Devon Lee Carlson Opens Up Her Closet
The star’s Reformation collaboration is inspired by her well-loved wardrobe.
Devon Lee Carlson has long been an arbiter of cool in girl world. The Wildflower Cases co-founder-turned-fashion darling broke into pop culture consciousness as the ultimate digital best friend, sharing her sun-soaked Angeleno life with a vlog camera and an effervescent attitude. Her wardrobe clean-outs, bathroom vanity musings and living-room-floor unboxings were akin to FaceTiming a friend. For as long as she’s been on the internet, Devon Lee Carlson’s closet has been a highly coveted topic of interest. And now, she’s opening it up to the world — courtesy of Reformation.
“I honestly just love being a girl,” she says of the inspiration behind the Devon Lee Carlson x Reformation collaboration, which launched on March 31. “I love emphasizing my feminine side and wanted to show that off throughout the collection.” The 20-piece line is meant to evoke the intimate act of swapping clothes before a night out. It taps into that getting-ready-with-girlfriends magic when music is blaring, secrets are exchanged and outfits are perfected.
“My mom always says I began dressing myself at two or three years old,” Carlson reflects. “I started doing my own hair in kindergarten. I’ve just always loved getting ready, and getting ready with your friends is obviously the most fun.” Of course, a good closet is paramount to the realm of It girldom. But she has more than that. Carlson is a curator of eclectic ensembles, with a vaguely vintage-inspired style that comes soaked with stories. True to form, the Devon Lee Carlson Reformation collection draws on the standout pieces from her well-lived closet.
“I started brainstorming designs by texting my friends and asking which pieces from my closet they would steal if they could, and then reimagining them with Ref,” Carlson explains. She cites one garment in particular: a ’90s-era Galliano dress gifted to her from her boyfriend Duke Nicholson’s mom. “It’s one of the few pieces in my closet that is too precious to share, so I worked with Ref to design a two-piece set inspired by it. It has this beautiful scarf that makes it really fun to style and extra emotional.” To make things even more personal, each piece in the collection is named after an It girl icon or character that Carlson loves. (Cher, Pam and Britney are all included.)
Also drawing inspiration from fabulous rom-com protagonists, the line is appropriately infused with details of glossy nostalgia. Jeans are embellished with heart-shaped pockets. Ballet flats feature delicate stitching woven throughout. Supple leather totes are complete with tiny bows at the top. It should come as no surprise that the collaboration reads as a sartorial extension of the star’s personality. After all, in her first-ever vlog posted seven years ago, Devon Lee Carlson documents her day shopping at the Reformation store. “It’s so cute in here,” she coos in the video. The girls that get it, get it.
Below, FASHION chatted with Carlson about making getting ready into a ritual, how she plans an outfit and her fashion mood for the year ahead.
Your personal style is comprised of playfully random elements like a milkmaid top to get coffee or a kitten heel post-pilates. Carrie Bradshaw famously once quipped that, in math, randomness is a pattern. Is there a pattern to the seeming randomness of your style?
I mainly shop vintage and secondhand from both a values and uniqueness standpoint. That’s what I like about Ref, too: the limited edition nature of their clothing makes them feel really special. My style has evolved a lot over the years as I figured out more about what I like and what works for me. I experimented a lot when I was younger, and I’m so glad I did, but I look back and wouldn’t necessarily wear all of those things now. I respect quality a lot more today. There was a time when I would have walked outside in a Party City princess dress just for fun.
What’s your guiding light when getting dressed? Is it a feeling? A song you’re really into at the moment? The general vibes of the day?
It truly depends on the day — I like dressing for the setting I’m going to be in, so I start by thinking about that. At home, of course, I’m in my comfiest clothes. Day to day I lean towards jeans and a T-shirt or a cute dress and flats. If I’m going out or dressing up, I think about what kind of vibe I want. Do I want to feel pretty or hot or cool or girly? Who am I going to see? What are we doing? Sometimes I spend weeks planning a look and sometimes things come together super last minute and I don’t have time to overthink it at all.
How do you make getting ready to go out into a ritual?
I always do a sheet mask or under eye patches, and I also love an ice roller. I make a fun drink to get ready, but not necessarily an alcoholic beverage. I love [Bella Hadid’s brand] Kin or green tea, something that isn’t water to make me feel celebratory. I watch YouTube videos on my iPad and have light music playing quietly. Or sometimes I’m on FaceTime with a friend and we’re not actually talking, just hanging out together. I like a little chaos and stimulation to create energy.
What’s one fashion vibe you are wholeheartedly committing to this year, and why?
Honestly, there isn’t one trend that specifically comes to mind. I lean more towards thinking about clothes vs. fashion. I love finding and wearing clothing that represents who I am and what I want to project. It’s a way to share how you feel without saying anything.
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Natalie Michie is the style editor at FASHION Magazine. With a pop culture obsession, she is passionate about exploring the relationship between fashion, internet trends and social issues. She has written for Elle Canada, CBC, Chatelaine and Toronto Life. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and over-analyzing movies on TikTok.
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