Local Designer Says Daughters Inspire Her Fashion

Gilroy native, Yolanda Carreon, loves to wear inexpensive clothes that look like a million bucks. She is an independent fashion designer, and knows a thing or two about Gilroy Style.

Gilroy Patch caught up with her and asked a few fashion questions.

Gilroy Patch: How seriously do you take style?

Yolanda Carreon: Well, I do have my own clothing line. I just finished six or seven pieces. I work in my house sketching and doing everything for it.

Patch: What are you wearing today?

Carreon: Well, as you can see, I’m wearing a cashmere scarf my daughter got for me and an H&M shirt that was very inexpensive– it was $12, but it looks expensive. And this is like a cardigan and some Charlotte Ruuse leggings for $5, shoes from Gap for $11, and–can’t forget about this–a Michael Kors bag, Cartier glasses and a Michael Kors wallet.

Patch: How would you describe your style?

Carreon: Casual, but you know, you have to at least take time and dress up to look good and look different than everybody else even though it’s not expensive.

Patch: Who are your style icons?

Carreon: I love Tim Gunn. He is one of my favorites, but he doesn’t count because I am in love with him. Really though, my two daughters inspire me, and when I go out with my heels and I look good and feel good, my kids tell me "Mom you look so pretty." That’s what drives me to look good. I just want to do my fierce fashion show for them. It’s always for them.

Patch: How do your daughters help with your clothing line?

Carreon: My daughter helps me with fashion design; the one that went to art school helps me sketch out the patterns. I think she has more fresh ideas, and me, I am more classic, sophisticated, and you can look good and have wonderful taste without wearing no clothes.

Patch: So if you can feel sexy without looking skanky, what is your advice for summer style?

Carreon: Wear a lot of linen; it’s one of my favorite fabrics. I love white pants and sun dresses, one of my favorites is like an orange dress or white dress, really flowing and with sandals and you also need a manicure and pedicure.

Patch: And you carry around a designer handbag, what is your advice to budding fashionistas about not spending too much money?

Carreon: It (clothes) doesn’t have to be expensive to look and feel good, but you need to have one two or three pieces that are expensive that you carry around. For example, I went to Starbucks and three people ask me, “are you from here?” because I dress differently than other people in Gilroy.

Patch: Do you have any other bad habits when it comes to shopping?

Carreon: I have a humongous scarf collection, over 100 scarves. My kids say I hoard scarves. I have three different colors of the same cashmere Nordstrom scarf that my daughter bought me. I say when I die, “you kids are going to inherit all of these scarves.”

Patch: Tell me a little bit about your Gilroy style.

Carreon: I like to be comfortable and wear very inexpensive clothes but still feel good. I like to wear inexpensive clothes, but even if I’m going to the doctor or store, I like to look good, and it’s weird because when I go to the lawyers or something I will be dressed up in my heels and a dress and people will say to me, “are you from Gilroy?” They ask me like my clothes are expensive, and I have to tell them, “No! Go to Forever 21! This was $11, go buy it!”

Check back for a full story on Carreon's fashion designing business on Gilroy Patch.