Substack Made Me Wear It
When one fashion tech founder and five Substackers take my Indyx for a spin
There are many highlights to living in San Francisco: walkable neighborhoods, emerging tech, dogs as far as the eye can see. But something I really love about living here is getting to meet incredible fashion tech founders. Case in point:
’s co-founder .But let me back up. If you’ve been here for a while1, you know that I’m in a constant state of trying to make my wardrobe more responsible through secondhand shopping, outfit repeating, and limiting my firsthand buys.
One of my 2025 resolutions was to use
daily to understand my progress on a deeper level by tracking cost per wear, what I’m adding to my closet, and my goal of wearing everything I own at least once this year. An unexpected benefit is the more I documented my outfits, the more creative I became in my styling.I’ve been fascinated by
’s new social styling feature since it feels like a natural extension of Substack chats where a common question is “how can I style this piece?”. I’m here for anything community-building and wanted to explore this tool with some of the incredible fashion writers in the global Substack community. I was thrilled when Devon was up for being featured in this post, making all of my social styling dreams come true.The Social Styling Challenge
Every Substacker you’re about to meet has three things in common: an impeccable style POV, an inspiring Indyx closet, and letting me slide into their dm’s for one-on-one fashion chats. Starting the furthest away until we meet back in San Francisco, you can click on everyone’s Indyx handle next to their name for a deeper dive into what makes their personal style tick2.
The Stylists
| anikaricarda
Style words: Minimal, Refined, Edgy Home base: Düsseldorf
| oferodrig
Style words: Minimalist, Sophisticated, Alluring Home base: Paris
| emilygrady422
Style words: Minimal, Comfortable, Cool Home base: New York City
| kdunniganwilliams
Style words: Effortless, Elevated, Edgy Home base: Denver
| astahearts
Style words: Chill, Modern, Commanding Home base: Los Angeles
| devonrule
Style words: Chill, Classic, Sporty Home base: San Francisco
The Stylee
| Tina3
Style words: Minimalist, Chic, Confident Home base: San Francisco
The Ask
Create an outfit from my Indyx closet for a day out in your city doing any of my favorite activities. Think: farmers market, shopping secondhand, lattes or mocktails, a trip to the bookstore or library, exploring the city.
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“For a day in the city, the ultimate goal for me is to combine both comfort and style. Düsseldorf is known as a fashion city, so you can really be yourself and dress up - which is not common for Germany. I think you'd love it and you'd fit right in!
In this outfit, you could grab a coffee at my favorite place, Coffe, or go vintage shopping at koko selected or BROKE - you should also definitely go to BREUNINGER, which is a huge department store and they have the best selection from Anine Bing to LouLou Studio. Their visual merchandising is a dream, too! After shopping, we could meet up for a glass of wine at Carlsplatz which is a market in the city - the best place to spot amazing outfit inspo.”
The Look
My Take
Anika is one of my minimalist style icons and this look could not be better suited to my outfit repeating ethos. My blazer and skirt were recent rewears that I had yet to pair together. I felt ultra-sophisticated in this combo and loved the playful touch of my puffy heart necklace and star bag. This styling puts me squarely in the realm of my fashion Roman Empire: the big blazer and sheer skirt outfit worn by Div Ravindran.
Looking for more style inspo from Anika? Read this: Sunday Update #30
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“Parisians have a talent for blending chic minimalism with effortless confidence — and that’s exactly how I envision Tina’s style.
I chose this outfit because it’s something you might spot on a Parisian, yet it still feels authentically Tina. I love the playful take on the ballet flat, the tote bag as a nod to the San Francisco Public Library, and the mix of Parisian elements like the foulard and crossbody purse. A tote bag in hand is a must for Paris!
For me, a perfect day starts with a little treat at a coffee shop, followed by hopping from one shop to another or stopping by the farmers market to pick up fresh fruit and veggies for the week. This outfit captures that sense of ease — it also transitions beautifully from day to night with just a few simple tweaks.
p.s. manifesting a farmers market trip to grab strawberries with Tina someday!”
The Look
My Take
One of my favorite YouTube channels is Parisian Vibe, and just looking at the flat lay made me feel like a PV creator. Ofelia’s vision to pair my vest with barrel leg denim was a brilliant move, and the accessories she chose made the outfit even more special with my beloved SFPL library tote bag and ballet flats that I got to celebrate a big life event. I’ll be wearing this on my next trip to my local farmers market (with the standard SF jacket layer ofc), and when Ofelia and I manifest our Parisian meet up.
