There are those girls who you see on the street, so put together and oozing confidence that you wish you could spend a day in their Miu Miu shoes. You wonder where they got that Prada-ish dress, and you want to steal that light denim jacket that goes with everything. I have those moments often, but never so much as when I see my friend, Puppy Dog bandmate, and LA style icon Jessica Devereaux; or as I fondly refer to her—Jess Dev. Sophisticated but completely down to earth, she knows her Lacroix from her Marc by Marc, her Cabernet from her Colt45. At 26 years old, she is an art scene queen, working as a Gallery Assistant at the high-profile gallery Gemini G.E.L. Known for her distinctive spectacles and killer dance moves, she is the embodiment of personal style and commits to it with such amazing accord. I recently stopped by her humble Los Feliz abode to talk fashion.

Who are your style icons?

My style icons are mainly my friends. I don’t look to celebrities for style. For the most part I look to people that really impress me on the streets.

Who are your favourite designers?

I’m pretty obsessed with Marc Jacobs, pretty die-hard. Alexander McQueen just opened right next door to Gemini, so I’ve been ogling the windows like nobody’s business. Miu Miu. Outside of that I really like a lot of local LA designers. I like really small people doing really unusual things with fabric and prints—heavy prints, braided fabric, anything that catches my eye as being unusual.

What are some of your favourite stores?

I just discovered Creatures of Comfort, which is killer. I am an absolute freak for Barneys, ever since I worked right next door to it in Chicago for years at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Talk about knowing how to tap into small designers and really getting the cream of the crop—I think Barneys does that perfectly. But most of my stuff is vintage. The thrill of the hunt is outstanding, in LA especially. The Way We Wore is pretty amazing. All of the Crossroads, if you have a little time and energy, are pretty fruitful. And Wasteland is one of my favourite stores hands down. Squaresville is one of my absolute favourite stores also.

What inspires you when dressing?

I have a really hard time wearing the same outfit twice. Even if I know it’s awesome and I know it’s flattering, I have a really hard time wearing the same combination of jewelry, top, pants, shoes—I have to change it. It’s fiendish and a quarter the time it’s a disaster, a quarter of the time it’s a-ok, and then half the time it’s awesome.

What is your go-to outfit?

I just recently acquired a pair of Acne jeans at Squaresville for a very reasonable price. I think I’ve taken them off maybe twice in 3 months. They’re amazing, the best fit, they don’t stretch out, incredible jeans! I’m a flats girl so I wear flats. My Sigerson Morrison flats I’ve lived in non-stop for a couple years—I’ve gone through several pairs. Usually some kind of beat-up tee. I don’t necessarily dress up, but I always have a different belt, always 4 or 5 necklaces, rings, and accessories so I guess accessories are where it’s at for me.

What are your favorite accessories?

I love my purple quilted shoulder bag, my double heart necklace, vintage rings that I find in either quarter machines or flea markets that I can stack 2 or 3 high, any bracelets that I can wear at the elbow.

Describe your style in 3 words.

Ballsy yet feminine.

What is your favourite thing about living in LA?

LA to me is all about the neighborhoods. I feel like each neighborhood you go into is so unique, and it’s so sincere in itself. There are always a million things to be discovered—a million restaurants, a million little stores, a million people who’ll have known each other for many years. It’s like a large city composed of tiny little villages. And of course the fact that there are incredible museums, an incredible cultural scene, music scene, fashion scene. I came from Chicago but I have never been so content as in LA.

By Dana Poblete