In the fashion industry, you hear a lot about muses. Designers are often referencing them in their show notes or during interviews, and stylists and photographers look to them when preparing for a photo shoot. A bevy of names usually come to mind, ranging from former First Lady Jackie Kennedy to model Kate Moss to Iris Apfel.
Here at InStyle, we take our fashion crushes seriously, so much so that our editors not only look to said muses for their day job, but also for sartorial inspiration when it comes to their personal style. We surveyed our very own staff, and found out who is giving them major closet envy. Scroll ahead to find out who our style crushes are for 2016 and beyond.
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Angelina Jolie
"Jean-Luc Godard once said, 'To me, style is just the outside of content, and content the inside of style, like the outside and the inside of the human body—both go together, they can't be separated.' Angelina Jolie embodies this in every way. I particularly like how updated yet classic her everyday wardrobe is—an inspiration in all parts of her life."—Melissa Rubini, Fashion Director
Carine Roitfeld
"I’ve always loved Carine Roitfeld's style. She always looks sexy, but chic. She has that French je ne sais quoi about her."—Wendy Wallace, Market Director
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
"No one epitomizes classic all-American chic to me quite like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. She primarily wore classics in neutral colors, but was a trendsetter in her own right (white Oxford shirt to a dinner party, anyone?)."—Priya Rao, Senior Fashion Writer
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
"My style muse for 2016 is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. If I am being honest, she is my life muse. I think Rosie is perfect and I want to be exactly like her in the most literal, but non-creepy way possible. Her signatures are bomber jackets (check!), skinny denim (check!), and over-the-knee boots (check!). What I need to work on, which Rosie does extremely well is: bomb dot com hair and earrings, because when your face is flawless, you want everyone to stare at it, so you frame it with diamonds. This is doubly helpful for me because earrings were a major runway trend of spring 2016, so I will be ready for the next season if I can just commit to the mantra WWRHWD."—Danielle Prescod, Accessories Editor
Alicia Vikander
"Alicia Vikander never fails to nail it fashion-wise, and as a muse for Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton, she has everything at her disposal. She’s the perfect combination of cool meets pretty, and manages to always look pulled together in such an effortless way. #girlcrush."—Mia Solkin, Market Editor
Tracee Ellis Ross
"I love Tracee Ellis Ross's style! She clearly has incredible features, thanks in part to her mom Diana Ross, but everything she wears is always authentic to her eclectic style. Color! Prints! Ease! I actually have a style inspiration board at home, and she is displayed prominently on it. And her gorgeous hair, whether she has it pulled up in a bun or lets her curls loose, it’s always perfect."—Lashauna Williams, Senior Credits Editor
Gilda Ambrosio
"My current style crush is Gilda Ambrosio, a street style star who I noticed last season during Paris Fashion Week. I love her effortless, androgynous style, plus her sleek long hair. She is inspiring me to grow my hair out!"—Stephanie Araujo, Accessories Assistant
Kate Foley and Olivia Palermo
"My all-time style crush is Olivia Palermo. I love that she has a classic style, but with an edgy twist. I, too, have a traditionally feminine style, but I am always looking to Olivia for wardrobe inspiration. Whether it’s a patterned belt or a statement shoe, she knows how to look polished, but also turn heads. Recently though, I came across Kate Foley and she is my current style crush for 2016. I really admire the way she easily incorporates prints, metallics, and bright colors into her style. My goal for 2016, is to marry Olivia's and Kate's style into one and somehow make my closet feminine, edgy, and eclectic—wish me luck!"—Caroline Vazzana, Digital Fashion Assistant
