Model Off Duty: Lily Donaldson
Models may be primarily known for the way they wear other people's clothes, but we're more interested in what they select when they're not on the clock. Hence today's story, in which we offer up one of our favorite faces from the runway and celebrate her sartorial selections. In this inaugural installment of Model Off Duty, we check in with famed British beauty Lily Donaldson, salute her restrained, rock'n'roll personal style, and give you a couple of hints about how you can achieve a similar look.
Before we delve into Donaldson's clothing choices, a quick refresher for those of you not well versed in this golden girl's career. Currently on the cover of British Vogue, Donaldson is a major force in the modeling world for her ability to flip from ultra-edgy to completely commercial in the blink of an eye. Now a five-year industry veteran (quite a long time in this world), she still steadily secures major advertising campaigns (right now, she's the face of Burberry and Gucci) and continues to dominate the runways (during Milan's Fashion Week, she opened and closed Versace, and was the final face at Alberta Ferretti and D&G).
At work, Donaldson may dedicate herself to the most fanciful, futuristic, and fashion-forward looks, when it comes to her own closet, she takes a decidedly dressed-down approach and favors perfectly simple basics. Though her on-camera life tends towards the Technicolor, when she's not working, Donaldson prefers simple a black-and-white palette. Perhaps as a contradiction to her refined, elegant beauty, Donaldson always goes for tough staples and picks zipper-embellished leather, shredded hems, and studded accessories on a regular basis.
Though she sticks to just a few colors and tends to rely on a specific silhouette (namely: anything short), there's much to be learned from the way Donaldson puts outfits together. While her hemlines might be high, she keeps things toned down with a few tricks. For example, as seen backstage at Dolce & Gabbana (above, far left), Donaldson balanced her little leather mini with opaque tights and flat buckle-embellished boots. Try Alexander Wang's Front Zip Mini
($395) with Frye's Engineer Boots
($198) for a similar look.
In addition to the stockings-and-sturdy-boots device, she also is very systematic about revealing skin. The low-slung bleached out jean skirt she wore to a Balenciaga show (second from left) might showcase a sliver of her stomach, but notice how that's the only bit that shows? (Please keep that in mind when styling Topshop's Distressed Bleach Denim Pelmet ($50) or your own thrashed pieces.) On the odd occasions that Donaldson does decide to bare her legs and arms, like at an Alberta Ferretti party during Cannes (second from right), she mixes modest pieces, like black ballet flats and a figure-skimming top, with her tight-and-tiny cutoffs (both 7 For All Mankind's Roll Up Shorts
($165) and Forever 21's Cara Frayed Denim Shorts ($22.80) have a similar look).
Donaldson sticks to this formula even for evening events, just check out the outfit she wore to the Ermanno Scervino Party during Milan Fashion Week (far right) for example. A boxy moto jacket and slightly sheer tights temper her barely-there, body-conscious, little black dress. The overall effect is sexy, without looking shouty (as in "look at me, look at me!"), always a good thing!
Images from First View, Wire Image, and Getty Images.
Before we delve into Donaldson's clothing choices, a quick refresher for those of you not well versed in this golden girl's career. Currently on the cover of British Vogue, Donaldson is a major force in the modeling world for her ability to flip from ultra-edgy to completely commercial in the blink of an eye. Now a five-year industry veteran (quite a long time in this world), she still steadily secures major advertising campaigns (right now, she's the face of Burberry and Gucci) and continues to dominate the runways (during Milan's Fashion Week, she opened and closed Versace, and was the final face at Alberta Ferretti and D&G).
At work, Donaldson may dedicate herself to the most fanciful, futuristic, and fashion-forward looks, when it comes to her own closet, she takes a decidedly dressed-down approach and favors perfectly simple basics. Though her on-camera life tends towards the Technicolor, when she's not working, Donaldson prefers simple a black-and-white palette. Perhaps as a contradiction to her refined, elegant beauty, Donaldson always goes for tough staples and picks zipper-embellished leather, shredded hems, and studded accessories on a regular basis.
Though she sticks to just a few colors and tends to rely on a specific silhouette (namely: anything short), there's much to be learned from the way Donaldson puts outfits together. While her hemlines might be high, she keeps things toned down with a few tricks. For example, as seen backstage at Dolce & Gabbana (above, far left), Donaldson balanced her little leather mini with opaque tights and flat buckle-embellished boots. Try Alexander Wang's Front Zip Mini
In addition to the stockings-and-sturdy-boots device, she also is very systematic about revealing skin. The low-slung bleached out jean skirt she wore to a Balenciaga show (second from left) might showcase a sliver of her stomach, but notice how that's the only bit that shows? (Please keep that in mind when styling Topshop's Distressed Bleach Denim Pelmet ($50) or your own thrashed pieces.) On the odd occasions that Donaldson does decide to bare her legs and arms, like at an Alberta Ferretti party during Cannes (second from right), she mixes modest pieces, like black ballet flats and a figure-skimming top, with her tight-and-tiny cutoffs (both 7 For All Mankind's Roll Up Shorts
Donaldson sticks to this formula even for evening events, just check out the outfit she wore to the Ermanno Scervino Party during Milan Fashion Week (far right) for example. A boxy moto jacket and slightly sheer tights temper her barely-there, body-conscious, little black dress. The overall effect is sexy, without looking shouty (as in "look at me, look at me!"), always a good thing!
