September marks a season of new beginnings, like stepping onto the bus on the first day of school — or in my case, penning my first Editor’s Letter as Artful Living’s Executive Editor. And what’s a new beginning without a little zhuzhing of one’s personal style? Created especially for savvy readers like you, our autumn style issue is jam-packed with stories to inspire not only how we dress, but how we experience life, both in the home and on the go.
In our social media–dominant world, it can be challenging to quiet the noise and identify a true sense of style. After an Instagram scroll teeming with OOTD videos, impeccably curated photo dumps and paparazzi-captured celebrity street-style shots, I’m often left with a slew of questions (How am I supposed to feel about barrel jeans? What actually goes into a capsule wardrobe? Thrifting sounds cool, but where do I start?) and an add-to-cart list of influencer-endorsed threads that I’ve convinced myself I can pull off. Sound familiar? Luckily, the glossy pages between your hands are meant to be a guiding force amidst it all.
Photography by Ben Colvin / Spacecrafting
Our feature, “Fashion’s Front Line” by Laura Antonia Jordan, delves into the five archetypes defining what we wear today. In “Salute to Black Style,” Robyne Robinson dives into the fashionable world of dandyism, a movement pillared by expressive dressing as a form of individuality and social activism, which claimed attention at this year’s Met Gala — perhaps you recall Colman Domingo’s custom Valentino robe that he donned at the annual bash. In “Haute Cuisine,” Jeff Gordinier shows how food, design and travel are all intertwined, taking us on a tour of the five most stylish restaurants in the country. In “There She Goes,” Alexandra Owens articulates why solo women travel is on the rise (If an “If not now, when?” mentality isn’t stylish, then I don’t know what is!). And in “Horse Play,” our resident equine expert, Editor-at-Large Kate Nelson, explains how horse girl style is always relevant.
We hope that the stories in this issue propel you forward in your style journey and serve as inspiration in a season of change. So here’s to an autumn grounded by unwavering confidence in your personal style — from the clothes you’re hanging in your closet to the dinner reservations you’re booking to the hotels you’re checking into and everything in between.
Signed, sealed and accessorized,
Lexi Sunberg, Executive Editor