Looking for more style inspo from Ofelia? Read this: 6 Things Parisians Are Wearing This Spring
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“From the second I saw this top, I had tunnel vision and knew Tina would look incredible waltzing around NYC in this. Even though I have never met Tina, a few things are evident from interacting with her online: 1) She has incredible personal style that I could only describe as inventive, a bit edgy, daring, and unforgettable. 2) She is extremely kind. 3) She loves a good library visit!
Taking all that into account, I imagine a day that begins with an iced coffee and croissant at my beloved Maman near Union Square. This outfit is the perfect mix of bold (Ulla Johnson, gingham trend, need I say more) and utilitarian (denim, shoes you can walk in) to head over to the USQ farmers market.
I am a big “bring two bags because you never know what you’ll want to buy while you’re out and about” girl, and assume that Tina would be the same. I picked the San Francisco Public Library bag as a nod to her intellect, and also because the blue is VERY fun next to the red details in the top. The gold earring brings a bit of contrast to the rest of the outfit, and I lean more minimal on accessories so no need to add more!”
The Look
My Take
A big thanks to Emily for taking my top from Zoom staple to day out statement piece! The combination of gingham, red, blue, tan, and medium wash denim came together in the most fantastically elevated casual way. I am 100% a two bag person, and was so into the blue color through line across my tote, jeans, and flats. To borrow Emily’s style words, I felt like the embodiment of cool and comfortable in this look.
Looking for more style inspo from Emily? Read this: How I Rebuilt My Wardrobe
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"I started with my favorite item in your closet; the incredible lace-up ballerina shoes by Ganni! From there I knew I wanted to keep the rest of the outfit pretty casual since Denver is a laid-back city.
I swapped standard blue denim for black and a standard white tank for grey. I added the neckerchief because I loved the idea of playing into the Western trope that Denver has. I accessorized with a hat to protect from the 365 days of sunshine Denver gets and a casual tote that can fit any shopping exploits!"
The Look
My Take
This outfit was a huge treat since I rarely get a chance to go sleeveless in San Francisco. The neutrals and clean lines spoke to my minimalist side and the pops of red in the bandana and tote bag lifted the gray and black tones. I’m still finding new ways to wear my ballet flats and the slightly cropped jeans showed these off to perfection. I always wear a hat outside and this one seamlessly pulled the whole casual vibe together.
Looking for more style inspo from Kelly? Read this: A Humble Summer Hero
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“I styled this for one of those classic LA days that starts with structure but ends with a little chaos in the best way. Think: a slow breakfast at Gjusta (a bakery-slash-deli with serious main character energy), followed by errands that lead you through a design bookshop, a few boutiques that feel more like galleries, and a coffee shop where half the city seems to be taking meetings.
I leaned into a more maximal outfit than you might reach for now BUT grounded with a current favorite neutral blazer to keep it wearable and more aligned with your current preferences.
LA is the perfect place to dial up your persona and play pretend. You can be dramatic by 11am and totally unbothered about it by noon. I added walkable shoes, not because you’ll be walking miles, but because Angelenos love the idea of a walkable day, the nonchalance underlined with a delicate anklet. Accessories are intentionally minimal to keep the look balanced.”
The Look
My Take
I was excited to see how Asta would style me since she has an incredible eye for color, and this look did not disappoint. It was in sync with my former maximalist aesthetic and I loved the textural complexity of mixing velvet, knit, woven, and mesh fabrics. I typically pair this top with a black blazer, and using gray brought a new lightness and contrast. I’ll be reaching for this outfit the next time I’m feeling a statement look.
Looking for more style inspo from Asta? Read this: Color Formula #3: Flirty Neighbors
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“This outfit was a playful experiment inspired by my recent trip to Copenhagen3 and the downright incredible street style I saw there: bold, super functional, and a little bit offbeat in the best way.
I know Tina gravitates toward clean lines and interesting proportions, so I wanted to challenge that a bit by using her gorpcore-esque cargo pants while keeping the overall vibe polished and wearable. The oversized collar and pop of red from the scarf add a dose of Scandinavian whimsy, and of course, no CPH-inspired look would be complete without a solid dose of Ganni.