Images from First View, Wire Image, and Getty Images.
i love her 2 middle outfits..so cute
Posted by: cassie | 2009-04-26 14:39:46
can anyone identify the boots in th 1st and 2nd pictures from the left?? i love them
Posted by: coco | 2009-03-27 00:25:47
Hey!!! Lily is my favorite model!! Love her delicate style always gave the outfit a fresh taste. In above four, I love the first two most, because of the cool boots. www.journeytofashion.com
Posted by: Leann | 2009-03-26 09:12:22
LOVE LILY D. NOIR BLANC ET ROUGE PARTOUT
Posted by: NOIR | 2009-03-25 12:28:59
Kate, the boots in the last pic are f/w 09 Burberry boots - As seen here! http://uk.fashion.popsugar.com/2875801?page=0,0,9
Posted by: Alison | 2009-03-24 23:09:53
she's wearing essentially the same outfit and same colours four times.
Posted by: grace | 2009-03-24 22:56:03
Can anyone ID the boots in the last picture? They are pleaser boots gone totally right. www.VisForVogue.com
Posted by: Kate | 2009-03-24 16:22:50
Love all her outfits shes so cute! She is super sweet too! http://www.lovellegirl.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Tara | 2009-03-24 11:08:54
Firstly, these 'boring models' work really hard. They are as clever or as stupid as anyone working say in a supermarket, they luckily were born with good genes and had the good sense to make some money. Lily is extremely sweet, clever and very interesting. Ask anyone who knows her
Posted by: lola | 2009-03-24 10:35:55
...and d...we have seen so much of dellal, olsen and moss already. i think they have all had their own posts recently.
Posted by: Sarah | 2009-03-23 14:14:42
you missed her best ever outfit....fur gillet, aviators and balmain fringe boots...killer...oh well...these are not her best looks by any means , i do like her.
Posted by: sarah | 2009-03-23 14:12:02
so glad about this post - lily has been one of my fave models for a long time! Great casual off-duty style too.
Posted by: N | 2009-03-23 13:51:22
I kind of agree with celestialmoonbe -- I would love to see a post about the iconic trendsetters of the last five years -- the ones who really dressed differently and set the mode....Moss, Dellal, Olsen, etc...I know I'll get creamed for this, but anyways.
Posted by: d | 2009-03-23 13:31:02
love her! shes beautiful
Posted by: cc | 2009-03-23 13:10:47
this is why I love Lily. The first and last looks are sheer chic, and oh so Lily. Forget Hollywood; just look at Lily is you need tips/hints on what to wear and how to wear it. Face of Gucci/Burberry, that's right. [K]
Posted by: kingchic | 2009-03-23 12:42:22
love her & love all her outfitss!! one of my fav models!!!
Posted by: marcy | 2009-03-23 10:53:28
Kate Moss wore the same outfit with the jean shorts 3 years ago.
Posted by: celestialmoonbe | 2009-03-23 10:16:44
boring blond?lily donaldson? yeah... i bet you are more interesting looking!
Posted by: adam | 2009-03-23 10:07:59
i like her style, but she seems expected. egotrippingatthegates.blogspot.com
Posted by: D | 2009-03-23 09:50:22
love her! ayanalovesfashion@blogspot.com
Posted by: ayana | 2009-03-23 09:45:00
Blah, I like supermodels, not just models. You know, models with substance that can do more than just being under the average weight and walking down runways, posing for pictures. I mean, does she do anything other than modelling?
Posted by: Aitch | 2009-03-23 09:32:03
boring blonde!
Posted by: nicole | 2009-03-23 09:13:28
I love the first and last looks especially. She is totally gorgeous. http://chicheroin.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Victoria C | 2009-03-23 08:18:08
She is indeed beautiful! Love the first and last looks but there's something weird about the second one. I think it's the tights/bare belly combo.
Posted by: MEP | 2009-03-23 07:59:21
I love Lily D! Thanks for picking her WWWD! <3
Posted by: Jess | 2009-03-23 03:24:29
First! OK obviously staying up late working on a paper that's due--today! I love her last outfit, would wear it if the dress were a little longer. She definately has her own sense of style and point of view. I like her pieces that she picks but would pair them a bit differently than she does. Overall not a bad pick.
Posted by: r | 2009-03-23 02:31:38