Carla Rockmore catapulted into the zeitgeist, seemingly overnight. But the influencer, who was accounted the "Carrie Bradshaw of TikTok," has a relationship with fashion that goes well across her fun styling videos on the buzzy app. Rockmore is a woman who wears a plethora of hats, both figuratively and literally. A tenured jewelry designer by merchandise, the social media star is a stylist, married woman, and mother to 2 boys—but ultimately, she is someone who believes in the ability of personal style. And she has i.ii million followers hanging on her every word.

Rockmore explains that joining TikTok was far from intentional and was done on a whim at the height of the pandemic. "It wasn't truly a determination," she tells Boutique.com. "I idea [it] was a dance app. I was in Jaipur, India, developing my fine jewelry line. Upon return, the state went straight into lockdown. I watched Netflix for about two weeks and soon realized if I continued doing that, I might every bit well crawl into bed and close the lights out. I need to be artistic–peculiarly in times of stress. The only thing I had in my business firm was my drove of beauties and baubles, a cellphone, and a 16-year-erstwhile son sequestered with me who taught me how to edit on iMovie. I started doing (hopefully) entertaining styling videos on YouTube. Nine months later, one of my kids put me on TikTok. I went from 91 followers to 250,000 in a week." The remainder, as she says, is history.

carla rockmore spring 2022 tiktok

Carla Rockmore / Stewart Cohen

The Dallas-based creative has since clustered more than 1.two one thousand thousand followers, who come to her page for lighthearted videos and golden styling tips. With her enviable, two-story cupboard as the backdrop, Rockmore covers a myriad of topics and appeals to a range of audiences. From history lessons on the color black to tutorials in styling fashion'south most notable conundrums (think: how to mix metals and find a look for "weird weather"), there's a lot of good advice on offer. But the biggest takeaway from her content is that when it comes to personal mode, in that location'southward really no correct or wrong answer, then long equally it makes you feel practiced.

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"I requite everybody permission to purchase the same x pairs of pants in unlike colors and fabrics if they make you happy and give you lot conviction," Rockmore says on why she believes core pieces differ for everyone. "Clothing has to serve yous—not the other style effectually. If you don't cultivate your own style and define what your own essentials are, you go a hanger for somebody else'southward ideas."

carla rockmore 2022

Carla Rockmore

As for her own sense of fashion, the 54-twelvemonth-sometime takes a similar no-holds-barred arroyo. Between her exploration of bold color palettes and power to rock statement pieces on a Tuesday—like a pair of over-the-human knee aureate metallic boots—Rockmore's core aesthetic is varied at best. "For me, inspiration tin come from anywhere. From wallpaper in a eatery bath to a vintage shop to a costume jewelry drove."

These days, her shopping cart is filled with Marni accessories and opulent sundresses from Johanna Ortiz and Cecilie Bahnsen. She cites famous maximalist Iris Apfel and the ever-iconic Diana Vreeland as her style icons. "The trends and the shows and the business of it are exciting, for certain, just even more than heady is that as I age, my personal style continues to evolve," the designer says. "I turn down to be put in a box. Sometimes, I wake up i morning and feel the need to dress in a very minimal artful, and the next day become full on colors and ruffle. My relationship with fashion is all encompassing. Information technology is my career, information technology is my hobby, information technology is the way I limited myself without words."

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Shelby Ying Hyde is a Brooklyn-based shopping and fashion correspondent Bazaar.com, with bylines on The Zoe Written report, Teen Vogue, Essence, Nylon, Elite Daily and more than. Prior to inbound the editorial space, she worked at luxury east-commerce giants Net-a-Porter and Moda Operandi on the production editorial squad, where she gained an extensive understanding of the luxury market as it pertains to shopping and engaging customers in a digital space. Follow @theshelbyying on Instagram for shopping communication, sale updates, and tips for building a well-rounded wardrobe.