I Want Her Wardrobe

My favorite fashion creators, dupe culture, and the state of luxury today

I want her wardrobe is something that I say to myself all of the time. I whisper it when I walk past a chic woman on the street, when I open fashion Substack, and especially when I look at my outfit inspo folder on Instagram or Pinterest.

I know that influencer fashion is polarizing and the overconsumption, hidden ads, gifting, and unattainable luxury wardrobes are problematic. But as

Sogole Kane

recently wrote, I’m drawn to beauty and find so much joy in personal style, even if it’s just experiencing it vicariously through social media or walking past an impressively dressed person on the street.

I’ve always been aspirational when it comes to fashion and lean closer to champagne tastes on beer pockets than a true luxury consumer. Although I shop The RealReal for sustainable reasons today, it was my gateway into buying luxury designers when I first started shopping there in 2014. And to be honest, it’s still a key reason I shop TRR since the price of designer goods has skyrocketed to unattainable levels in 2025. Case in point: Chanel famously almost doubled the price of their 2.55 bag to a staggering $10.8K in a five year period, and during the same time period Louis Vuitton did double the price of their canvas Speedy.

This year my secondhand shopping goal is to buy the high quality, beautifully designed (and of course more expensive) thing instead of the accessibly priced preloved dupe…a goal that I’m trying to find balance in since it doesn’t align with every fashion category. I bought the Pixie Market dupe of the Khaite Maddy top this month to fill my biggest wardrobe gap of going out tops. After watching both items at resale for almost two years there’s still a $400 price difference between them, and I couldn’t justify spending that much money on a top that would have a lower CPW.

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Jeans And A Chic Top

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Something that I’ve wanted since it first came on the scene was the Toteme embroidered scarf jacket. At first I admired this from afar due to my no buy stance on wool, but as I’ve opened my options to include secondhand wool it’s become a wardrobe reality. I’ve been watching these at resale for the past month and would invest the money in a heartbeat at the right price, but my beloved TRR has this priced uncomfortably close to the actual firsthand version right now. This is an item where dupes don’t even come into play since the original design is so distinct that it speaks to me in a way that even the most perfect replica can’t live up to.

So of course I felt seen reading Vogue Business’ article about how quiet luxury has changed dupe culture as aspirational customers are being priced out of the luxury market. Accessible designer brands like Coach are gaining traction with Gen Z (with the socials to reflect this), while luxury designers are moving to executive positions at mall brands like Gap and Uniqlo to fill the chasm of well-designed fashion at a realistic price. The Wirkin phenomenon is another representation of this shift: the desire for affordable status items resonates with me as a TRR shopper, but as a sustainable consumer I can’t stop thinking about how many of these bags will end up in a landfill within a year of production.

A highly relatable quote from the Vogue Business article: “The fact is that luxury, for most people and myself included, still equates primarily to ‘something nice’, something one buys ‘as a treat’.” Image: Vogue Business.

I’m curious where you fall in the luxury/dupe sphere - would you buy the dupe? Buy the original firsthand and consider it a treat? Or wait for the real thing at resale, whether for sustainable or budgetary reasons?

I Want Her Wardrobe x 3

The three women whose wardrobes I aspire to own fall within the minimalist, or to borrow

Kelly Williams

’ genius Substack name, midimalist spectrum. They all have styling signatures that make their outfits stand out across the 1.5K+ fashion creators that I follow and I’m consistently drawn to their personal style.

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Denise Nørgaard (@denisechristensenbc)

A huge thank you to another of my fashion favorites Ellie Delphine of @slipintostyle for bringing Denise Nørgaard’s account into my life. I hit the follow button so fast when I saw this post and dream of the day that she starts a Substack.

slipintostyle

A post shared by @slipintostyle

The CEO of Birger Christensen Collective, Denise is my current wardrobe goals and her minimalist dressing is everything that I want my closet to be. I’ve been asking myself daily: what would Denise wear?

Outfit Hallmarks:

• Peplums and sculptural shapes

• Floor skimming maxi coats

• Perfectly oversized denim

• Neutrals mixed with red and burgundy tones

• Skirts and pointy shoes

Denise’s posing is off the charts

What I really want from her wardrobe:

Image: Remain Birger Christensen

I’ve set up a The RealReal saved search for REMAIN Birger Christensen in the hopes of finding these wide leg denim pants secondhand. The front seaming, puddle length, and OTT leg are the perfect counterpoint to form fitting and cropped toppers, creating visual interest through contrasting silhouettes.

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Karen Blanchard (@karenbritchick)

I’ve written about Karen before as one of my longest-running influencer follows going back to the original blogging era. She’s the midimalist on my list and combines vintage, luxury, and high street finds to craft the most unique outfits. I especially appreciate her personal style now as she’s moving from a maximalist POV to something more minimalist.

Outfit Hallmarks:

• Layered tailoring

• Statement hats, bags, and jewelry

• Texture to add visual interest to neutral outfits

• Vintage pieces

• Fringed apparel and accessories

The turtleneck under the collarless blazer gets me every time

Karen’s also in my highly curated YouTube rotation - her shorts are a masterclass in styling and her videos cover everything from beauty to city life to fashion week. A must-watch if you enjoy learning about a bit of everything in the aesthetic realm.

What I really want from her wardrobe:

Image: Loewe

I know I’m behind the curve on Puzzle bags, but a little backstory if you’re a new reader: I’m freshly off an eight year leather no buy and am now incorporating secondhand leather into my wardrobe as a way to balance my ethical and sustainable values. Which makes the Puzzle new and exciting to me, even though it’s a classic at this point. I’m especially drawn to the mini size and there are so many options at resale: gray, tan, and the orange that Karen is using as a pop of color above.

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Mirja Klein (@mirjaklein)

A true minimalist, Mirja’s style is full of small details that elevate all of her outfits. I’m a big fan of her account since I’m a “lots of layers” dresser (a necessity in the ever-changing microclimates of SF) and she totally nails this style. Mirja has even given me inspiration for summer outfitting, my least favorite season to get dressed.

Outfit Hallmarks:

• Expert layering

• Endless blazer inspo

• Monochromatic looks

• Summer whites

• Oversized silhouettes

Brb, manifesting living in a building with a mirrored elevator

What I really want from her wardrobe:

This sold out COS Merino Wool Polo sweater is the best layering piece - instantly sophisticated over a turtleneck and under a blazer, and it makes a great scarf alternative tied around the neck. There are so many similar preloved styles looking for a good home and these options are all currently under $50: this COS men’s gray sweater, this Quince tan cashmere sweater, this Banana Republic gray ribbed sweater, and this tan washable wool Banana Republic sweater.

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That’s it for this week, thanks for reading! I’d love to know about the women (or men) whose wardrobes you want and how they’ve influenced the way you get dressed or how you shop. Also, your thoughts on dupes vs. luxury in today’s economy. I’m always here for any tips on secondhand scores, especially floor length maxi coats and wool sweaters.