P.S. I HART This: Libby Callaway's Guide to East Nashville

There's no better way to find the best things to do in a city than by asking a local. And not just any local, but one you know will lead you to the right spots (looking fabulous while doing so, might we add).

Enter Libby Callaway - a fashion journalist-turned-PR-guru in Nashville, TN.

We asked her how she would spend a free day, what her typical day looks like, plus how she defines her eclectically chic style, and where she finds inspiration.

Libby basking in the sun at Cafe Roze

If you had an entire day to be a tourist in your own city of Nashville, what exactly would you do? From coffee to lunch to dinner, where would you go?

I’d start with a cup of Osa Coffee from their new kiosk in East Nashville, followed by a pastry at Slow Hand, just down Gallatin Pike. I’d make my way over to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which is something that no visitor to Nashville should miss, regardless of whether they like country music or not: this place tells the story of our nation.

After a dose of mid-morning caffeine from Pink Hermit, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s cafe at the Hermitage Hotel, I’d stop by Third Man Records to see what new releases they have out in their store. I’d then head to Belle Meade to Roze Pony for lunch, followed by stops at some of the cool stores over that way: G&G Interiors, The Kitchen, White’s Mercantile, and Heirloom Artifacts.

I love to shop for antiques, so visits to GasLamp Antique Mall and the new Eneby Home showroom are in the cards. I’d inevitably need some more coffee after that, so a quick stop at Soho House in Wedgewood Houston would be in order. I’d spend the rest of my day back in East Nashville, hitting up some of my favorite stores: High Class Hillbilly for vintage Western wear; East Nashville Antiques for vintage everything else; The Green Ray Books for niche book purchases (I recently bought A Year on Earth with Mr. Hell, which I’ve been dying to read); Frankie’s Bottega for their incredible Caesar dressing; and Wilder, the incredible contemporary design store.

At 5, I’d head to Bad Idea for a glass of NA wine before shuttling over Ellington Parkway to Sean Brock’s experimental restaurant, June. Sean’s space is so beautiful that it’s hard to leave. So I’d stick around the Bar at Audrey for another NA drink before heading home. 

Libby at Green Ray Books

What is a “day in the life” like for you? We want all the deets! 

I get up pretty early — usually before 6 AM. I immediately drink two double espresso Americanos and then try to exercise. I just joined Gym 5 in my neighborhood and have gotten hooked on rowing. After that, I take a bath in my dreamy tub, a custom design that was made to fit someone of my height (plus someone else if I’m lucky!).

I usually have an idea of what I want to wear before I start trying on outfits; I’ll go through a minimum of three, max of 10 before I land on the combo that makes me feel happy that day (it changes). Then, I check and return emails, and go down my client list to see what’s due or pressing. I keep a running list and daily agenda in my notebook that I cross off as I go; it makes me feel accomplished, even if all I manage to finish on the list is pick up my dry cleaning. I like to meet folks for lunch, whether it’s a client, a friend, or someone I don't know well that I’ve wanted to spend time with. (I also do a lot of cold-asking folks to lunch; a meal is a great forum for getting to know someone new, because if the conversation stalls, there are built in distractions.)

I often end up at Cafe Roze in East Nashville (my client) or Mas Tacos; on the west side, I love Cafe Roze’s sister, Roze Pony, in Belle Meade, or RH Courtyard Restaurant in Green Hills. After lunch, I come home and work some more. I try hard to turn it off at 5. I’m a bit of a workaholic, so this is a relatively new thing — a practice I’m cultivating. 

If I’m not going out to eat with friends, seeing a show, or running errands, I’m at home, making sequined ornaments. They started out as a Christmas project, but they’ve now become a year-round thing that responds to holidays (hearts on Valentine’s, bunnies and eggs on Easter). I go to bed fairly early — by 9 if I can swing it. But lately I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix movies, which keep me up later. I miss Succession. 

Libby at Mas Tacos

You have an incredibly unique style, which we love. How would you describe your style and what inspires you? Can you share a few of your style inspirations?

Thank you! Well, it’s not easy to define — mainly because it’s always changing. When I was younger, I was drawn to really colorful patterns, mainly in the form of feminine dresses and skirts.

Over the last ten years, as I’ve entered middle age, my tastes have changed a lot. I still love color and prints, but I wear them sparingly. Just because I adore a piece of clothing doesn’t mean I need to wear it.

What I’m most into now is statement pieces that — and pardon the cliché — whisper instead of shout. Lots of black, white, and red. I have always been drawn to Japanese and the more avant garde European designers, but now I’m really leaning into them. Junya Watanabe, Issey Miyake, Romeo Gigli, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten, and Yohji Yamamato are some of my current favorites to search for on The Real Real, which doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves for its 80s and 90s vintage.

About 80% of my closet is secondhand or vintage and I really like mixing old and new. There’s not really a person whose style I try to emulate. But I do love where Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett and more recently, Greta Lee’s tastes take them. They can pull off harder to wear looks that might flummox less adventurous dressers.

From left to right: Libby at Mas Tacos, Green Ray Books, and Cafe Roze

Libby wears the 32" Long Link Chain, Elemental Taurus Zodiac Charm, Love Heart Charm, Love & Fear Coin, and Everything Disc