How I Get Dressed: Ashley Graham

The new face of Michele Watches talks about accessorizing to the max, personal style after motherhood, and how she supports size-inclusive designers.

"The way we get dressed every morning is as personal as it gets. There are outfit repeaters, vintage treasure hunters, and even emotional dressers. But while everyone loves a good fashion trend, here at InStyle, we're interested in the deeper stuff, too: the way jewelry makes us feel, the way a beloved coat can spark joy on a cold day, the way a pair of shoes can pull a whole look together. How I Get Dressed unpacks fashion routines, rituals, and go-tos — straight from the fashion tastemakers we love"

Everyone has a good time when Ashley Graham is in the room. At a panel hosted by Michele Watches earlier this week, the model and activist dropped nuggets of career wisdom in between self-effacing jokes about cupping and her “woo woo” wellness routine. As always, her charisma was infectious—Graham’s a supermodel for a reason—because she showed up as her true self. That visible sense of purpose is no doubt what pulls so many (e.g., Instagram followers, fashion brands, TV networks) into her orbit.

The event, held in downtown New York, celebrated her latest project fronting the luxury timepiece’s “Legacy Redefined” campaign—which marked a surprising "first" for the industry icon. “It felt really nice to say yes to my first watch campaign,” she told me in a moment of calm before she joined Amanda Hirsch (of @notskinnybutnotfat fame) for a chat on stage. But for Graham, the opportunity wasn’t about ticking off a box on some imaginary list of accomplishments; it was more about supporting what the company and she herself stands for—putting women in power.

“I’m always thinking ahead, whether it's with my family or my finances or even my career, so this [campaign] really matched how I'm already operating in life,” she explained. Gorgeous designs aside (Graham's favorite is the Madison Deco Two-Tone), Michele's commitment to style, inclusivity, and longevity is what drew her to the partnership. "This doesn't have a size," Graham explained, pointing to her watch.

Below, read on to learn more about her personal style, from accessorizing to motherhood. This is Ashley Graham’s How I Get Dressed.

How Her Style Has Evolved With Motherhood

"It's a 180. Now, it's a lot more planning ahead. If I don't plan the night before, what I'm going to wear the next day, I'm screwed. I'm going to be an hour late to whatever I'm headed to. I cherish those little moments with my kids in the morning, and I want to soak everything up. So if I'm thinking about what the hell am I wearing, then forget it. I'm missing time out with them."

"Also, for me, Comfort is key, even if it's a heel. I love a heel, and I love a bodycon dress, but if I'm not comfortable, I'm not going there."

Her Favorite Everyday Watch

"My big-time favorite—that literally is my everyday watch—is the Two Tone Deco by Michele Watches. It is mixed metal, which is cool. I was calling her big mama on set. I was like,Who's Big Mama's little mama?"

How She Likes to Accessorize

"I have 18 holes in my ear. When I don't have them all filled up, I feel naked as hell. So there's that. And I'm a more is more girl because sometimes I like to leave [my house] in a very simple outfit. The more bling, the more accessories, it elevates your outfit. You look put together, even if you have no makeup on."

How She Gets Ready in the Morning

"Well, normally, because I'm planning my outfit the night before, it's already planned. So, when I get ready in the morning, it's shower, hair, makeup, put the look on, run out of the house barefoot, grab the shoes, put on the shoes in the car."

Her Evolving Relationship to Vintage

"I have always had a mixed feeling relationship about vintage because it's not always been inclusive. It is size exclusive, for sure, but there are pieces from Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier right now that I'm still hunting for. And I know, I know, there is a version of a couple of bustiers and a couple of very constructed dresses that I'm looking for. So, I have to be a little bit more adventurous when trying the different sizes on personally. Being a curvy girl in this very fashion world, I've always felt like I'm rummaging through a TJ Maxx situation, yeah? Where it's like, where's my size, where's my side, where's my size? I've always had to be resourceful, so finding it in vintage never was easy."

Why She Doesn't Have a Uniform

"I don't have a uniform because I get too bored. But, I do like to always have a body part out. My shape also could be the body part, you know? So that's my thing. I'm like, What's coming out today?"

Her Style in Three Words

"Comfortable, sexy, and elegant—no, elite."

How She Supports Size Inclusive Designers

"We're very into off the runway right now. My stylist is doing her best to think, What's off the runway? What can we fit into? Because I really want to highlight designers that are using plus size models on the runway. Those numbers have gone down, they really have. So, we have been calling anybody and everybody that's very cool. We got a great inundation of looks, especially now that it's summertime and things are quiet. I'm really excited that I got a lot of great pieces."

The Hero Piece in Her Closet

"Well, if you ask any of my friends, they would probably say, Why are you not talking about your R13 white button-downs? I go through many phases with them. They were there pre-partum, post-partum, and I pull them on all the time. They're my over-the-swim-suit and don't-know-what-to-wear piece. They're expensive, but they're so good. They're quality. And I have three sitting in storage if one ever gets stained or something."

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