The way we dress changes with us and in our new series—My Style, Lately—Glamour explores the instincts of women whose taste we trust: what they’re wearing, buying, loving, and rethinking right now. From wardrobe staples and under-$50 finds to beauty obsessions and splurges they swear were worth it, we uncover the pieces and products that help them feel most like themselves.
Kelli Anne Sewell clearly lives for fashion. The celebrity makeup artist built her career on beauty, but spend a few minutes talking clothes with her and it’s obvious that style is a key part of who she is. She doesn’t just buy beautiful things—she remembers the story behind each one. There’s the vintage Gucci lace skirt she’s planning entire outfits around, the too-tight leopard Dolce & Gabbana sandals she’ll squeeze into, and the Tom Ford-era Gucci swimsuit she tracked down for her upcoming wedding in Italy because she literally had to have it.
This passion predates her beauty career. Before becoming a self-taught celebrity makeup artist—perhaps you’re one of her 415,000 Instagram followers, a fan of her tutorials app Makeup by Kelli Anne, or own brushes from her collaboration with Real Techniques —Sewell imagined herself working in fashion. While living in Texas and working in tech sales, she applied to jobs at J.Crew and Madewell. “I got rejected from all of them,” she says.
Ironically, beauty became her way into fashion. Moving to New York to pursue makeup landed Sewell backstage at Fashion Week, where she fell in love with studying runways up close. While most of us look to social media for style inspiration, she still starts with the collections, translating what she sees into a wardrobe that feels uniquely her own—often by hunting down vintage pieces instead of buying exactly what’s trending.
“I think with Instagram, we’re all inspired by each other, but we all look like carbon copies,” she says. “That’s why I love thrifting. You find one-of-a-kind pieces that deserve a second life, and you don’t look like the person on the street next to you.”
Below, Kelli Anne Sewell audits her style as it stands right now: the unlikely shoe trend she’s embracing, the wardrobe staple she’s putting on pause, the jeans she wears on repeat, the beauty products she’ll repurchase forever, and more.
Wearing her own ARAKII Peplum Bandeau Crepe Top ($350) and matching Crepe Capri Pants ($370), both at Moda Operandi
Kelli Anne! Describe your style lately in three words.
Sexy for sure. Also tailored. And edgy because I’ll always take a risk.
