Laura Katherine Sawyier approaches her work as a personal and wardrobe stylist as a way to help women in St. Louis, New York City and beyond not only refine their style, but also improve their lives—she believes that the right clothing can change everything, giving the wearer confidence and a powerful means of self-expression. She also brings unique female designers to audiences in St. Louis and New York through her Salon x LKS event series, which is part panel conversation, part social outing and part shopping pop-up. The events are free but also often include a charitable component. For more information, visit salonxlks.com.
1. What appeals to me about fashion: Research on the psychology of clothing says it does make an impact on how you feel about yourself and your mindset. I also love discovering new brands—these days there are a lot of people producing really cool and interesting things.
2. My wardrobe staples: My power piece is a high-waisted pant fitted at the waist—these can be jeans, chinos or a straight pant. They can also be of any color—I’m wearing camo right now. I usually pair that with a tighter top, such as a turtleneck layered underneath a cool blazer or jacket. I also like to stack rings on my right hand. These are typically gold. And I’m almost always in a shoe with a heel.
3. My favorite designers: I love Lingua Franca’s hand-stitched designs. I’m also obsessed with Sarah Flint shoes—they incorporate features like arch support and extra padding on the foot of high heels to make them as comfortable as they are beautiful. For basics, I’m really psyched about everything Everlane is doing. Finally, my favorite bag of all time is the L.L. Bean Boat and Tote. It’s not super glamorous, but it’s so functional, and I get compliments on it frequently.
4. My favorite looks: I embrace dressing
differently every single day, and I tend not to fall into any kind of comfort groove. I like to walk into my closet, mix things up, and if it feels right, I own it and walk out the door. One look I love is a loud, bright matching set. I also love to throw on my vintage swing coat. It’s floral and looks like a piece of upholstery from the ‘70s. Every time I wear it, I’m not only expressing myself, but also end up in conversations with people. It’s fun, and there’s some humanity in fostering that connection.
5. My beauty routine: I’ve been taking Beauty Glow supplements for hair, nails and skin by EVOLUTION_18, Bobbi Brown’s wellness company. Every morning I wash my face and apply toner and a light cream, followed by a lip gel from Patchology or Bite. At night, I wash my face and apply First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair cream and Sunday Riley’s Autocorrect eye cream.
6. Favorite places to shop: Locally I love Byrd Designer Consignment in Ladue. I also love shopping online at The RealReal, another consignment shop. Resale and consignment are blowing up right now for all the right reasons.
7. Favorite places to eat in St. Louis: I love Vicia, Billie Jean and Louie. My husband and I spend a lot of time at each one.
8. Where you can find me on weekends: I’m a member of the Four Seasons gym, so I’m often there taking advantage of the spa and jacuzzi. I also love the Saint Louis Art Museum—my husband and I go on day dates at the restaurant there or will just walk around. Traveling is a huge part of our lives as well.