Designer and Author Purchases Winter Apparel in the Dog Days of Summer - Discovering Her Unconventional Off-Season Shopping Beliefs
Talia Mayden's Fall Shoe Picks for Urban Dwellers
Talia Mayden, a designer and writer, has become a go-to source for fashion-forward city dwellers seeking stylish and comfortable footwear for their daily walks. With a focus on chic flats and loafers that can withstand the demands of urban life, Mayden has been testing shoes and sharing her findings, most recently naming Camper's Dana Sandals as her "ultimate city summer shoe of 2025."
For fall, Mayden is continuing her search for similar styles that blend fashion and practicality. She emphasizes the importance of finding footwear that can handle over 10,000 steps a day in cities like New York, Paris, and London.
The No Bra Heatwave Dress of 2025
Mayden is also on a mission to find the perfect "no bra heatwave dress" for 2025. Her testing rubric includes evaluating material, opacity, armhole height, tone, hang, and length.
Marinating Your Clothes
In a recent article, Audry Hiaoui, the Associate Shopping Editor, discussed Mayden's take on "marinating your clothes," a concept that involves shopping off-season to get better prices and resist impulse buying.
Inspiring Style Icons and Brands
Mayden's style inspirations come from various sources, including Sarah-Linh Tran, Issey Miyake, and Phoebe Philo. She often finds new brands by browsing inspiration photos sent by friends and scouring online marketplaces like The RealReal, Facebook Marketplace, Vestiaire, Poshmark, Craigslist, eBay, and Depop.
Wedding Guest Outfit Suggestions
Mayden also offers advice for those seeking the perfect wedding guest outfit. For a chic and elegant look, she suggests pairing a halter dress with a certain heel style.
Viral Challenge and Style Icon Outreach
Mayden went viral earlier this year for wearing a different pair of shoes every day for over 30 days, walking 10,000 steps or more, to reveal her winner for "the ultimate city summer shoe of 2025." She also reached out to her style icon, Orna Guralnik of Couples Therapy, to ask her to ID her wardrobe from season 4.
In Spain, every stylish woman reportedly owns a certain top in multiples, according to Talia Mayden. Meanwhile, her capsule wardrobe includes essential pieces such as Bassike paper-thin white T-shirts, Kiki de Montparnasse black triangle bras, Rachel Comey Elkin Pants in washed black, vintage Tod's loafers, and The Row Sideby shoulder bag.
Mayden's impeccably curated recommendations span design, art, and beauty as well. Her interiors inspiration comes from the Giacometti room at the Louisiana Museum of Art in Denmark and Barbara Hepworth's St Ives studio. Her favorite social media follows are Yola, Jordyn Leib on TikTok, and Michelle Li on Instagram.
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Talia Mayden extends her focus on functional fashion to her capsule wardrobe, seeking versatile pieces that can complement her urban lifestyle. She avidly shops for seasonal essentials, whether that's fashion-and-beauty items or home-and-garden accessories, applying the principles of "marinating your clothes" to her shopping routine.
