I met Jessica Anteby, aka, Beige Cardigan, this past summer at a party. I thought she was adorable in a badass yet nice girl kind of way. I loved her attitude and of course her style.
While I have been a closet case follower of Jessica on Instagram for a while, I recently took the opportunity to interview her and see what this cool girl is all about.
I L O V E your unique style. How would you describe it?
Jessica Anteby: Thank you! I would describe my style as simple yet dramatic. Being a New Yorker I don’t wear much color. I love a statement piece that stays understated and wearable because of its neutral color. I also try very hard to look as effortless as possible 🙂
How did you get into styling?
JA: I was always into fashion but was never sure how to channel it into a career. After many internships and terrible retail jobs, I found my place at Topshop NYC as a personal shopper. I learned so much there! At first I was dressing everyone in things I would wear, slowly coming to realize that the same look doesn’t work for everyone. I learned how to style people in looks I love, while staying true to their own personal style and body types. One client would beg me to come to her closet and help her out. After a few times of thinking she was just trying to compliment me, she finally got me to come to her house and style her. She then requested I go shopping with her in the higher end boutiques instead of just at Topshop. On my day off I would shop with her, help her closet cleanse and style her. I realized I was actually pretty good at this and gained the confidence to reach out and get more clients. Slowly I started getting clients and would shop or wardrobe consult on my days off from Topshop. Thankfully my personal shopping business grew very quickly and I had to quit Topshop. I really enjoy what I do and feel very lucky I finally found my place in a field that I love.
Who are your favorite designers? Are there any under the radar designers that we should know about?
JA: My consistent favorites are Chloe, Dries, Etro, Celine, Acne. Right now there aren’t many designers that stay under the radar because of social media. I’m loving Vetements. I think what they’re doing is very cool. Kim Shui and Sandy Liang are also putting out some really great pieces.
What 5 items are your vacation must haves?
JA: SPF tinted moisturizer ( I use Nars and love it) , a great pair of sunglasses that are also light and comfortable, a sexy black bikini, comfortable block heeled sandals and a long dramatic beach dress
Cool girl that you are, it doesn’t surprise me that you skateboard. What are your other hobbies?
JA: (Blushing) I’m no pro skateboarder but I do love cruising around the neighborhood. I love yoga and cooking although its hard to find time for both.
What was the impetus for @BeigeCardigan? And what’s the story behind the name?
JA: Beige cardigan started as just a competitive way to try and get Elliot off his phone. We were hanging out one night spending some quality time on the couch, just me, Elliot and his phone. When I yelled at him to put it down his response was, “I’m working” which made me snap back, “It’s Instagram! Relax!”. He then told me it’s not as easy as I think it is, which I took as a challenge. So I created beige cardigan and just reposted everything he posted for a day to mess with him. We then realized a “girly” version of Fuckjerry can be a great idea. With his help we started growing the account and luckily it grew a following pretty quickly.
The Urban Dictionary definition of Beige Cardigan is “a female who is attractive and pleasant but is generally boring and dresses in preppy, matronly clothes. “
Since I hope for that to be the complete opposite of me, I found the name to be ironic.
Where do you find inspiration for your posts?
JA: Elliot (the hubby aka fuckjerry), the presidential debates and pop culture references that take over the Internet.
Whats next for Jessica Anteby?
JA: Who knows! Taking it day by day, email by email. I just hope to continue having fun in this strange industry.
Great interview. !!