More than you need to know about me… well, sort of…
Very cool interview with dtripazcorazon… bet there are some things that you never knew…
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Name: Sharon Haver
Website: FocusOnStyle.com
Education Business degree. Marketing major. Minor in law & some abnormal psych.
I became a stylist:
When an art director hired me for a 3-week shoot in St. Maarten. Upon my return to New York, word got out and photographers kept hiring me as a stylist. I upped my day rate ten-fold! I guess being a stylist pursued me rather than my pursuing it as a career. I worked steadily as a stylist for 15 years!
At the moment:
Renovation and home design is a hobby of sorts. There is something very satisfying about being hands-on in the creation of your space. For the first time, I’m working on finishing up a house to sell.
What’s next:
FocusOnStyle.com is online since 1999 and is about to go live with a new web look… developers & contractors, I know, I know…
I’m also working on a style book based on the past 12 years of style and fashion advice from FocusOnStyle.com and some evergreens from my syndicated fashion advice newspaper column. There’s another book in the wings after that & some exciting media projects that I cannot disclose at the moment.
>>READ: More Press Clips
Special moments:
Spending time with my boys- husband, son, and kooky poodle. I’m such a doofus when it comes to sports so it’s the special quiet time; family vacations and exploring new things together are the moments that I cherish most.
Favorite designers:
Favorite is what works best on the individual. For me, it’s anything classic with a twist.
I wear a lot of Jil Sander, Martin Margiela, Yves St. Laurent (vintage and new), a sucker for Hermes, original Helmut Lang, some go-to Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, and Victor and Rolf, mixed with basics from Uniqlo & GAP, Zara T-shirts, Cheap Monday casual, random Calypso, and some old Prada— clothes that you can’t stamp a year on but always look right. I have a habit of pulling from my own vintage and I’m starting a massive unloading project to prune my personal fashion archives… hoping not to get too sentimental about parting with a lot of pieces that I may never wear.
Style icons:
My mom is my #1 style icon because she showed me how to find quality on a budget and to understand what to wear. And– more importantly– what not to wear, to flatter your figure.
Inspiration:
Everywhere, anywhere! Life should be an inspiration board from nature to art to someone passing you on the street! I go crazy in places where everyone and everything looks the same and thrive on diversity and choice.
Define your style:
I’m all about can-do chic so it’s finding timeless, well-made clothes that make you feel great! I’m more about quality than labels or trendiness and have a tendency to be electric as I’m a Gemini, but in a more calming classic phase at the moment. I prefer clothes that will always look modern in a photograph – no “what was I thinking” moments!
Color:
My favorite color is red but when it comes to clothes it’s black (always a downtown girl) with accents of gray and an occasional pop of bold color. I prefer sophisticated neutrals that are defined by their cut. I hate pastels, as they look too wimpy and baby on most grown women.
A special thanks to:
My art director Vincent Gagliostro for hiring me for my first stylist job, Peter Copeland the Managing Editor at Scripps Howard News Service for “lighting candles on my catwalk” for my Focus on Style fashion advice newspaper column, my mom for teaching me about style, my dad for patiently waiting at Loehmann’s until I found it, my husband for building my walk-in closet & having excellent taste while being a secret architect, and my son for inheriting a good eye and the ability to make me laugh and be proud!
Elegance is:
Being comfortable in your skin and not looking like a walking advertisement.
Never without…
Integrity and concealer- I think I was born with dark under eye circles!
I dislike:
Imposters, arrogance, a weak handshake, ridiculous people who take themselves too seriously, men with pasted down side-parted hair, poor hygiene, pastel pink and mint green.
First thing I do when I wake up:
Coffee! Get my son together for school, delete spam, and catch up on emails, then– on a good day– the gym.
The greatest dream:
To never have a tech glitch ever again!
I want to change:
Narrow-minded people who are afraid to open up.
Could you give us a Fashion Tip?
Style is so much like cooking, you need to have the best ingredients to serve up something fantastic. Instead of loading up on fast fashion, find a few good staples to build upon… It’s all in the mix!
Molén: Thank YOU!!