View full sizeAllison Carey, The Plain DealerCleveland DJ Rachel Steele feels right at home in a T-shirt and a great pair of jeans.
Rachel Steele, 35, Mentor
Music director and afternoon-drive personality at the new WLFM/87.7 FM "Cleveland's Sound" radio station; DJ at parties, charity events and in clubs through djrachelsteele.com; and the married mom of two boys, ages 6 and 3
You can rock a high heel. Tell me about your outfit and those shoes.
I'm 5-foot-1, and my husband is 6-foot, so I like heels. Platforms are good; they make you taller, but your foot is more level, so they're more comfortable. These are by Jessica Simpson from Dillard's. I rarely pay full price for shoes; I'll wait for a sale. My T-shirt was $6 at H&M. The bracelet is from Stella & Dot; it's a jewelry party thing (stelladot.com). I don't do a lot of accessories. The animal print belt is from American Eagle ($19). I'm always in jeans; theses are Guess by Marciano at Beachwood Place.
Allison Carey, The Plain DealerSteele doesn't wear a lot of accessories, but a few of her favorites are this bracelet from Stella & Dot and her animal-print belt from American Eagle.
Where do you like to shop?
I'm not a big online shopper -- I am obsessed with trying everything on. I like going to the stores. Even with free return shipping, it's still a hassle to box it up and ship something back because it didn't fit right. I'm a huge TJ Maxxer. They've made great changes; it's almost like a department store. I also like Nordstrom, Target, H&M and Dillard's.
What words describe your style?
T-shirt, jeans, high heels, casual, and a little rock 'n' roll. I'm not a dress-up person. Dresses just aren't me. I don't get caught up on labels. I like to be neat and put-together. I go for a sexy look, not trashy; there's a difference. You can be classy and sexy without showing too much.
Do you have any fashion icons?
My sister is my icon. She's a hairdresser; she's always loved clothes. When I started to borrow her stuff, it dawned on me how great fashion is. She's more "blingy" than me. As for celebrities, I like Gwen Stefani. I like her punk-rock look and her L.A.M.B. line of bags.
Her look is powerful, I see how you relate. Your makeup is nice -- do you like to experiment?
I love my makeup. I like M.A.C, L'Oreal HiP eye shadows are great, and I like Maybelline. Makeup is so fun; I'll go with a bold look, but I'm careful to always look like me.
How do you follow the trends?
On the cheap. I'll pay more for something if I know that I'll get good use out of it for a long time. I tried the bright colored jeans that are in right now; I bought them at Target. Do they fit great? No, but they're bright. I just don't think that the trend will be around long enough to warrant dropping $100 on a pair of them. For jeans, fit is the most important thing to me, but I'll sacrifice that to try out a trend. I can get a pair for under $20, then they're kind of disposable. For my classic go-to things, I spend a bit more. I clean out my closet often. I know a therapist in Ashtabula; she works with a family with four girls. They don't have a lot, and my clothes fit them. I pass my things on to them. I also watch TLC's "What Not to Wear." I'm a sucker for a makeover show.
Allison Carey, The Plain DealerRachel Steele loves colorful high heels, but they have to be comfortable. These are by Jessica Simpson and available at Dillard's and Macy's.
So four girls might be fighting over those bright jeans pretty soon.
Yes. I'm not that into rhinestone embellished jeans, especially on the butt, but I tried some out, then passed them on to the girls. I heard that they were fighting over them. It makes me feel good that nothing goes to waste.
Do you stick to a budget, and do you shop a lot -- like for exercise? (C'mon, I know I'm not the only one who does.)
I'm careful. I only use cash and always check the clearance racks. If I don't need anything for the house, I might buy something. Shopping is a way to walk and zone out after a long day with the kids. I also eat healthy and work out to stay in shape. I'll invest in jeans and quality shoes. If I have to DJ a party standing in heels, they'd better feel good.
Do you have any great fashion finds?
I'm not a handbag girl; I like them but rarely buy them. I did find a cream leather bag by Guess by Marciano. It's classic, not covered in G's and bling. It retails for $200; I got it at TJ Maxx for $50. The funny thing, my mom stopped over just after I got it -- she had just bought the same bag in black.
Ah, great minds. Do you stick to any fashion rules or have any pet peeves?
I don't overaccessorize and I don't do "matchy-matchy," but I like everything to come together in a creative way. When I didn't have any money, I would cut things up, make my own belts, create a little fashion. I dress for my shape. I like fitted, neat, streamlined things. No more baggy clothes, especially [now that I'm back in shape] after having kids. As for pet peeves, what's with the little tiny rear pockets on jeans? Pockets should frame you nicely and not point in weird directions. They should help the look, not be distracting.
How has your style evolved over the years?
I'm an adult now. I spend a little more than I used to and I dress neater. I've taken my funky level down a bit. I used to wear Felix the Cat T-shirts and crosses, big statement items. Now I do colorful nails and a great colored shoe, but I try to keep it smart. I don't want to look like I'm trying to be 19 or to stand out for the wrong reasons.
Do you have a worst or best fashion moment?
Years ago, I was a hair model for my sister. We started with subtle colored highlights, a little blue, purple. Then I got out of control with wild hot pink and other crazy colors. At the time, I thought it was a great fashion moment, I thought it was an awesome look. Now I know -- it was a bad look.
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