by Whitley Adkins
The English Room founder Holly Phillips is known for her colorful, bold interior design and her mega-popular blog by the same name. Six years ago, Phillips and her husband, Marshall, returned to the 1963 Eastover home where she grew up. “I bought it from my parents,” says the mother of three. “My closet is my mother’s closet. I’m a shopping addict. I love horses, dogs and clothes.” Phillips takes us on a tour of her closet and shows us what changes she’s made — and what remains the same.
Comments have been edited for length and clarity.
STYLE + DESIGN
Personal style: Colorful, eclectic, Western. Caftans and cowboy boots.
Earliest fashion memories: I had a pretty epic neon phase in middle school. Fiorucci, an Italian (kind of) punk brand, had a bunch of neon sweatshirts. I remember making my mother buy me these neon pink Betsey Johnson ballet flats with a Velcro ankle strap. My classmates were like, WTF is she wearing? I loved it. T. Edwards was a store at SouthPark that had all the Guess jeans. I wanted a pair of Guess overalls so badly, I put them on layaway and paid maybe $20/week until I got them. They were $80, which was a lot at the time. Guess overalls, jellies and Candie’s shoes — my mother thought they were so tacky. They were so good.
How did you start your blog? It was built out of my shopping habit. It started as all design-focused, then I slowly started adding more fashion. So it’s a mix of travel, fashion, design — and now I have several weekly columns: Art Love Monday, Textile Tuesday (or Travel), Wallpaper Wednesday, Things I Love Thursday, Retail Friday, Eye Candy Saturday, Link Lovin’ Sunday.
Describe the relationship between your fashion and design styles, and how that translates with your clients. Both are colorful and eclectic. I am more daring with myself than most clients are willing to be. I have a midcentury-modern, new-construction project in Anniston, Alabama, in which I’m very simpatico with the clients. The house is loosely based on a house in Palm Springs, California. They are willing to push the envelope. They have an incredible art collection and are willing to try to be bold.
Has your style changed through the years? I think it’s been somewhat consistent. I’ve never wanted to dress like anyone else. Even in high school, I loved Western fringe and boots and concho belts.
Favorite occasion to get dressed? Any Texas trip or Western adventure.
SHOPPING + INSPO
Besides Iris Apfel, who are your style icons? Dolly Parton, Eloise (the fictional character), Goldie Hawn in Overboard — her shoe shelf that rotates in the yacht and her cherry jewelry. So good.
Favorite designers/labels: I am high-low everything. I spend my money on boots, bags and jewelry. Alemais, Etro, some old-school Pucci. I love La Vie Style House caftans. I shouldn’t like fast fashion, but I love it all — J.Crew, Boden, H&M, Zara.
Favorite places to shop: Matches Fashion (RIP) and Shopbop. I love buying special things when I travel. If I’m going to buy nice shoes, I buy Gucci — they fit me, and I like them, and they are fun.
What about that cowboy boot obsession? My mother had a pair of custom purple lizard Larry Mahan boots made for me in high school, and that kicked it off. My oldest daughter, Violet, worked for City Boots for four years. Then her boot obsession started, too. The Evil Eye boot was kind of a collaboration with Lizzy Bentley, the owner of City Boots. I didn’t design it, but they photographed the boots in my house, and I wore them in the photos.
THE CLOSET
The design: I recently replaced the floors with Charleston-based Mirth Studio. I replaced the mirrored doors with louvered doors with brass Indian tiger hardware. The walls were painted by Robert Jackson, a decorative painter for Mario Buatta, who designed this home for my parents in the early ’80s. In the bathroom, there is a fake painted window and there are fake prints on the wall.
Dressing-room design advice: I think it’s better when you can see everything, because you will wear it, which is why I have the rack in the middle. It helps curate the current flow of whatever you are wearing.
Design hacks: Have less sh*t than I do. Don’t be a hoarder like me. I’m a collector, is the problem. The pool noodles are a City Boots hack — it keeps your boots straight.
Favorite items: In the winter, I get into a rut and could wear a white button-down, black leather leggings or pants, tons of jewelry and some crazy coat every day. In summer, it’s easy dresses and caftans. Squash blossoms, rattan bags, cowboy boots and cowboy hats. SP
THIS OR THAT
Leather or rattan bag: Rattan. I have a collection of rattan weird animals.
Cheetah print or floral sequin: That is like asking me Sophie’s Choice!
Mini or maxi skirt: Used to be mini, but probably going more maxi these days.
Birkenstocks or stacked heel: I hate to say it, but it’s probably Birks these days.
Dog or horse: I cannot choose. You have to have a lot of each.
Wardrobe staple or statement piece: Statement piece, obviously.
Hoops or studs: Earrings are my weakness. I like big ones, but I tend to wear the same earrings all the time, because I have a helmet on my head five or six days a week (for riding horses). I always have huggies on.
Turquoise, gold or orange? All of the above.
Learn more about Holly at The English Room
