In The Closet
We followed local fashionistas into their closets to learn the secrets of great style. Whether they wear designer, vintage, or flea market finds, these stylish women wear it well.

Dianne York-Goldman — President And CEO Of La Jolla Spa MD
And President, DYG Mineral Makeup
York-Goldman has loved fashion since she was a three-year-old playing dress-up. Named "best dressed" in her high school class, her sense of style was honed when she won a scholarship to modeling school while attending college in Missouri.

How would you describe your personal style?
DYG: My personal style is achieved by mixing designers. I have my favorite designers, and then I mix them with some newer designers.

How did you learn how to do that?
DYG: In modeling school I learned a lot about makeup and how to walk, how to present yourself, and what kind of body you have.

Who are your favorite designers?
DYG: Chanel is one of the top because it’s so classic and it never goes out of style and you can dress it up or down. And then I love Christian Lacroix — he makes beautiful evening gowns and they look stunning on the body because he builds in a bustier so your body really looks great.

Do you have a signature piece?
DYG: I was gifted this beautiful Louis Vuitton bag that I’ve been carrying every day since I got it. It has the leopard skin on the bottom, and it’s just a beautiful bag.

What’s your favorite place in town to shop?
DYG: I’m really busy when I’m here at home, so I don’t do a lot of shopping. So great customer service comes out of Neiman Marcus because they’ll bring the clothing over to me and I try it on in my office. When I’m traveling is when I do more of my shopping. I love to shop in New York and Italy.

Where do you like to shop there?
DYG: They have a great Jimmy Choo store in New York for shoes. And in Italy they have all sorts of great Gucci and Prada stores where I get some of my best shoes.

Do you have a fashion icon?
DYG: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis because she was very well put together from head to toe. She just had classic elegance. She always looked like a real First Lady and I respect that.

What wouldn’t you leave your home without?
DYG: A really great black suit.

Elise Purcell — Owner Of JEP Boutique
Purcell is the owner of JEP, a hip boutique in La Jolla that offers a "little bit of something for everyone." She graduated from SDSU with a degree in English literature but realized fashion was her passion. She’s been in the style business for over 13 years.

How do you put your look together?
EP: This sounds maybe a little strange, but I always pick my shoes first. If you ever look at what shoes I’m wearing that day you’ll see what mood I’m in, ’cause I always start from there.

I know you mix designer with vintage. Tell us how you do that?
EP: I just think a more interesting look, and also more practical look for most people, is mixing high-end and low-end. For instance, the boots I’m wearing today were $5 from a vintage store. It’s just more interesting than Gucci from head to toe. It’s more practical, because more people can put that look together.

Where do you buy vintage here?
EP: I have lots of really nice jewelry from the swap meet [Kobey’s] that I get for 50 cents or a dollar. It’s one of those things where you get so many compliments on it and people don’t believe you that it just cost a dollar. Wear it Again Sam and Frocku — they have an excellent vintage collection.

What’s your biggest splurge been?
EP: Definitely my Chloe Paddington bag. I wear it almost every single day.

Do you have a signature piece, something you wear every day?
EP: I never take off my little bitty Me & Ro necklace. It’s just a little circle and it’s got Chinese lettering on the front and on the back it says "peace." It’s gold and just kind of goes with anything.

Who is your fashion icon?
EP: I have one for right now, and one from the past. Right now is Gwen Stefani. She designs L.A.M.B. She seems to wear what she likes and doesn’t necessarily follow the rules. Then I would say Katherine Hepburn from the past. I love that she wore pants when she wasn’t supposed to. I remember hearing that MGM stole the pants from her dressing room, and she just walked around in her underwear until they gave them back. I respect her individuality, not following the rules.

What would you never wear?
EP: A lot of rhinestones.

Here’s the million-dollar question — what’s the secret to great style?
EP: Going with your own personality, what feels good for you.

Maggie Bobileff, Owner Of Mister B At The Ranch
Bobileff owned high-end boutiques in her native Switzerland before moving to the U.S. A year ago, she opened Mister B Men’s Clothing in Encinitas.

How would you describe your own personal style?
MB: Kind of classic fashion. I like to dress up and dress from very high-end to very casual clothes.

Who are your favorite designers?
MB: One of my favorite designers is Giorgio Armani. I also really like MaxMara. And for fun, Gucci.

You like to mix the high with low?
MB: Yes, as an example, you have an outfit, just a normal outfit, and you have a very nice high-end belt or nice jacket, and you upgrade your whole outfit 200 percent.

What accessory is a "must have?"
MB: I love shoes. I am the Imelda Marcos in shoes. I love belts. Take a very simple black outfit, put a belt on it, and you get compliments all day long.

Who is your favorite shoe designer?
MB: I can’t always go back to Italy to get my shoes, so here in the United States, it’s Donald Pliner. I also have Gucci.

Do you have a fashion icon?
MB: Princess Diana or Caroline from Monaco. Diana was very classic, but stylish. You could see every jacket was a great fit on her. Caroline always has the greatest evening gowns.

Having come from Europe, what do you think of the fashion scene here in Southern California?
MB: The good thing about the fashion scene in California is that nobody really worries about it; they just dress to feel comfortable. Europeans are a bit different. We dress to look proper. That’s a good thing [about California style] — it shows lots of freedom.
— Andrea Naversen, photography by Vincent Knakal