How to dress like The Row

I have always been obsessed with Mary Kate and Ashley as a child and continuously wanted to copy their style.  They along with Lauren Conrad from the Hills, were my main style icons.  So when The Row materialised, I was thrilled, although not thrilled with the price tag.  I have spent a long time trying to get the look of the Row on a much nicer budget.  Finding the Row aesthetic for me was exactly what I was looking for in this trend heavy world.  I love fashion, but finding this style has helped me to narrow down what I like and how to declutter my brain from the other pretty items and trend items that aren't my style anymore as I know they aren't for me.  Today, I can see a beautiful picture of a floral dress, but I don't feel the need to buy it as I am content in knowing it doesn't fit my personal style anymore.  My wardrobe is more interchangeable and I am able to shop my wardrobe far more and re-wear items with each other as a capsule wardrobe without having to buy a brand new one each season.

The best brands to get the Row look are Arket and Cos, but you can get super affordable items from H&M and Zara as well if you look at classic pieces that are well made with good materials, shapes and silhouettes in neutral colours to give the minimalist aesthetic of The Row.  I am constantly learning and growing with my styling, but my general rules to follow and key items to buy to get the look are:

1) A Classic T-shirt 

A simply Heavy weight T-shirt that is oversized is a key wardrobe staple for everything.  Styled with simple jeans and loafers or layered under a blazer, it's a key piece.  Unless it is heavy weight though, it can look cheap.  I have got some really good heavy weight T-shirts from Zara and Mango.

2) Oversized and maxi 

 A key way to get the Row look is to wear oversized clothing, this could be by wearing an oversized T-shirt or a shirt with tailored trousers or by wearing a maxi T-shirt dress.  The key thing is to make sure these items have a good shape and clean lines, but just size up!

3) Neutral styling 

 The Row mainly uses a neutral palette featuring different shades of black, white, beige, navy and grey.  

4) Tailoring 

 The Row love using tailored pieces but making them oversized and therefore more casual.  Think oversized blazers pushed up at the arms, oversized shirts over trousers and Bermuda shorts worn with flip flops.  In some cases you often see Mary Kate doesn't know how to use an iron, which adds to the extra casual tailoring effect!

5) Untucked clothing 

 The Row and the Mary Kate and Ashley vibe is not to tuck in your tops to your trousers, but keep them out to create a base for your layering and shape.

6) Layering 

The Row love to add layering to add dimension and depth to their outfits.  The base of the layering is often not tucking in your t-shirt or shirt and often adding different materials such as a cashmere jumper or a silk scarf to create a visual dimension.  This could also be done with accessories such as a hat or a gold necklace on a leather chain.  Most of the Row looks have at least 2-3 layers within them.

7) The odd shoe effect 

 Mary Kate and Ashley love wearing an odd or an ugly shoe with their looks.  They often are featured wearing flip flops, but I also love wearing socks with loafers, Gladiator sandals or mesh ballet flats to get the Row look.

8) Unkept hair 

 Mary Kate and Ashley once told their hair stylist that their hair inspiration was Jesus and that was why they had the flat but wavy hair style that they have and is now iconic to them that comes from naturally drying their hair and then adding the right products.  I often leave my hair more natural and wavy now as The Row girl looks much cooler when she looks more natural and not so heavily made up.

9) Good fabrics and shapes 

This is key to everything, if the materials are cheap and the shapes aren't structured enough, you will never get the look and will look like you've tried to copy using cheap pieces.  The key to this look is the basic items, but you don't want to look basic, you want to look elevated chic.  Pay attention to fabric, silhouette, construction and shape to get a similar vibe.

10) Minimal branding 

 The final note is the branding of the Row is super minimal making it actually pretty easy to emulate.  Well made leather accessories and shoes and a focus on quality over quantity will help you achieve the look.