How I Really Shop: Inside My LTK Closet and the Pieces I Keep Coming Back To

If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that my LTK page is basically a living, breathing extension of my closet. It’s where I save the things I actually wear, the things I’m currently obsessing over, and yes, sometimes the things I bought at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday because the lighting in the product photo was just too good. But today I want to pull back the curtain a little and give you a real, honest look at how I shop, why I started using LTK in the first place, and the categories and pieces that have genuinely changed the way I approach getting dressed.

Because here’s the thing: there is so much content out there about fashion and lifestyle products, and most of it feels like a wall of links with no real story behind it. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to give you context. So grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let’s talk about all of it.

Why LTK Changed the Way I Share

Before I started using LikeToKnow.It (LTK), I was constantly fielding the same messages: “Where is your sweater from?” “What are those earrings?” “Can you send me the link to your bag?” I loved those messages because it meant people were engaged and curious, but I was also terrible at remembering where everything was from or keeping links organized in a way that was easy to share.

LTK solved that problem completely. Now, when I post an outfit or a home refresh or a product I’ve been using for six months and genuinely love, I can link everything in one place and you can shop it directly. No more hunting through Instagram captions or DMs. No more “I think I got it from Nordstrom but it might have been Revolve.” Everything is linked, organized, and searchable.

But more than the logistics, LTK pushed me to be more intentional about what I share. Because I’m not just posting a photo anymore — I’m recommending something. And that felt like a responsibility I wanted to take seriously. So my rule has always been simple: if I wouldn’t buy it again knowing what I know now, I don’t post it. That’s it. That’s the whole filter.

The Wardrobe Foundations I Link More Than Anything

Let me start with the clothing pieces, because this is where most of you come to my page and where I spend a genuinely embarrassing amount of time curating.

Denim is everything. I probably link more jeans than any other single category, and I think it’s because finding a great pair is legitimately hard. Everyone’s proportions are different, washes come in and out of trend, and the difference between a $40 pair and a $180 pair is sometimes enormous and sometimes basically nothing. Over the years I’ve developed strong opinions. I love a straight leg that hits right at the ankle. I love a slightly higher rise that doesn’t gap at the back. I love a medium wash that can go casual or dressed up depending on what you pair it with. When I find a pair that checks all of those boxes, I link it immediately and I talk about it a lot, because it took me years to figure out what I was even looking for.

A really good white button-down never leaves my closet. I know this sounds basic, and it is, but basic doesn’t mean boring. A crisp, slightly oversized white button-down is the piece that makes everything else look more intentional. I wear mine tucked into trousers for a work-from-home meeting, half-tucked with jeans for weekend errands, fully open over a tank and bike shorts for a gym-to-coffee transition. It does everything. When I find one that washes well, doesn’t go sheer, and has a collar that actually lays flat, I tell everyone about it.

Knitwear is my love language in the fall and winter. I am absolutely a person who starts thinking about sweaters in late August, which my friends find deeply unreasonable. But there is nothing that signals the shift to cozy season better than a beautiful knit. I tend to gravitate toward chunky ribbed sweaters, oversized crewnecks in earthy neutrals, and cardigans that are substantial enough to function almost like a jacket. I link a lot of knitwear on LTK because it’s also one of those categories where quality really matters. A sweater that pills after two wears is not a sweater I want to recommend to you.

Blazers are having a permanent moment. I don’t think the blazer trend is going anywhere, and I’m thrilled about it because I have been a blazer person my entire adult life. The tailored, slightly structured silhouette just makes me feel put-together in a way that a lot of other pieces don’t. My current favorites are slightly oversized, hit at the hip, and come in neutral tones — camel, ivory, black, and a really deep forest green that I’ve been wearing constantly. I link blazers across a huge range of price points on my LTK because I genuinely believe you can find a great one at almost any budget.

Shoes: The Part of My LTK You Might Not Expect

I didn’t think of myself as a shoe person until I started paying attention to how much difference footwear makes in an outfit. Now I am absolutely a shoe person, and my LTK reflects that.

The category I come back to most is loafers. Specifically, the kind with a low block heel or a slight platform that makes them wearable for an actual full day of walking. I have worn loafers with everything from tailored trousers to oversized sweatshirts, and they always elevate the look without trying too hard. They’re the shoe equivalent of a great pair of glasses — they just make you look like you thought about it.

I also link a lot of boots. Knee-high boots in the fall and winter, ankle boots for transitional weather, and the occasional western-inspired style when I’m feeling like leaning into a trend. What I look for in boots is comfort first, because a beautiful boot that destroys your feet by noon is not a boot I can honestly recommend. Sole cushioning matters. Calf width matters. Break-in time matters. I try to give you all of that information in my LTK posts so you can make an informed decision rather than just trusting a pretty product photo.

And then there’s the sneaker category, which I approach with the same level of seriousness. I wear sneakers constantly — for errands, travel, casual weekend days, and as a deliberate styling choice with more dressed-up pieces. My favorites right now are a mix of classic silhouettes in clean neutrals and a couple of chunkier dad-sneaker styles that I originally resisted and then fell completely in love with.

