Major Declared Brenna Lyden started her fashion blog, Chic Street Style (chicstreetstyle.me), as a college freshman snapping selfies in her dorm room. Now 22 years old and less than a year out of school, Lyden, whose signature aesthetic pairs polished staples with popular trends (think tweed blazers with boyfriend jeans), gets 100,000 views on her site each month and has graduated to entrepreneur status. Lyden has launched her own jewelry line, Everly (everlyshop.com), recently been appointed CEO of Seattle-based eco-conscious couturier Third & Loom (thirdandloom.com) and she’s cultivated a career as a digital stylist, offering consultations via Skype from her downtown Seattle apartment. “I have 40 clients across the United States and all over the world, in Canada, Australia, the U.K. and Greece,” Lyden says, “but I’ve never met a single one of them in person.” 

Virtual Reality Lyden creates wardrobes for clients using exclusively digital resources, including customized look books presented via PowerPoint. “I built this business while I was in school in Ames, Iowa,” she says. “There was no fashion scene there. So the digital platforms allowed me to expand into national and international markets.” Seattle is a new market for Lyden, who moved to the city last summer after a buying internship with Nordstrom yielded a job offer with the company’s merchandising program. This past fall, the Midwest native ultimately decided to forgo the corporate route in favor of being her own boss. 

No Sleep for the Stylish With clients living in various widespread time zones, Lyden’s office hours aren’t exactly 9–5. “I’ve gotten up at 3 a.m. to Skype clients,” Lyden says. “I set my alarm 30 minutes before, get some coffee going and quickly do my hair and makeup before I sign in.” 

Chic Street Style Staples Lyden’s essentials for any wardrobe include a statement piece of jewelry (her personal go-to is a vintage Chanel brooch), a pair of dark, coated jeans to add a little bit of edge, a pair of nude pointed-toe pumps (“They make your legs look a million times longer than they are. And who doesn’t want that?”), a leather jacket and a statement bag. “This can mean different things to different clients,” Lyden says. “Whether you’re coveting a locally sourced leather tote or splurging on a Valentino ‘Rockstud’ shoulder bag, a luxe handbag is the ultimate accessory.” 

Get the Look

Dress, Third & Loom, thirdandloom.com

Belt, Asos, asos.com

Laptop skin, “Kiss Me Stupid” vintage photograph, skinit.com

Watch, Karl Lagerfeld, purchased on piperlime.com

Rings, (left hand) Diamonds by Lauren, diamondsbylauren.com, (right) Rose, white and yellow gold plated “Trinity” ring, from Lyden’s jewelry line Everly, everlyshop.com