Los Angeles-based Elaina Bellis has a breezy, effortless, just-stepped-out-of-a-catalog style, but still isn’t afraid to get messy with her two-year-old twins. After spending time with her, it is impossible not to a) want to be her friend and b) want to copy her hair, stat. Here, she shares five go-to outfits she wore in a week…
Shirt: Dôen rose top. Jeans: vintage Levi’s, similar. Mules: Beek. Twins’ rompers: Saxon and Sunra.
“Is raising twins difficult? It’s the hardest thing ever. It’s hard and it’s fun and it’s everything you think it would be. I can take them to places meant for them, like a children’s museum or a park, but otherwise, it’s hard to go anywhere because it’s too chaotic. I’m not taking them to the grocery store. But it’s also magical. They’re built-in best friends and have their own language. One will be throwing a tantrum, and then the other will walk into the room, walk up to her sister and say one word — I don’t even know what she’s saying — and the other one will stop crying, start laughing, and go play.”
Sweater: Christy Dawn. Pants: Jesse Kamm.
“I wear the same few pieces over and over, rotating through a very small number of outfits until I get sick of them. Right now, I’m really into monochromatic looks. I also wear lots of high-waisted pants. Somehow high-waisted pants always look chic; even if it’s just a pair of corduroy pants with a T-shirt, the silhouette makes it look like you elevated your style, without trying very hard. On the practical side, I like that they hold you in.”
“I’ve had the same haircut forever. It’s always a bob, it’s always to my chin, and it’s always blunt. I cut it twice a year. I get out of the shower and just let it air dry. From time to time, if it’s too poufy, I’ll take a tiny bit of Everyday Oil and put it just on the very tips of my hair, to weigh it down.”
Sweater: Jenni Kayne. Pants: Rachel Comey. Sandals: Coclico. Bag: Bembien. Sunglasses: Garrett Leight x Clare V.
“I feel good in white and wear it more than any other color. It feels classic and very clean. Recently, I took the twins to Descanso Gardens and I was wearing white pants. At the end of the day, they were COVERED in mud and dirt. My secret is this stain remover, which works wonders. Then I’ll wash everything in cold water, and it all comes out.”
Overcoat: Gap, similar. Shirt: Everlane. Pants: Everlane. Heels: Everlane.
“I lost my mom when I was a child, and then in my thirties, I lost my son Lincoln to a stillbirth. After I had him, I went down a path of understanding myself, why things happen, and learning to let go. He showed me how strong I was, and how loved I was, too. Sometimes I think he comes to me in the form of a butterfly. We’ll be playing in the yard and all of the sudden this monarch butterfly will come out of nowhere and fly up to my face. I’ll see other butterflies and I don’t feel anything, but when this happens, it feels very clear. I’m absolutely a mother of three.”
Dress: Kara Thoms, similar. Twins’ jumpsuits: Misha & Puff.
“When it comes to style, I’m very inspired by real people. Some of my friends own small fashion brands I love, like Christy Dawn, Haley Boyd from Marais and Julie O’Rourke from Rudy Jude. I also really admire Erica Chidi Cohen. She always looks effortlessly sexy, and she’s so wise. That’s who I want to be when I grow up!”
“I struggled so much with insecurity in my twenties. I would compare myself to others and I never felt like I was good enough. I remember how crippling those insecurities were for me at times. Having two daughters who are growing up in Los Angeles, I hope I can provide them with tools to help them feel confident and sure of who they are. I want them to learn to recognize beauty in everyone, and in themselves. And to know that they’re enough.”
Thank you so much, Elaina!
P.S. More women share their go-to outfits, including a photographer and two podcast hosts. And a beautiful essay from a mother Kate about her stillborn son.
(Photography by Nicki Sebastian for Cup of Jo.)