We all buy clothes, but no two people shop the same. It can be a social experience, and a deeply personal one; at times, it can be impulsive and entertaining, at others, purpose-driven, a chore. Where do you shop? When do you shop? How do you decide what you need, how much to spend and what’s “you”? These are some of the questions we’re putting to prominent figures in our column “How I Shop.”
Ciara Miller is everywhere right now. Yes, that’s due in part to a certain ongoing scandal involving her “Summer House” castmates and now-former friends, West Wilson and Amanda Batula. But her moment in the spotlight is well earned: Aside from starring in the Hamptons-based Bravo reality show for six seasons, Miller also became a fan-favorite on “The Traitors” last year — not just for her charismatic gameplay, but also for her statement-making, castle-ready ensembles.
Following her appearance on the competition show, the stylish star began hosting red carpet interviews at high-profile events — from the premieres of “Euphoria” Season 3 and “Wuthering Heights” to her most recent gig as a Met Gala correspondent for E! News.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images
“For ‘Wuthering Heights,’ I wanted something that was more whimsical and a little bit of that time,” Miller tells Fashionista. “And then with ‘Euphoria,’ I wanted to be able to do cool makeup since [the show is] so visually enticing. I definitely try to match the vibe of whatever the movie or show is. I just try to think of myself as a character and get dressed that way.”
Miller’s love for dressing up is nothing new. In fact, she says she’s always been obsessed with clothing, a passion largely shaped by the women in her family.
“My grandmothers were very fabulous, on both my dad’s side and my mom’s side,” she says. “They loved clothes, and I always remember sitting on the bed and watching them get dressed. One of them owned a designer shoe store, so we would always go there. That’s honestly where my love of shoes and fashion came from.”
Now, Miller is flexing her fashion muscles in a new campaign with Old Navy. Alongside fellow reality stars Paris Hilton, Kathy Hilton and Rob Rausch, the 30-year-old bops around a backyard barbecue and pool party, specifically to the tune of “Stars are Blind.” “Old Navy has great linen sets that I love,” Miller says. “In the summertime, a long, baggy linen pant goes the longest way.”
@oldnavy @ciaramiller___ repping zillennial divas everywhere who listened to this in 2006
Below, Miller discusses her wardrobe staples, how her taste has evolved of late, what this new chapter in her life means for her style and more.
“I love a basic sweater and a low-rise jean. I love a cardigan that’s either buttoned down or just a crew neck. I’ll wear a tank top under it and a baggy pair of jeans. I feel like that is my day-off uniform. Simple.
“Moving to New York City, you’re in the mecca of fashion and culture… I love being able to experiment with my look and change it up. I don’t think I would box myself into anything…if I want to be girlier one day, if I want to be grungier… I love a little edge but I also love the bows in the hair and a pink set.
“In this industry, it’s really easy to see [an outfit] and just want to duplicate that. But I think why people are attracted to people is because they’re different. Their style is different, and it’s a touch of yourself in every piece…You can’t have great fashion looks without fashion mistakes, so it’s all a learning process.
Photo: The Hapa Blonde/GC Images
“I will hit a vintage market every now and then. In Soho, there’s a vintage market that comes to town and I go there to poke around and see what I can find. I know Into Archive is a great store and Isle of Monday.
“I have what I call a ‘Birthday Wishlist’ of things that I want to buy for myself that I haven’t yet. Or that when I reach a certain [goal], I’ll buy it as a reward to myself. When I complete my first dance on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ then I’ll buy something [from the list]…
“I need more jewelry, so I definitely have my eyes on a few diamond necklaces and bracelets. I just need to buy things for myself. I even have colored kitchen glasses on this list. It’s things that I could buy tomorrow but I just [don ‘t]…I don’t know why. Pressing the ‘Buy’ button online sometimes takes me weeks to do. I think it’s because I’m very frugal in mindset. [When] I know I’m about to be spending a ton of money — like the Met Gala is coming up — on stylists and glam, I’l try to be a frugal queen. But then I’ll spend hundreds of dollars on Uber Eats. It doesn’t really make sense.
“Choosing my [‘Summer House’] reunion look was definitely hard. It honestly came down to the morning of. So hopefully people like my look. I felt like my team really loved my look, but I don’t know if I loved it 100% until I got into it at the venue and put accessories on with it.
“My confessional looks are also something that are very last minute, because a lot of times we’re filming them in the winter, but you’re trying to search for summer looks, which is very hard. You almost need to buy your confessional looks in the summertime, and I always forget to do that. It’s a little bit of chasing your tail.
“One of my confessional looks this year was by a local designer, Madsinn Studio. She’s friends with our friend group in the city and she always comes to our parties and creates her look from scratch. I’m always like, ‘You need to create a store, create a line.’ She loves fashion and making her own things. I’m like, ‘You can do this. If you live in New York City, why wouldn’t you do this?’ I’ve been in her ear for the past two or three years. It was a pink corset with pink bows for the straps. She actually made me that and gave it to me on premiere night. One, I’m like, ‘You have to support the girls.’ But two, I was like, ‘How cool would it be to see your design that you made on television for the first time?’ I love being able to plug a small brand.
“[I find new designers by] doom scrolling. Just doom scroll on Instagram and you will run into them. I follow this account called ‘UpNextDesigner’ as well, and that can lead you down different rabbit holes.
“Shooting a cover (for Glamour magazine) for the first time is an out-of-body experience. I really let the stylist just have their way because I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s my first time being a cover girl. I really wanted it to feel like a collaborative effort. It was really important to work with Black designers and Black stylists, photographers and creatives on that shoot. Pretty much everyone on that team were Black women and it was amazing.
“Fashion is art. It’s a form of self-expression. I feel like, in this next chapter [of my life], I have the ability to influence on a different level and I’m aware of that and want to make sure I’m always dressing with that in mind, but also being comfortable in my own skin. It’s a balancing act — I’m proud of where I’m at, I’m proud of this body that I’m in and I’m proud of the message that I can present to others with the clothes that I wear.”
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