Wear the bright outfit. This shoe founder says standing out helped her succeed.

Marina Larroudé wears a red Alaïa dress. Maegan Gindi for BI When Marina Larroudé isn't designing new shoes, she's scouring the internet for something old to wear. She might be the cofounder of her namesake footwear brand, Larroudé, but she's not interested in chasing the latest luxury drops. Ever been on TheRealReal? She's a regular. She even gets notifications when new (old) Chanel blazers are listed at a discount. Larroudé's shopping habits are influenced by her life in fashion. She spent a decade in editor roles at Condé Nast, then served as fashion director of the luxury department store Barneys. Now, the 46-year-old runs the company she and her husband, Ricardo, founded in their dining room nearly six years ago. Since then, the brand has grown to more than 700 employees, opened a factory in Brazil, expanded into accessories and clothes, and gained celebrity fans like Taylor Swift. Marina Larroudé wears an Alaïa dress she bought at Barneys. Maegan Gindi for BI As Larroudé's career has evolved, her style has, too. "When I was at Barneys and Condé Nast, I was meeting with designers every day or doing store appearances, so I'd dress up more during my day-to-day," she told Business Insider. "Now, I don't tend to dress up for the office. I am wearing flats every single day, walking up and down our townhouse. Being a founder, I'm more practical." Larroudé shoes are only a piece of her personal wardrobe, though. Business Insider's series, The Dress Code, gives readers an inside look at what powerful people wear every day and the fashion pieces they swear by. Reach out to reporter Amanda Krause to have your weekly wardrobe highlighted. "I love fashion, and I dress for myself," Larroudé said. "It makes me so happy every day when I get to wear something fun and festive, so I tend to wear lots and lots of color. I only wear black a few times in a year." During a busy week of meetings, work dinners, and office days, Business Insider documented Larroudé's colorful daily wardrobe. She also shared the fashion formula that helps her get dressed, and some of her favorite pieces in her wardrobe. Her outfit formula: practical, but always special There's one thing Larroudé hopes to convey through her daily fashion: "That I have a personality." "I don't like to blend in," Larroudé said, noting that she wants to be practical and comfortable, but still stand out. If she's wearing a T-shirt and jeans, for example, she'll add a crystal-covered blazer on top and funky heels at the bottom. "For the longest time, I was a very much a dress person," she said. "Now, my uniform for work is usually printed pants or a skirt with a Uniqlo crew neck — I have them in multiple colors — or jeans or a denim skirt with a special jacket." She recently wore that combination to work. Larroudé paired a $520 Courrèges miniskirt in light-wash denim with a white T-shirt and a yellow Chanel blazer with pink and blue detailing. "I found that jacket on The RealReal," she said. "I have a sales alert on all Chanel jackets. Whenever they hit a certain price, 50% or 60% off, I sometimes get the chance to score them." Though she originally wore flats with the outfit, Larroudé said that she had received samples of $425 Larroudé platform sandals, made in collaboration with the Italian fashion designer Nicoló Beretta, that day and had to try them on. Secondhand fashion Marina Larroudé wears a Christopher Kane dress. Maegan Gindi for BI The founder is uninterested in following trends. Have you seen the return of shoulder pads and tiny sunglasses? Larroudé has, but she's not wearing either of them. She'd rather stick to her signature pieces — even if they're a few years old and sourced secondhand, like her lace Christopher Kane dress. She wore the colorful piece for a World Cup dinner at The Polo Bar in New York City, hosted by Elle editor in chief Nina Garcia. She paired it with white Larroudé pumps and gold jewelry. "I remember being a fashion editor when that [dress] came out, and it was extremely expensive," Larroudé said. "I got the dress for $60 on The RealReal. I was so happy to find it. I'm hunting for those pieces from the early 2000s that had big fashion moments." Larroudé skips the LBD Her closet is vibrant and inviting, not neutral. "If you open my wardrobe, it is a rainbow of colors at all times," Larroudé said. "My shorts are orange. I'm wearing yellow jackets to the office, and pink dresses at night. Black is only for very specific occasions." So it was rare when she wore a black sleeveless Prada minidress to a dinner party in July. Larroudé's loves and leaves: Her go-to evening bags: "I tend to carry either a crystal Prada bag or a fish-shaped clutch in raffia from Anya Hindmarch if it's summer." What she won't buy: "I'm not someone who really loves ready-to-wear. I have some very special Alaïa dresses I got when I was at Barneys, but when I'm able to score something from 1992 on The RealReal, I really love it." She's not waiting: "I'm also not someone who is going to buy a very expensive handbag, and I'll never put my name down on the waitlist. Respectfully, that's not my jam." Her most sentimental accessory: "I have a handbag that Chanel gave me when I got the Teen Vogue fashion director job. I don't wear it as much. I don't know why, but it's the most special piece to me." "There were a lot of business people [in attendance], and I felt it wasn't the moment for me to wear a super bright or colorful outfit," Larroudé said. "I wanted to be me as a fashion founder, but I didn't want to wear something that would overshadow the event." So, to spruce up her ensemble, Larroudé added metallic green, leaf-shaped vintage earrings and white Larroudé heels. Work lunch, but make it fashion When Larroudé had lunch plans at Le Bilboquet in Manhattan, her outfit was a top priority. "I was meeting with very important people in a business setting, and I needed to wear something that was appropriate but still said I'm a fashion founder," she said. She turned to Larroudé — which sells select fashion pieces from designers including Altuzarra and Markarian — and chose a $555 Jonathan Cohen white dress with a red floral print. She accessorized with statement gold jewelry, another signature piece of her wardrobe. "I love, love, love jewelry; it's my favorite thing," she said, adding that she typically wears a ton of necklaces. "Jewelry is emotional. You usually get it for a birthday or another time in your life that you celebrate, and then you wear it every day." Pretty in pink for the summer Even sundresses can stand out, like her ruched pink dress with a black neckline from Ciao Lucia. Maegan Gindi for BI Summers in New York City, where Larroudé is based, can be hot and hectic. For a casual Friday workday, the brand's founder wore a $375 Ciao Lucia design made from breathable cotton. It had black straps, a matching neckline, and a pink ruched bodice that extended into a midi skirt. She added gold jewelry and Larroudé's flat Amalfi sandals to complete the look. "Sometimes all you need is a good sundress," she said. Saturdays in the city While Larroudé might have time off work on the weekends, her style never takes a break. Running errands across New York, she wore Dôen's orange satin shorts with lace lining and a Greece graphic T-shirt. Her accessories that day included brown leather sandals, gold rings, and a white Larroudé tote bag complete with a cherry bag charm. When she dresses casually, Larroudé still always makes sure her most special pieces have moments to shine. She thinks other fashion fans should, too. "When I founded Larroudé, it was because I saw so many people buying the most expensive things and saving them for the right moment because they didn't want to destroy them," she said. "But no, fashion is for you to wear and enjoy every day." "I don't save anything," she added. "I wear everything — even if my kids tell me that it's inappropriate to wear on a Monday morning. I don't care. I'm going to wear it and have fun. Don't wait for a party." Read the original article on Business Insider

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