Accessories: Where I Have the Most Fun

This is where my LTK page gets a little chaotic in the best way, because I find accessories incredibly fun to shop and style.

Bags are the thing I probably receive the most questions about. People want to know about both the investment pieces and the everyday-use pieces, so I try to link across both ends of the spectrum. On the investment side, I talk honestly about which classic bags I think are worth saving up for and why — the quality of the hardware, the versatility of the size, whether they hold their shape and value over time. On the more accessible end, I’ve found some genuinely great options that look far more expensive than they are, and I love sharing those because not everyone wants to spend four figures on a handbag, nor should they have to.

Jewelry is something I’ve grown into over time. I used to be pretty minimal — a simple chain, small hoops, and that was about it. Lately I’ve been layering more, experimenting with chunkier styles, and mixing metals in a way that would have made my former self deeply nervous. I link a lot of jewelry on LTK because it’s one of those categories where the price variance is wild and the quality difference is not always proportional. Some of my favorite everyday pieces cost under $30. Some of my special-occasion pieces were a meaningful investment. I try to give you a mix of both.

Sunglasses, belts, scarves, hats — these are the supporting characters that make outfits feel complete, and I link them often. A tortoiseshell pair of sunglasses or an oversized square silk scarf can completely transform something you’ve worn a hundred times. That’s the magic of accessories, and I genuinely enjoy curating these for you.

Beauty and Wellness on My LTK

A while back I started adding beauty and wellness products to my LTK page, and it has become one of the most engaged sections. People are curious, they want honest reviews, and they have so many questions about what actually works versus what just photographs well.

My skincare philosophy is pretty simple: protect, hydrate, and be consistent. I use SPF every single day without exception. I prioritize a good cleanser and a moisturizer that actually works for my skin type. And beyond that, I try to keep things fairly streamlined because I genuinely believe that a simple routine done consistently beats a complicated routine done sporadically. The products I link in this category are things I have used long enough to give you a real opinion on — not one week, but months.

Haircare is another area where I get a ton of questions. My hair is on the finer side, so volume and damage prevention are my two big priorities. I link the tools I actually use — my blow dryer, my diffuser, the specific brush I’ve been using for years — and the products that have made a genuine difference in how my hair looks and feels. I’m skeptical of anything that promises too much, so if I link it, I believe it.

For wellness, I keep it realistic. I share the supplements I take, the workout gear I actually use, and the everyday items that help me feel more organized and less frantic. I don’t position any of this as a magic solution to anything. It’s just stuff that works for me, shared with the caveat that everyone’s needs are different.

Home and Lifestyle: The Part of My LTK I Didn’t Expect to Love

When I first started my LTK page, it was entirely fashion-focused. But over time I started getting questions about my home — the throw on my couch, the candle on my coffee table, the mug I was always holding in photos. So I expanded.

Now my home section is one of the parts of my LTK I’m most proud of. I love interior design in the same way I love fashion: as a form of self-expression that also has to be functional. My style at home leans toward warm neutrals, natural textures like linen and wood and rattan, and pieces that feel collected rather than matchy-matchy. I link a lot of textile items — throw blankets, pillow covers, area rugs — because I think these are the things that make a space feel like a home rather than a hotel. I also link a lot of kitchen items, because I cook almost every day and I have strong opinions about what makes a tool worth keeping.

Candles and home fragrance deserve their own mention because I receive constant questions about what my space smells like, which is genuinely one of the most charming things about this community. I link the candles I burn regularly, the diffusers I’ve tried, and the linen sprays I use on my bedding. It’s a small thing, but it makes a real difference in how a space feels.

How I Think About Sharing vs. Selling

I want to be transparent about something, because I think it matters: when you shop through my LTK links, I do earn a small commission. That’s part of how this works, and I think most people who follow creators on LTK know that. But I want you to know how that factors into what I post, which is to say: I try not to let it. I don’t post something because the commission is good. I post something because I genuinely like it, I’ve used it, and I think you might like it too. When I’m uncertain about something, I say so. When I love something unreservedly, you’ll know that too, because I’ll talk about it way too much.

The goal is always to be a useful resource, not a billboard. You have limited time and limited budget and limitless options, and I take seriously the fact that when you ask me what to buy, you’re trusting my judgment. I don’t take that lightly.

What’s Coming on My LTK

I’m always updating my page with new finds, seasonal refreshes, and the things I’m currently living in. Right now I’m in a big transitional-dressing era — figuring out how to wear the pieces I love through multiple seasons by layering, mixing weights, and leaning on accessories to shift the feel of an outfit. I’m also doing a deep dive into more sustainable and slow-fashion brands, because I’ve been thinking a lot about buying less and buying better, and I want to share that journey honestly rather than pretending I have it all figured out.

If you’re not already following me on LTK, I’d love to have you there. You can find me at LTK.com/kelseyngross. Save the pieces you love, ask me questions in the comments, and let me know if there’s a category you want me to dig into more. This page is as much yours as it is mine — it’s most useful when it’s actually answering the questions you’re asking. So keep them coming, and I’ll keep shopping so you don’t have to do all of it alone.

Thanks for reading this far — it means more than you know. Now go check the page. There are new links up, and I think you’re going to love them.