How I dress: Maria Dueñas Jacobs

Maria Dueñas Jacobs knows the value of a uniform. “And I have a staple – I like to create a sort of uniform for myself just to make my life easier,” she explains over Zoom, carrying stacks of her bestselling children’s jewelry line, Super Smalls, and a t-shirt. The brand’s founder and former accessories director She may have a resume that reads like a fashion greatest hits list, but that doesn’t mean she thinks style has to be too complicated — or even serious. She wants to embrace her own personal fashion formula and let her accessories do the talking.

Just take its brand’s most recent project: The wellness accessories line just got a whimsical new addition to its ongoing collaboration with Disney. The latest collection, titled ‘Inner Strength’, launched earlier this month with a range of princess-inspired lockets that are both elegant and refined.

Scroll through the Super Smalls website and you’ll be tempted by a range of sparkly trinkets from bejeweled claw clips to a heart-shaped jewelry box that would make grown-up girls jealous. And although Super Smalls is primarily designed for children, many adults, including Dueñas Jacobs herself, are drawn to the playful designs, so naturally the site also offers a “super-adult” section for shopping.

Since its launch in 2019, Super Smalls has taken over cool mom circles and Tribeca playgrounds. So we tapped the line’s chic founder to talk all things fashion, inspiration, and style. In front is that of Maria Dueñas Jacobs How I dress.

How she plans her outfits

“I’m interested in the season first, the weather first. When it’s cold, I have a version of the same thing that I wear. And that is most often dictated by weather and comfort .I walk to work every day. I wear this our ring now which has made me a competitive walker and sleeper, so I’m still going to get in more than 10,000 steps. summer, some kind of comfortable sandal I guess inadvertently it’s shoes because I know I want to wear a comfortable shoe and we opt for a sneaker over a boot.

Her essential outfit formula

“In the winter, I usually wear pants, for sure. And I usually wear jeans or a cinched waist – I love paper pants. Another one of my tricks is just a monochrome look. It’s funny because that even though I’m a uniform dresser myself, I think on the outside, people don’t see it. I probably have six uniforms, so it seems like I don’t recycle them as often. I also know my style well. Often when I’m shopping, I almost never return anything, because I know I’m very specific about what I like (and I hate returning things), so I don’t return anything. usually nothing.

When she styles a new piece

“I want to wear it right away. I feel like if I don’t wear it right away, it’s not a good purchase. That’s kind of how it works for me. If I wear it the next day, then I’m like okay, I feel good. If it stays in my closet, I kind of forget about it and then I feel guilty about buying it.

Her fashion philosophy

“Fashion: It’s supposed to be fun, right? Like I don’t like to be too precious about fashion in general. I love it. If it makes me happy or improves my mood, I want to wear it right away. I want to feel good in it. I love it when there’s a nice compliment about it. And yes, fashion is fun.

His approach to vintage shopping

“I love vintage. I usually find myself buying vintage when I travel. The way I buy jewelry is when I travel, I like to attach memories to things. Vintage also makes me think of that because that it looks more like vintage an experience when I buy it, I’m not a vintage person. Buyer; It’s more like I’m indulging in it. And when I do, it’s usually like something designer that I found, and then it feels like a found piece. I was just in London, and we were walking, and I was like, let me see if there are any cool stores like vintage. So we went in and I found a really cool Gucci jacket. I just thought, ‘Okay, that came from an English grandmother, and it was fun.'”

Fashion pieces with the best story

“I would take my jewelry, for sure – that’s really where all my memories are. As I get older, I realize that fashion, like I said before, is supposed to be fun, but it also continues to be fun. ‘evolve. So I do. I have pieces that I’ve had for 20 years, but they’re also just a jacket and a shirt, and I feel like I can always find something else that fits. either version. So for me, things that feel more like family heirlooms mean more to me.

“I have three daughters, and I know they might not fit into my amazing vintage Levis, you know, or this dress that I love – I have a Valentino dress that I’m obsessed with and I definitely hold out for that for them – but I think the jewelry has stories behind it And then I also have handbags that I know they will fight over.

How she wears jewelry

“I usually wear a lot of rings. Usually I’m obsessed with one or two personal necklaces, and I wear them a lot. And you know my outfit, I’ll put on another big necklace or more or a watch. I love jewelry . So I would like to layer it.

“For me, it’s like the exclamation point at the end of a sentence. Jewelry just complements my outfit. It’s elevated. If I wear just one color, like the monochrome looks I was talking about, and I wear a really amazing necklace or cool earrings, it’s a set.”

His take on trends

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how bad judgment is, you know, and drawing a line and saying that I don’t like this thing, or I don’t like this trend. Maybe I don’t like it for myself, but I think it might look really cool for someone else. Crocs really aren’t for me, but I think they look really cool on some guys and gals with styles that can pull it off. It just depends on the person. And so, I think not every trend is for everyone, but all trends have merit.

“All the classics will always be in style. I will always love a Canadian tuxedo and a stripe. I will always love an all-white look. And there will always be something really beautiful about a Ralph Lauren Western look. And there There’s also something really incredible about all the decadence of Gucci, and then there’s something incredible about the quiet luxury of The Row. I like to dabble in all that, I can wear something crazy. the next day because I do it I want to. I don’t adhere to too many rules.

Where she finds inspiration

“I love walking around Soho. I’ve lived in New York for 20 years now and I’m still in awe of this city. I feel like I’ve walked there, and it’s a movie set. And I love walking around all the little streets and Soho and going to the shops. There’s everything there.

Her Dressed Favorites

“I’ve been wearing slip dresses forever and it’s always something I really enjoy. And I love it because I love the way it lets jewelry and accessories shine. I love the silhouette on me So it’s definitely a must-have. When I’m wearing anything dressy or red carpet, I like to wear Super Smalls and confuse people because sometimes I wear rings that are beautiful jewelry. put some Super Smalls in it be fun and start conversations.

“I remember I wore this Oscar de la Renta dress. It was amazing. And then I wore this Super Smalls Clover. It’s $34, and it’s my favorite. And it’s a real clover with four leaves. And everyone says: Come on, your necklace! And that’s because with this amazing dress, everyone assumes it was something, and I’m like, You too can have it for $34.”

Her favorite Super Smalls piece

All of our bead kits are amazing. I personally organized and opened molds for each bead, each charm. So each little kit is designed so that a child, even if blindfolded, can still create something beautiful. We prepare them for success.

It’s so pretty because it looks like candy on you, you know. And everything is translucent and diamond-like – I’m really proud of it. And I think the older I get, the more playful I become in general. So I like all that. We also launched a headband called Candy Cloud. And it’s so pretty, and it’s $29. And it sells because it’s really comfortable and all things girly are definitely really popular right now.

How she describes her style in a few words

“I would say a mix of classic and playful.”