Based in sunny SoCal, Gili Rashal Niv is the Editor-in-Chief, Founder and resident shopaholic of The Tip Jar, a site that gives daily tips for the best beauty products, fashion finds and store openings. No stranger to the fashion biz, Gili majored in Merchandise Marketing at FIDM, worked at LA’s top boutiques and has been featured in WWD, The Wall Street Journal, C Magazine and more. Now you’ll find Gili putting all of her fashion finesse into styling the well-heeled of the West Coast, as a personal shopper and stylist to many celebrities!
Gili is also a new mother (see photo of her and her daughter below!) and we were so lucky to ask her our favorite five questions and get best tip about styling this winter…
New York or Los Angeles, and why?
I’m definitely an LA girl and always have been. But I’m in love with NY and find whatever excuse I can to head east on mini trips a couple of times a year (as long as it’s not January or February…this West Coast girl can’t handle those temps).
Give us a sense of your personal style?
I haven’t really come up with a “label” for my personal style but certainly does have a So-Cal vibe mixed with a stand out piece to keep it looking different and my own. I could really live in a great pair of jeans and a good t-shirt, then mix in a cool jacket, great shoes and the most important part of all- a REALLY good handbag.
You’re best known for being a fashion and beauty expert, but what do you consider your greatest talent?
Not to sound cliché but I’ve discovered in the last year and a half that being a mom is truly my greatest talent and accomplishment thus far. I’m really good at it! My daughter is 20 months old now and I absolutely love my time with her. The first year was filled with more sleepless nights than I could’ve ever imagined being able to withstand and it is by far the toughest job I’ve ever had. But there are no words to begin to describe how amazing every little moment is.
What’s your daily habit?
I stopped drinking coffee when I got pregnant two years ago and never really had any interest in going back. But I went to NY last month for a couple of days and couldn’t resist a Starbuck’s soy latte with the chilly weather. So since I’ve been back, it’s been an (almost) daily treat I’ve gone back to. And everyday while at my computer I always go to TheSartorialist.com for fashion inspiration, One Kings Lane for home finds, and Shopbop.com or Net-a-Porter.com and add things to my wish list!
What’s one thing in your closet you could never give up? And what’s your go-to piece in the closet right now?
I may never be able to give up my giant Celine leopard tote. I carry it everyday and know that it will still be cool in ten years from now. My go-to piece is definitely my Isabel Marant quilted cotton jacket. Obsessed with it and I find any excuse to wear it.
BONUS: Can you give us your best tip for styling this winter?
Pick up a leather piece! Leather leggings and pants are huge this season but if wearing leather pants isn’t your thing, get a nice leather jacket or a top or dress with leather detail. Make sure though to keep it simple and you really don’t need more than one piece! If leather pants are out of your price range, a great alternative is buying a pair of coated jeans that look just like leather. I love, love, love the Eve High Rise Coated Skinny Jeans from Habitual.
And invest is a great pair of shoes! I prefer cute cropped boots with my winter looks. They go with just about everything and because they’re so big right now, you will find lots of different options to choose from.
