I Just Got Back From Austin—3 Westerncore Looks I Simply Had to Break Out

Photo:

@elizagracehuber

Wearing: Tu Es Mon Tresor jeans; Nanushka top; vintage shoes; Linda Farrow X Rowen Rose Cara Sunglasses ($300); Bottega Veneta Andiamo Small Intrecciato Leather Tote ($4100)

After touching down in Austin the night before wearing a cowboy hat, my fringe-scarf Toteme coat, and a pair of Western boots from Free People, I woke up early for my first day at the races. Fridays are usually pretty tame, with only practice sessions, but the U.S. Grand Prix was one of a handful of races this season with a Sprint format, meaning that qualifications is on a Friday instead of the normal Saturday so that the Sprint qualifications and race can take place on Saturday. Basically, the Friday activities got a lot more exciting. I was invited by the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team to spend the day with them at the track, inside of their paddock club and in and around their garages. Given that Lewis Hamilton, the shining example of stellar personal style in F1, is one of the team's two drivers, I had to impress with my look. 

I knew when I bought this wool, fringe-hem top from the Nanushka sample sale this summer that I wanted to wear it sometime during this weekend. Despite it being close to 100º in Austin on Friday, I put it on with the same Tu Es Mon Tresor black jeans and vintage, made-in-Italy mules that I styled alongside it during New York Fashion Week. The jeans have this great buckle detail in the back that further adds to the Western inspiration of it all, as does the lizard skin on my shoes. Finally, I only brought one bag for the weekend, my new Bottega Veneta Andiamo bag, which features the brand's iconic intrecciato woven leather and gold hardware, both of which made it feel appropriate for the occasion. I was warm... like really warm. But it was all worth it for the content. Plus, I've never gotten so many compliments on an outfit in my life. 

Photo:

@elizagracehuber

Wearing: Me + Em Cotton Stripe Forever Shirt ($245); Bottega Veneta Andiamo Small Intrecciato Leather Tote ($4100); vintage Levi's jeans; Linda Farrow X Rowen Rose Cara Sunglasses ($300); Ralph Lauren belt; vintage shoes; Cafe Society Cleo Hat ($245)

Apparently, I didn't learn a single lesson from yesterday's heat, because I decided on a very timeless Western look for Saturday's Sprint, taking cues from what I can only describe as a legit cowboy that I saw leaving the track on Friday evening. Just like he did, I wore a white button-down shirt (mine's super lightweight and breathable luckily) tucked into some vintage 501 Levi's and secured with an old tobacco-colored suede belt that I stole from my boyfriend's belt collection. I also rewore my vintage mules after promising myself the day before that I'd skip the stiletto heel and instead go for cowboy boots, though I'm glad I did because it elevated the outfit and made it look less costume-y. Plus, since I was lucky enough to be in the paddock with Alpha Tauri that day, I didn't have to worry too much about the extreme elevation changes around the track, specifically to my grand stand seats at Turn 1, which were at the very top of a large hill. Of course, I had to break out my cowboy hat, a gorgeous, cream-colored woven bucket that was gifted to be given by Cafe Society, Lauren Burke's NYC-based hat brand, when it launched. I've already brought it around the country with me, to the beach in Miami and now the race track in Austin. It really did perfectly finish off the day's outfit. 

Photo:

@elizagracehuber

Wearing: Lafayette 148 New York Pleated Organic Cotton Poplin Midi Skirt ($479); vintage Max Mara vest; We the Free Maverick Distressed Tall Boots ($388); Bottega Veneta Andiamo Small Intrecciato Leather Tote ($4100); Linda Farrow X Rowen Rose Cara Sunglasses ($300); Brilliant Earth Organica Cuff Bracelet ($795)

Day three was race day, and luckily, it was slightly cooler than it had been the last two days at the track. I decided to go with a less cowboy-inspired outfit, choosing instead to pull from old photos I've seen in the Ralph Lauren archives. Though not pictured, I did wear my Cafe Society hat again—it proved to be the perfect piece of sun protection for the occasion—styled with a vintage Max Mara linen waistcoat and the white Lafayette 148 A-line skirt that I got at the end of the summer and have already worn to NYFW and all around Italy on my recent vacation there. It's proving to be far more practical than I initially thought, and was a stellar choice for the weather. Naturally, the last add on was the one pair of cowboy boots that I packed for the trip, a distressed style from Free People that I got for a dinner the brand was having a few months ago. By way of a miracle, there was no break-in process necessary with them, so my feet were very happy to get some relief after two days of walking around Circuit of the Americas' dusty parking lot and hilly grounds.