Coley Home Spotlight: Becky Malinsky
Meet Becky! Based in NYC, she's a fashion editor and stylist and she also does brand strategy. We love her newsletter, 5 Things You Should Buy, which always has great insights and finds! She's worked at WSJ, Glamour, & GQ, just to name a few, so her fashion knowledge is unbeatable. Read on to learn all about Becky and how she styled her Coley Home piece!
Tell us about yourself and how you got to where you are today!
I’m a stylist and writer based in NYC, where I live with my husband and son. New York has felt like home since the moment I first visited. I packed up and moved here right after college (20 years ago now, oye!) and worked my way up from Lucky Magazine fashion assistant to, many years later, Deputy Fashion Director at The Wall Street Journal. Between those I held editor and styling positions at GQ, W and Glamour with some special projects along the way. Now I run an executive styling company, helping men and women get dressed confidently for work. I also write the newsletter 5 Things You Should Buy which attempts to take the doom scrolling out of your online shopping.
Can you share any “pinch me” moments while styling VIP’s?
I’ve had so many. I love my work and every client that walks away confident and happy makes me feel…confident and happy! When I was a stylist assistant at GQ a celebrity once asked me on a date, specifically for tacos. That was funny. And I’ve dressed clients for divorce court and Davos. Both of these clients told me how good they felt during these important events, and those were pinch me moments - that my idea, to specifically help people feel confident and fantastic everyday, not just on special occasions, was working.
What piece of clothing or accessory do you get asked about the most?
Tops!! I am always asked for easy tops to pair with jeans or a favorite pair of black pants. The idea of something more special than a t-shirt and something less fussy than a button down. I’m on the eternal hunt for stellar, wearable, non-button-down tops!
You recently selected the Bryant Sofa in Mohair, Mink for your living room - Walk us through the design process!
I knew I wanted a mohair sofa, and so was researching companies that worked in this fabric. I was so happy when Ariel Okin told me to look into Coley Home and you offered the fabric. I love the texture and the durability. So I started with material first, and looked at sofas that were offered in this fabric. I live in NYC so our living room doubles as an entertaining space, play room, snack center, movie theater, etc. Our furniture is used heavily! I wanted something that felt durable but also had super clean lines so the space would feel open and tidy (when all the toys were put away!) I loved the simplicity of the Bryant and also the raised, upholstered legs, so I didn’t have to choose a wood that might not match with the rest of the decor. Also, the slightly lowered arm rests were something I was looking for. Our last sofa had super high arms and it felt too closed off to pile people onto it. Also, this makes a great headrest for afternoon naps. :)
Choosing the color was so hard. I initially loved Golden Hour, but I had just put up Soane Britain’s Wilton Vine wallpaper in Old Gold and I have original 1960s parquet flooring throughout my home, so I got nervous everything would start to look too…yellow. I finally decided on Mink because I loved the brown undertones in the gray which fit in nicely with my 1968 built apartment and the color was dark enough to withstand my toddler.
I strongly feel that you need to consider your space before your personal aesthetic to make a space feel functional and comfortable. So I leaned into mid century design when choosing the elements of my living room, while trying to keep it feeling fully functional for today and at the same time trying to avoid trendy catalog tropes. This meant keeping everything very low (I have no tall bookcases or millwork) and at the same time raised off of the ground. The media unit under the TV is raised, as are the legs on the loveseat and the Bryant sofa. Being able to see clean floors and clean lines along the walls from the entryway to the windows helps make the space feel bigger and more open. Given that we have standard 8’ ceilings, I needed all the air I could get over and under! I also have some inherited antiques from my in-laws who have great taste, but veer more French antique and I love the juxtaposition of the Bryant, a very modern sofa, next to their Louis VIX folding game table, which I use as an end table, and loveseat, which I reupholstered in a thick black and cream Clermont ticking stripe to make it feel a bit more graphic in the space while staying true to the piece’s roots.
Get the Look:
3 over 3 in Mohair, Mink
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How would you describe your style and aesthetic?
My sister in law once came over for dinner and flipped over the plain white plate I set at the table to see they were Bernaurdaud. I use my fine china from my wedding registry everyday. I live in NYC, who has room for two sets!? She laughed and said, you just love beautiful stuff, huh? I don’t consider myself to be squarely of one design or fashion aesthetic but I’m a researcher. I love discovering new shapes and ideas and I gravitate toward interesting design.
One word that is super important to me both in my home space and my style is function. I want everything to have purpose or to me, it is just clutter. So I always start there and look for the most interesting and perfect versions of themselves no matter if I’m looking at a sofa or black boots.
What are your favorite pieces to splurge on and save on when styling?
In terms of design, I say splurge on the one thing that will make you happy to look at everyday. I recently reupholstered my grandmother’s bedroom corner chair in Decor Barbares Ete Moscovite. It has been my favorite fabric for so long and I’ve always pined for it. When I got the estimate of how many yards I needed and the price per yard I almost fell over. But as I was trying to look for alternates, everything else made me feel incomplete. This is a piece of furniture that is the first thing I see when I wake up everyday. Every time I walk into my bedroom it makes me so happy. So when you know something is THE THING, get the thing you want, enjoy it, and budget elsewhere.
I budget on carpet. You don’t need the fanciest carpet when going wall to wall. Home Depot makes great 100% wool options and you can find remnants at smaller carpeting stores in your area, which I did for my son’s room for pennies on the dollar.
As far as fashion advice goes, splurge on the boring stuff. What I mean is, the nice t-shirt or the high quality silk shell under the blazer will make you look much more put together than buying a super expensive blazer and then budgeting on the layers. I often tell clients it's really about putting together a full look and I am here to help them with the un-exciting purchases.
That said, a great fitting pant, in a great fabric is a must. And in the same vein as my design ethos, I do think its better to just get the thing you want if there is one very specific thing that you know is perfect and not try to replicate it at budget. Obviously, we can’t do this for everything, but if that one jacket has the perfect collar, the perfect color, the perfect snaps, the perfect armhole, just get it and wear it to death! Same with the sofa. I am so glad I went with mohair even though velvet would have been slightly less expensive. The mohair is exactly what I wanted, and I will use it everyday, enjoy it and like it longer.
I tend to encourage saving/budgeting on occasion wear that you will wear once or twice. I love to hunt evening wear on The RealReal and ReSee Paris. I’d much rather you buy the cashmere t-shirt and black pants that are clearly well tailored and you will wear once or twice a week.
What upcoming fall trends are you most excited about?
I’m so excited about this return to super ladylike dressing this fall. Of course, everything that comes back around is always slightly different. I love that Prada showed silk bloomers under the 1950s inspired dresses they showed and right now I’m playing with all kinds of layers to see how I want to translate that trend into real life.
I also loved the Bottega Veneta show. Really rich browns and black paired back to beautiful shades of blue and red. Lots of volume and proportions to get me stirring and thinking about what layering should look like now. I love fall, a time I get to dig out my sweaters and coats and start to really play with clothes again.
What’s your dream travel destination?
India! I’m desperate to see the palaces of Jaipur and Udaipur and the Gem Palace!
Do you have a favorite book or TV show at the moment?
My favorite book is Pachinko, which I read a few years ago when it came out but has always stuck with me. I just finished Kristin Hannah’s The Women which I couldn’t put down and I’m about to start Liars by Sarah Manguso.
As far as TV, new episodes of Industry can’t come soon enough!
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