Jennifer Alfano is the Founder of The Flair Index—a luxury lifestyle platform for women with a focus on women entrepreneurs in the lifestyle arena, former magazine editor, content and branding consultant.

From Jennifer: I currently volunteer with Destination College to help under-privileged students from Mount Vernon High School get into college. I am now hyper-aware of the immense advantages children like my daughters have, and the real drive these other kids have despite the challenges they face. They are equally deserving, but not always equally treated.

City: Bronxville New York

Wardrobe staples: Nili Lotan pants—my all-time favorites that my wardrobe revolves around. This fall I bought a pair in navy pinstripe and a matching blazer and a pale gray wide-leg pair. Chalk white Laurence Dacade ankle boots, my Lutz Morris black leather belt bag (I have gotten really good at paring down my everyday essentials) and of course a Heidi Wynne Isabelle wrap in navy.

Heidi Wynne Navy Cashmere Isabelle Wrap

Nili Lotan Pinstriped Blazer

Nili Lotan Pinstriped Pants

Laurence Dacade Chalk White Ankle Boots

Lutz Morris Black Leather Belt Bag

What are you reading now: A favorite book I recently finished is The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clementine Wamariya. She and her brother escaped the Rwandan genocide as young children and spent a decade as child refugees traveling around Africa before finally making it to the States. It’s an incredible story. Next up is You Duck is My Duck, a book of short stories by Deborah Eisenberg.

The Girl Who Smiled Beads

Fall or Winter Travel Destination. I just got back from a short trip to see my parents in Charleston, South Carolina and as usual, ate my way through four days. My next trip is in February and I hope to go to Oaxaca, Mexico, for the food, the local artisans, and to see the ruins of Monte Alban. I went to Mexico City a couple of years back and fell in love with the rich Mexican culture.

Charleston, South Carolina

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's Home in Mexico City

Mexico City Home by Architect Luis Barragán 

Favorite beauty product or products. Since starting The Flair Index, everything I have kept in my makeup bag and medicine cabinet has changed, now I use only organic products. The life-changer for me has been facial oils and I alternate between two favorites, Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum and Uma Oils Anti-Aging Face Oil. I have profiled founders of both brands on my site, they are extraordinary women and their products are worth every single penny.

Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum

Uma Oils Absolute Anti-Aging Face Oil

What is on your music playlist now? David Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers….music my daughter plays repeatedly in the car such as Khalid and Rex Orange County.

David Bowie

What films/tv shows, etc are you watching now? I am not great with TV. I love Last Night with John Oliver. Mostly I am into podcasts—How I Built This by Guy Raz about entrepreneurs and their stories, Hidden Brain about unconscious human behavior by Shankar Vedantam—it’s a good geek out, and Pod Save America so I can find some humor with the current political climate and also stay motivated to make a difference.

Pod Save America

Who is your fashion icon? Who has been inspiring you lately? Always women from the late 60s and early 70s such as Charlotte Rampling, Jane Birkin and Ali MacGraw. Women who inspire me now are those who manage to have this unique, kick-ass combination of being unapologetically glamorous, outspoken about important issues and change-makers—women like Tracee Ellis Ross, Christy Turlington, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon and Julianne Moore.

Charlotte Rampling

Ali MacGraw

Tracee Ellis Ross

Laura Dern

Christy Turlington Burns

Favorite restaurant: I like old school New York restaurants, Raoul’s and Omen in Soho and really good pizza. I’m not a fancy food kind of girl.

Raouls

Favorite city. Hands down New York City. If you are bored in New York, that’s your fault. Paris for the romance and its beauty and Mexico City for the food, the vibrant art and culture, the architecture—I want to go back.

New York, NY

Denim Brand: Vintage Levi’s from Front General Store, and vintage remakes by B Sides Jeans.

Vintage Levi's

What is meaningful in your life right now: I am making a concerted effort to listen to others. Everything is so fractious and tribal right now and I’m over it. I believe we would all get along a lot more if we learned to respect each other as human beings and listen. Not so you can then share your opinion and tell someone why you disagree but to just hear each other.

I originally spotted Jennifer on Instagram before learning that we have mutual friends. You can follow along with The Flair Index and enjoy inspirational images of chic icons and fashion inspiration. I am also a huge fan of her site. Jennifer has a great eye and everything is so carefully edited, beautiful and very chic.