This Is What Turns Runway Trends Into Street Style Gold

Ever stared at someone, trying to pinpoint what it is that makes them so chic? When it's not as obvious as a designer slip-on, it can be hard to decipher exactly what was mixed and matched to create the covetable finish. Enter our new series, Mix Masters, dedicated to cracking the style code of our favorite It girls. We've teamed up with 7 for All Mankind to ensure that we address the one thing we all wear on rotation: denim. 

There's a lot to like when it comes to Charlotte Groeneveld's style—in particular, her knack for looking polished without giving the impression that she spent any time at all getting ready. The New York–based founder of TheFashionGuitar.com is originally from the Netherlands, which is entirely unsurprising, given that Dutch girls rival Danes, Swedes, and Parisians for the title of Planet Earth's Most Stylish, Low-Key Babes.

Groeneveld is a fixture in fashion week galleries, and for good reason: She effortlessly combines runway trends with good old-fashioned practicality—the very definition of great street style. Her secret (which is entirely obvious when you scroll through her Instagram on a daily basis)? Really good jeans. I cornered Charlotte to find out which pair of jeans she can't live without—spoiler alert, it's 7 for All Mankind's b(air) denim—where she eats in New York, and what her denim-saving wash-cycle settings are.

On where she eats in Manhattan:

"Waverly Inn is still my fave for drinks and dinner. Ludlow House for work, Joe's for a quick coffee fix, Dean & Deluca for delicious sushi takeout for lunch, Bluestone Lane in the West Village any time of the day—but I still like an everything bagel and an Americano from Starbucks from time to time."

On the perfect outfit for running around New York:

"A pair of cropped straight jeans and a belted coat—an accent on the waist makes it look feminine, not slouchy. It's the perfect look for a casual meeting in the city or running errands. Chic but functional."

On wearing dresses over jeans:

"Make sure the dress is not too long—you don't want it to cover up your jeans completely. It's hard to tell exact measurements, but you get a feel when you try it on. Move a bit back and forth to see how the dress floats. I love layering a long, airy dress over a pair of lightweight jeans with a released hem and then wearing a bomber jacket [on top.] ... [It's] perfect for this time of year."

On the real trick to planning outfits for fashion week:

"Last fashion week in Paris, it was pouring, and all the looks I was sent for the Elie Saab show didn't work because I would have been dragging them over the streets in the rain. So I combined one of the tops with a pair of jeans, really high pointy heels (not that you could see those well, but they were there), and a leather jacket draped on my shoulders. The look turned out great; it became a real 'me' moment with the addition of my jeans."

On the five things she's wearing on rotation right now:

"A denim shirt, my furry Gucci slip-ons, a statement logo T-shirt, and a pair of sunnies."

On her online shopping hacks:

"I always shop online. With jeans, if I don't know the brand, I'll order my size and a size up or down to get the fit just right."

On a great denim moment from seasons past:

"Two summers ago, it was all about double denim. I wore denim culottes and a denim shirt, messy hair, a pair of sandals, and a tan bag. It was one of the best looks at the time."

On the must-have denim:

"These black skinnies. We all need black skinny jeans, and they get better and better with every wash. You get endless legs when you wear a cropped pair of skinnies, so make sure it doesn't touch your shoes."

On her "nerdy" obsession with laundry:

"I just bought my first washer/dryer, which is super high-tech and has a denim function on it. I love doing my own laundry; it relaxes me. The smell afterward… heavenly!"

On the best thing about her 7 for All Mankind jeans (that you can't tell until you put them on): 

"The crop is perfect and the fabric divine. So light and stretchy, but without that 'stretchy' look."

Want to snap up Charlotte's must-have denim picks? Shop them all at 7 for All Mankind.