion and book-obsessed New Yorker from New Jersey. I graduated from NYU last year and have spent my time traveling, posting outfits on TikTok, and working as a Marketing Coordinator for a startup software company. Almost all my free time is dedicated to finding, reading, and reviewing a variety of new and used books. I can generally be found taking extremely long walks, knitting/crocheting, or laying out by a pier somewhere.
How have your surroundings influenced your personal style?
Moving to New York City for college was monumental in shaping my personal style. As an avid Pinterest user the majority of my inspiration came from recommended outfits based on what I had previously liked. After moving, however, I was confronted by eclectic mixes of patterns, colors, and fabrics in person, ultimately changing my idea of what fashion meant and how it could function as an extension of self. Now – almost entering my sixth year in the city – my friends and I challenge ourselves to build outfits based on mundane beauty found around the city. For example, a bouquet of flowers could be the inspiration for an outfit that has a tulle tutu as its shining piece, or a running fire hydrant could inspire an outfit that has a lot of movement. Current conversations of fashion vs. style have created a fairly impersonal approach to a very personal facet of selfhood. By grounding myself in what I’m visually drawn to, I have started rethinking and rebuilding my entire wardrobe.
Can you walk us through your thought process when you get dressed for the day? Are there any style rules you tend to inherently stick to when getting dressed?
I was not aware of how stressful it was to come up with a new outfit every day until I was in high school. Prior to being 14, I had attended private school and wore a standard uniform every day – a pleated skirt, polo shirt, and button-down cardigan. As someone who is incredibly Type A I find that having a beloved silhouette or outfit structure has been an incredible way of maintaining sanity while attempting to be stylish and comfortable. This “type A-ness” has manifested as me picking my outfits the night before, whether my event for the next day starts at 8:00 am or 7:00 pm. I have a breakdown for my outfits that heavily relies on where in the city I will be, how much walking I expect to do, and what the temperature for the entire day will be like. My style has been defined as “model-off-duty x librarian,” which, in my opinion, is a high compliment. If I don’t feel like putting in much effort, I gravitate towards a white t-shirt, baggy ripped jeans or a flowy skirt, either funky sneakers or colorful ballet flats, and lots of noisy jewelry. I’ve definitely calmed down my style since college, and find myself gravitating towards transitional pieces, like flowy button-down shirts, pinstripe trousers, sheer tops, and skirt and cardigan sets (shoutout CouCou Intimates) – the simpler, the better, IMO.
What or who has been inspiring you lately?
WHAT: Lately, I have been inspired by wrought iron gates, flowers, Girlfriends (the show), and pastel colors. I try to make it a habit of taking images of people, places, and random paraphernalia on the street to send to my friends with a quick “outfit inspo” message.
WHO: Tracee Ellis Ross (I mean…duh), Bryant Giles, Laura Harrier, Solange, Zoë Kravitz, Devon Lee Carlson, Taylor Russell, Katie Holmes, and, of course, my friends.
Is there a specific trend or item that you’ve been eyeing incorporating into your everyday style?
I’ve been really into flower clips and massive hair ties lately. I used to wear similar ones as a child that my grandmother made and recently rediscovered them. They’re such a fun way to reinvent an outfit and bring it to life, especially when I’m wearing neutrals
How do you navigate staying true to your personal style without being influenced by every new trend that pops up?
I’ve tried hard to use social media as inspiration rather than a reference. Specifically, thinking about silhouettes or patterns mixes more than saying, “I need to buy this exact outfit and wear it in this exact same respect.” It’s challenging when you live in NYC and are constantly surrounded by every new microtrend or “next best item,” but I have found that I always feel the best when I buy something and can repurpose it. Now that I know which silhouettes, fabrics, brands, and patterns I like, it’s rare that I am going to try and emulate someone else. It also just doesn’t make sense - usually, our body compositions are different, and I need to dress for my figure, not someone else’s.
In what outfit do you feel the most you?
T-shirt, baggy jeans, loafers, baseball cap, a fun bag, and a massive cardigan.
Maxi skirt, sneakers, white T-shirt, grey hoodie.
Massive white-button down, baggy trousers, ballet flats, blazer, baseball cap.
What’s one item that you think everyone should have in their closet?
Light-wash denim.
This? Or That!
Leather or Denim?
Denim
Colors or Neutrals?
Neutrals with a colorful shoe
Sneakers or Sandals?
Sneakers
When Traveling: Dress up or Dress Down?
Dress down
Vintage or New?
Vintage
Hot Weather or Cold Weather?
Cold
Solids or Patterns?
Patterns
BONUS!
Listen to Jasmine’s Getting Dressed playlist here.
