The TEll// By Thrift & Tell
Welcome to THE TELL//BY THRIFT & TELL: a celebration of fashionable women who dress as smart as they shop.
This week’s guest on THE TELL// is Lauren Harwell Godfrey, founder of eponymous fine jewelry brand: Harwell Godfrey. Her line, as you will see below, incorporates colorful gemstones, enamel, and intricate patterns to create pieces that are interesting, beautiful, and distinct. (This knife edge bangle is firmly placed on my ever-growing wishlist.) In her closet, Lauren mixes quality pieces from brands like Max Mara and Celine with vintage pieces from her favorite local vintage and consignment stores like Mercy Vintage, Vintage Felix, and The Real Real. Her outfits, whether new or vintage, are of course always taken to the next level with an enviable stack of Harwell Godfrey jewels! It is wonderful to have Lauren be part of this series and stay tuned for more interviews to come. Enjoy!
Photo Credit: Tricia Turner Studio
//Your style in 3 words: Colorful, eclectic, lux
//Staple Outfit: Jeans, tshirt, blazer, lots of jewels
//Style Icon(s): Right now I’m loving 70’s Diana Ross, Angelica Huston, Bianca Jagger
//Your First Big Purchase: A Chloe Padlock bag
//Do You Still Have It? No. I just recently let it go and wish I hadn’t!
//Best Fashion Advice You Ever Received: Don’t let the clothes wear you.
//Types of clothing you invest in: I believe in spending on really good shoes and timeless, designer pieces.
//Types of clothing you save on: Anything really trendy
//Your greatest extravagance: I love beautifully made coats, jackets, and blazers.
//Brands That Will Stand the Test of Time: Chanel, Bottega Veneta, YSL, Old Celine
//Favorite Affordable Brands: Ganni, Farm Rio, Sold out NYC, Freda Salvador
//Favorite Designer Brands: Bottega Veneta, Valentino, Max Mara
//Favorite High-Low Brands to Mix: I love a combo like a Celine Blazer with a Rag & Bone TShirt, RE/DONE jeans, Bottega Veneta Bag and Golden Goose Sneakers
//Favorite Places to Shop Consignment: Mercy Vintage, Vintage Felix, Vestiaire, The RealReal
//Favorite Places to Consign Your Own Closet: Mercy Vintage
//Currently Collecting Dust in the Back of your Closet: Some really good black tie gear from Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent… I also have a vintage YSL ostrich feather vest that is ready to party!
//Your Closet Tried and Trues: La Double J gets a lot of play – I love the Artemis Dress. I also just bought a Vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy that got a facelift with some rainbow ombre detailing from Etc in Birmingham Alabama and I seem to use it every day.
//Your Most Prized Possession: My engagement ring
//Best investment you ever made in your style: My Karl Lagerfeld wedding dress. It was an extravagance, but I’ll look at those pictures forever and that dress will always be amazing and chic.
//Style Choice From Your Past That Haunts You: I accidentally permanently straightened my hair in the very recent past, and it is still haunting me. I had to cut it all off to get my curls back!
//“It seemed like a good idea at the time” a.k.a Purchase you most regret: Anything that’s final sale. I swear it NEVER works out!
//Closet From Which You Would Like to Borrow: Tamu McPherson
//Last Time You Splurged? Yesterday? Pandemic retail therapy is real.
//Currently Saving Your Pennies For: A vintage mother of pearl + diamond Rolex Daytona from Tropical Watch.
//A Deal for the History Books/Your T&T Personal Best: An emerald green vintage YSL velvet smoking jacket from Vintage Felix.
//Advice to someone looking to define their own style: Figure out what you feel most confident in and then build your outfit around it
//Trend you wish would go away? I’m really tired of skinny jeans.
//You feel great. What are you wearing? A Max Mara Cashmere Coat
//Occasions when you splurge: When I come across a really good timeless staple.
//Occasions when you save: One-off events and costume parties
//Home Decor Style: Eclectic, patterned, textured, international
//Favorite place to hunt for home decor: International cities (I love sending home things you can’t find here), Chairish, 1st Dibs.
//Go-to for unique items, whether it be clothing, accessories, home or art: Locally for fashion and accessories I love Hero Shop, McMullen, Betty Lin, Metier, Freda Salvador. For home, Tracy Simmons and March, for Art, Jessica Silverman Gallery and the FOG Art Fair.
//Your fashion motto: It’s ok to be extra.
//Your life motto: I’d say it’s the same!
Fill in the blank:
//A woman should invest in- bags, shoes, jackets, jewelry. //You’re never too old to—to be a little bit sexy. Whatever that means to you. //A woman can never have too much- gold. Duh! // Bury Me In: Gemstones. //True or False: More is More- false. //Fashion is- a vast universe.. //Style is: your solar system.
CURRENTLY LOVING:
//Music: Saweetie
//Print: The Mister Jiu Cookbook
//Food: I’m obsessed with cabbage right now.
//Drink: Tequila Ocho
//Film: I finally watched BlacKkKlansman. So good.
//TV: Stanley Tucci Searching for Italy
//Podcast: Smartless
//Instagram Handle: @alltheprettybirdsofficial
//Designer: Christopher John Rogers new work
Photo Credit: Tricia Turner Studio
ABOUT LAUREN
Lauren Harwell Godfrey is the founder and designer of Harwell Godfrey, a bold line of fine jewelry based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. With aesthetic roots in ancient textiles and ethnic patterns, the collection is handcrafted in 18k gold with precious gemstones, powerful inlay and vivid enamel. Designed with healing energy in mind, each gemstone is thoughtfully selected to enhance the wearer’s experience. From literal references to the Four Elements to figurative references to block printing and weaving in cultures from long ago, the collection brings a sense of history to modern day precious heirlooms. No detail is left unfinished: most pieces even feature delicate engravings on the backs, reinforcing the intentions of the design with beautifully-rendered motifs.
FIND LAUREN
Photos used courtesy of Lauren Harwell Godfrey
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