Photo: Romer Pedron
In a sea of celebrity stylists all working with mega stars it can be challenging to stand apart. That is, of course, unless you’ve managed to dress a few of the most buzzed about actresses in custom gowns from the world’s most prestigious fashion houses very early on in your career.
Molly Dickson, the stylist who has been garnering about as much attention as her young clients Katherine Langford and Sadie Sink, has proven that celebrity dressing is far from stale. Looking at what Dickson has done as of late, a custom black Prada gown with a bejeweled waist on Langford or custom, vintage inspired Miu Miu on Sink, plus an impressive lineup of Chanel, Stella McCartney and Dolce & Gabbana, it’s clear she has a unique set of sartorial skills.
Dickson has also gracefully navigated accessories, always using the appropriate type and amount of accessories. Whether it’s befitting a 15 year old ingenue like Sink or a more seasoned actress like Katherine Langford, Dickson always manages to appropriately punctuate her client’s looks with the right jewelry.
The North Dakota native got her start as A-List stylist Leslie Fremar’s assistant before striking out on her own, but also attributes much of what she knows about style and fashion to playing dress up with her grandmother’s jewelry.
Here, the stylist explains her journey from small town living where she first learned about true style from family, to dressing the biggest up and comers in Hollywood.
Have you always loved fashion and accessories?
My mom has said that ever since I could walk I would change my outfit about 5 times a day! I think I have always been intrigued by clothes, trends and playing dress up.
Do you recall the first time you fell in love with jewelry? When/where was it?
My Grandma had a box of costume jewelry in her closet when I was growing up. Whenever we stayed with her we would lay a sheet on the floor and dump all the jewelry out and play dress up with it for hours. There was a drop necklace that was very sparkly and we would wear it on our heads and my sisters and I called it “The Crown.”
My grandma kept most of it and now my 5-year-old niece carries on the legacy of playing dress up with her jewelry.
Most prized piece of jewelry and why?
My grandma has a gold charm bracelet with over 30 charms on it that each represent something special to our family. She gifted it to me a couple years ago and I hope to pass it down to my daughter one day.
How did you go from growing up in a small town to styling in New York?
There aren’t many fashion resources in the Midwest; so, I knew if I wanted to pursue the fashion industry I would need to move to Los Angeles or New York City. I moved to LA the day after college graduation for a fashion internship with a small designer, and two months later I got an internship at Marie Claire Magazine in NY. Following my internship, I then worked as a fashion assistant at Marie Claire for almost two years. I feel like my Midwest work ethic was the reason I got offered the position. I was raised with strong values of hard work. I then left the magazine to assist celebrity stylist, Leslie Fremar, and I worked for her for about six and a half years. I departed from her at the end of October and have been styling on my own since!
Did you experiment a lot with fashion and accessories growing up?
Not necessarily. I always loved clothes but we didn’t really have the access to them. The nearest store was about 45 minutes away. My mom would take us “school shopping” at Mall of America every August — which was a five-hour drive.
How would you describe your personal style?
Casual/sporty with a mix of downtown edge. I like to mix athleisure-wear with tougher/edgier pieces like yoga pants with moto boots.
As for jewelry, do you change yours out often or tend to live in the same pieces?
I find with my crazy traveling schedule it’s easier if I wear my pieces daily and never take them off. If I am going to an event or a party I will wear more of my special pieces.
Do you have a favorite designer or era for jewelry?
I love Art Deco jewelry. I’m drawn to antique diamonds but I love the clean lines of Art Deco design. To me it’s the perfect mix of old world and modern.
Emeralds or diamonds?
Diamonds.
White or yellow gold?
Yellow.