It’s a riskier combo, so I'm honestly not 100% sure it will work IRL. But that’s true even when I’m styling flat lays for myself! Not every outfit styled on Indyx is going to be a perfect hit, especially when it’s a socially styled one using pieces I’ve never seen in real life. Try it on, tweak the styling to make it feel fully you, and remember that (IMO) this kind of experimentation is exactly how you grow and evolve your personal style.”
The Look
My Take
I felt very Scandi chic the moment I saw Devon’s styling. I’ve been working these cargos back into my rotation and pairing them with my Ganni shirt was genius. I’ve been on the edge of selling this shirt since the oversized proportions are tough to style, but tucking the extra fabric into my pockets was a great way to create shape, and this outfit convinced me to give my shirt another go. I loved how my black bag and shoes grounded this look, while the red bandana provided a bright burst of color.
Looking for more style inspo from Devon? Read this: What I Bought in May
New to Indyx? Referral code Tina3 will get you started with $10 in Lookbook credit.
Devon’s Social Styling Tips:
Want to get social styled? The most foolproof way is to just ask! We made it easy to copy your Open Closet link: send it to a friend or drop it in the chat or comment section of whatever fashion community you're a part of. It's always great to pair that with a specific ask, like: “What would you wear if you wanted to look hot but pretend you’re not trying!?” The more targeted the ask, the better the outfits.
When it comes to styling others, there’s actually a ton of selfish (!) value in the process. Flat lays give us a shared visual language to test out new ideas that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise. I like to pay attention to what I’m instinctively drawn to—and what I’m not. Which silhouettes, colors, or pairings feel easy and natural? When do I feel stuck, and what kinds of pieces does that person not have that I feel might unblock me? All of that is incredibly useful data when it comes to understanding your own style and how you like to put things together.
My Social Styling Takeaways
I’ve always had a strong vision of how I want to get dressed (just ask my mom) and wasn’t sure if social styling was for me. But I quickly found out that it was and it fulfilled my fundamental goal of creating even more longevity in my wardrobe.
A few things I learned this week:
Give your stylists free rein in your Indyx. Try not to tag items with “do not style” unless you’re really not going to wear them. My favorite part of social styling was falling back in love with things on my “to sell” list, alongside new takes on old favorites and pieces that weren’t getting a lot of play.
Add bags and accessories. I carry two bags on the regular, but only had one saved in my closet. Social styling gave me the push to add my bags and socks to Indyx, which made creating my daily outfits more fun and motivating. I loved the added bonus of seeing item analytics with Insider. I’m also deciding how to add my everyday jewelry, which goes into 10+ items territory.
Swaps are okay! Like Devon noted, not every outfit will translate from flat lay to irl. Everyone’s closet has items with their own styling quirks - in my case, my mesh flats are flimsy in person and don’t play well on their own. I added mesh socks or swapped these out for a more substantial shoe in two of the outfits. While I was genuinely into every look, there might be times when the styling doesn’t resonate with your aesthetic. This is where the magic happens: make changes that feel more “you” to push your personal style forward.
A huge thank you to
, , , , , and for bringing new life to my wardrobe through their exceptional social styling skills! My Indyx Outfits tab and heart are full.Nosy merchant poll of the week:
That’s it for this week, thanks for reading! If you have questions on Indyx, social styling, or just want to talk fashion, feel free to drop your thoughts below.
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This post includes some affiliate links that help support my newsletter at no cost to you. Everything linked is something that I own, wear on repeat, and love.
You might also remember that I pitched a digital fashion app for my MBA entrepreneurship class last year. Even though my venture capitalist professor and classmates were all in on all things deep tech, my team’s weekly pitch consistently got the most questions and positive feedback. As it turns out, everyone loves a fashion moment.
I always enjoy seeing how everyone puts together their Indyx flat lays. The flat lays you see here are “as is” from each of the amazing Substackers that created them.
Devon is back from a trip to my dream destination of Copenhagen and I couldn’t resist asking to be styled for a day out in CPH instead of SF since I’m still not over this ultimate fashion compliment.
 | A guest post by
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I loved how we all picked and styled items so differently from across the world. This was such a fun experiment to see how much one closet can be translated in various ways just by putting it through a different lens.
Thank you for including me!! I had so much fun and social styling on Indyx is my new favorite hobby!!
This was SUCH a fun read!! So interesting to see that a lot of the stylers gravitated towards similar accessories like your library tote or red bandana but the looks are so different too! Goes to show the power of perspective!