This Slow-Fashion Lover Gives Us A Lesson In Layering
Erica Allen-Kim gets dressed the way an architect might design a building: layer by layer, with an eye for form and function. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Toronto resident is an architectural historian.) Yet there’s nothing fussy about her style. Allen-Kim’s wardrobe is filled with slow-crafted pieces that put comfort first and give her plenty of room to play with silhouettes—whatever the day may bring. “I start off ironed and pressed, but as I move around, I don’t worry if everything gets wrinkled or I spill something on my clothes,” she explains. “Layers allow me to mix up things without having to change my entire outfit.” Quirky accessories are another signature: corsets, silk scarves and, especially, belt bags, which she stacks to keep her belongings organized. “I have one just for dog treats, and one for my phone—it’s another way to layer colour.”
Here, she explains how she achieves her signature layered, lived-in style and shares the secret to a wardrobe that stands the test of time.
How would you describe your style?
My style is mostly about playing with colour, textures and layers. I never wear a single-layer outfit. My style isn’t fussy. I start off ironed and pressed, but as I move around, I don’t worry if everything gets wrinkled or I spill something on my clothes. Layers allow me to mix up things without having to change my entire outfit.
I grew up in Southern California, in a beach community. You just wore a T-shirt, jeans and a hoodie, but I always yearned for more opportunities for self-expression through fashion. And so I was the kid who would wear multiple layers, even then. The climate didn't really suit layering.
I don't know if it was intentional, but I've been gradually moving east and north ever since I graduated from university, first going to Seattle and then Boston. I’ve lived in Toronto for the past eleven years, and I've started to develop my own techniques for layering in different weather. I find that the seasons are always a fun challenge.
@chatelaine Our style crush Erica Allen-Kim shows us how she layers her basics for spring. 🌸🧣 #stylecrush #styletok #springoutfits2023 #stylingtips #layering #slowfashion #stylinghack ♬ original sound - Chatelaine
Where do you find style inspiration?
Often in books, magazines, or cinema. Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie and take screenshots of outfits I like for later. I just watched the Banshees of Inisherin—a movie set in Ireland in the 1920s—and the characters have the most fantastic outfits. Sometimes, I’ll walk down the street and see graffiti or advertisements layered on top of each other. Those strange juxtapositions and unexpected colour pairings stick with me, consciously or unconsciously.
You’re an architectural historian by trade. How does this eye for design influence your personal style?
I’m not an artist or a designer, but I’m interested in how design can develop from the inside out or from the outside in. With sculpture and painting, you add things to a base. The way I build outfits is that I always think of the base layer, which should be the most comfortable layer, as the one you feel. And then I add to it—it's almost like this flower blooming.
I also have colour stories in mind. I'll often do tonal outfits, with all different shades of green, for example, and then add an unexpected accent, just to create additional visual interest.
I take a lot of inspiration from the worlds of painting and sculpture, but I'm also interested in architecture, which is all about moving and inhabiting spaces. So it's really about comfort above all things.
@chatelaine Need spring style inspo? This is how our style crush Erica Allen-Kim styles a dress. 👗🌻👜 #stylecrush #styletok #springoutfits2023 #stylingtips #dress #slowfashion #stylinghack ♬ original sound - Chatelaine
What are some staple pieces in your closet?
I layer so many belt bags at once that they’ve become a joke with my friends; they’ll say “How many more can you add?” I started buying them about eight years ago and before that moment I’d only carried canvas tote bags or backpacks. Because it's worn across your body, a belt bag really becomes a part of your outfit in a way that a shoulder bag doesn’t. It’s actually like a pocket. I started thinking of belt bags as another way to add colour.
I’ve created this system where I have one just for dog treats, and one for my phone and my debit card. And then I have other belt bags which are for keys and other small items. Organization is always my greatest challenge, so it works really well for me because I know exactly where everything is and I'm not rooting around in this giant purse.
I also love silk scarves. Nowadays, you have wonderful artists working with different brands to create these really vibrant, beautiful scarves. It’s another element that's both functional and expressive, but there's something comfortingly old-fashioned or grandmotherly about it. I don't wear makeup, but scarves and eyeglasses are my way of adding some colour to my face.
What is your process when picking an outfit?
The first thing I do when I wake up is check the weather. Then, I figure out what my day looks like. Am I going to the dog park? Am I riding on a bicycle? Functionality is really important.
Beyond that, I don't really have a plan. I look in my closet and a colour or a texture catches my eye and that’s what I’ll build the rest of the outfit around.
When I wear an outfit that isn't working and I’m not comfortable, I find myself tugging at things and making all these adjustments. It’s like something feels a little bit off. When I find the right combination of pieces, there's usually some kind of mood shift that I feel in my body. A good outfit can set the tone for the day.
Sometimes, I want a really calming outfit—warm, soft, cozy. I add all these layers and suddenly I feel like a little egg in a carton; I feel protected. Sometimes, I have to teach or talk publicly or meet lots of people, so I want to feel sharp and confident. I then gravitate towards bolder colours and more interesting silhouettes.
How do you approach trends in fashion?
We can’t help but be influenced by what is happening around us, the media we consume, the shop windows we pass by.
I like trends because it gives you the feeling of something that's fresh and updated, which is nice. But the other thing about trends that I like is that if it's adjacent to a style you've already been interested in, it can push you a little bit out of your comfort zone in a way that’s easy to incorporate into your wardrobe. It’s also challenging—how can I make it part of my personal style and not just replicate exactly what I'm seeing in a magazine or social media?
When I shop for trendier pieces, I step back and ask myself if what I want to buy is a classic example of the trend. Is it exaggerated? Will it last? If it will feel dated to me within a year, I try to avoid it.
I have clothes that I still wear from ten or fifteen years ago. They were investment pieces that are a little harder to style now, but I always find ways to wear them. I also do alterations, change hemlines, add or remove darts and pleats; it’s the secret to a wardrobe that lasts for decades.
What do you look for when shopping for new pieces that will last you for years to come?
I handsew and I started knitting recently, and understanding how garments are constructed, the techniques that are used and the quality of the fabric and the yarn made me realize that not every brand that seems to espouse slow fashion ethics makes quality clothing. You can't just depend on labels, marketing or aesthetics. The great thing about shopping smaller brands is being able to have a conversation with makers, where you can ask questions about the fit, the materials and how it's produced. It gives you confidence that it's a well-made piece, because when they care that much about the clothing, you can feel more confident that what you're buying is going to last longer.
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