Style Profile: Caley Bradley

Happy Thursday and welcome to our second Style Profile of August! That means we're halfway through the month already, which I can't believe. Today's guest is Caley Bradley, whose beautiful Instagram feed you should check out immediately. (You can also find her on LTK.) I love seeing her posts because she's semi-local to me and because she posts such lovely and romantic florals, dresses, and snapshots of her life. Read on to meet Caley and get her tips for styling not only beautiful outfits, but the ultimate picnic, too.

I love how romantic and feminine your spring/summer style is. How do you transition that same feeling into fall and winter?

Awhh thank you so much! I think my favorite way to carry on those aspects of my style is by incorporating accessories and classic timeless pieces. One of my favorite ways to do this is by wearing hair bows. Hair bows are so beautifully feminine and translate so well with a tailored blazer or a sweater during the cooler months. Another way I like to transition romantic feminine components into winter and fall is through timeless pieces. I find coats, silk skirts, blazers, loafers, tall boots, and pieces that just really never go out of style to be a beautiful way to maintain a feminine look.

Who are your biggest style inspirations and what made you decide to start sharing your looks on Instagram/LTK?

My grandmother was and will always be one of my greatest style inspirations. I used to love going through her closet and looking at her shoes, coats and accessories as a little girl. She was always so put together and so well coordinated. She didn't just throw an outfit on, she thought about the purse, the coat, the shoes, the hat, etc. and how they all worked together. She even did a color analysis on me when I was a kid to teach me what colors go best with my skin tone, hair etc. She taught me that while black generally looks great on everyone, it is not one of my colors. Overall she just had such a great understanding of classic feminine style. Other style inspirations have always been the Olsen twins, Audrey Hepburn, Carolyn Kennedy, Jane Birkin and so many more.

I've been working in corporate America for the past eight years and Instagram really became a creative escape for me. I'd go to Instagram for all kinds of inspiration, whether i was planning a trip or planning an outfit. I really started to share more on Instagram once the pandemic hit and I was finding myself bored and desperately missing the feeling of putting together a look. So I would throw on a flowy dress and force my boyfriend to grab the camera when we would go on a daily mental health walk. And now I still do it as a fun creative outlet.

How does living in Kentucky/the South influence your style? 

Living in Kentucky is amazing because I truly feel like I get to experience all the seasons. All four of the seasons can be so beautiful here. With that being said, our summers tend to be brutal. I find my style is most affected by the summer. I will start to live in linen and focus on lightweight fabric dresses. Dresses that have breathable fabric are crucial during Kentucky summers. I also tend to migrate to extra flowy dresses. At the end of August and beginning of September, I don't want to be wearing anything but a flowy dress.

Are you from Kentucky originally?

Yes! I was born and raised in Kentucky. My parents both grew up in Western Kentucky and i was born in Murray, Kentucky. After a few years in Indiana, we moved to Northern Kentucky and that was where I primarily was raised and currently live now. I live in a small town right outside of downtown Cincinnati so in a lot of ways I also got to grow up in Cincinnati and experience all it had to offer.

What are your top three favorite wardrobe items right now?

ooo I'd have to say high-waisted linen trousers, my if only if clover nightie dress, and colorful gemstone necklaces.

Not clothing related, but you style some amazing picnics and cheeseboards! Any tips for the ultimate picnic? What's your favorite outfit to wear for one?

Oh again thank you so much! I think the ultimate picnic really only requires a few things (okay maybe a lot of things) and for me that's good people, a blanket of some sort, amazing munchies, a jazz playlist, immersion into nature and maybe some delicious bubbly or wine. I think picnics are so simple but such a treat and whenever I invite my friends to one they are always so fun. I did a breakfast/brunch-themed one for my sister's birthday one year and that was so different but so much fun too! When it comes to a cheeseboard, I just think more is best. Get all kinds of things to throw on there and just experiment.

When it comes to dressing for a picnic, I always go with a flowy dress because you want to feel comfortable. I think my ultimate goal is to feel like I'm a character in a Jane Austen novel or a character in Bridgerton, so a dress that is fitted on top but flowy everywhere else. I'm not trying to say no to cheese and bread because I have a restricted waistline.

If you had a free plane ticket to spend a week anywhere, where would you go?

This is really hard because I have sooo many places on my list. I think right now I could go for a very unplugged beach getaway, so maybe somewhere like the South of France! Blue shutters and vibrant flower-covered streets to wander around after spending the day at the beach just sounds like heaven right now.

All images appear courtesy of Caley Braley and may not be reproduced elsewhere.