Stassi Schroeder On Gatekeeping Vintage & Dressing Up For Flights

Reality television stans, rejoice, for Stassi Schroeder is here to save us all. My hyperbole is understandable: Not only is she returning as the princess of the Italian castle on Vanderpump Villa, gamely playing spy for Lisa Vanderpump, but she’s also getting her own show, Stassi Says. While she couldn’t say too much about the latter when she talked to NYLON, we’re just happy to get the new, improved, and even more fashionable Schroeder on our screens.

If you’re even vaguely familiar with the Bravo TV universe, surely the name Stassi rings a bell — no last name needed. Schroeder became an immediate fixture on Vanderpump Rules; she was a light in the dark, a brutally honest counterpunch to the gaslighting and cheating, and quickly was adopted as a fan favorite — and Lisa Vanderpump’s not-so-secret favorite. Recently, Vanderpump moved things to Italy after Vanderpump Rules imploded (we surely don’t need to go over that), and brought Schroeder along with her. If you haven’t kept up with Schroeder in the meantime, you might be surprised to see her bringing two children and a suave husband in tow — and looking very age-appropriate in her approximation of what we both begrudgingly called “mom style.”

Indeed, the reason we connected was her new fashion, which is rife with linen matching separates, A-line dresses, and lots of covetable Chanel accessories (her favorite splurge). While her early style on Vanderpump Rules was, in her words, where she “was dressed like a politician's wife a lot of the time,” the mom of two has found an outfit formula that works for her — plus a newfound appreciation for vintage. Below, we get into her style evolution, looking your best at the airport, and her shopping habits.

Your fashion is great right now. There's been a lot of personal evolution off-camera during your reality-TV hiatus. I don't want to call it mom style, but how would you describe it?

No, me neither, but whenever people ask me about my style, it all does come down to being a f*cking mom. I don't want to say mom style — that sounds so lame and obvious. You have to wear things out of necessity sometimes, but you still want to look and feel amazing. So that's why it is kind of mom style. It's definitely changed over the years since giving birth twice.

Physically and literally, your style has to change.

It truly is things you don't even think about. When I was pregnant, I never thought, “I'm not going to wear skirts for a long time,” because you don't realize you're going to be sitting on the floor criss-cross-fricking-applesauce. It's not realistic for me to be investing in a sh*t ton of skirts. It's more realistic for me to be investing in a sh*t ton of denim, pants, or dresses that are billowy so that I can sit criss-cross-applesauce. When I go to the park, I can't bring my clutch, my big Bottega [Veneta], because I have to be picking my kid up. So a cross-body it is. We're on the hunt for cool vintage cross-bodies because that's what my life calls for. So, unfortunately it is mom style.

It's also fun in a way being limited logistically; you have to challenge yourself to make it cute.

That's true. Or, you could say the opposite and say everything is so limited that there are fewer choices to make, so it makes getting dressed easier. In my 20s — and I feel like all of us go through this in our 20s — we feel like we need to have a different outfit for every single thing. No outfit repeating. When I think of my 20s, what life consisted of then? Body dresses, platform heels, and daisy-duke shorts with a blouse. Make that make sense. Now, it's not about having a different look every single day. It's having these timeless pieces you can rewear all the time and style differently.

When I get dressed every day, I think, “I never want people to be able to put a year on what this look is.” Even if I'm just going to the grocery store and snapping an OOTD, I don't want to look back and be like, “That's so 2025.” My goal is always to look as timeless as possible. When you are a mom, having good basics that are good quality, that's what it's all about.

If you look back at some of your confessional looks from Vanderpump Rules, some of the colors and even the silhouettes, it's so 2014.

There's maybe three that I stand behind. One of my confessionals, I literally was hungover, got off a plane to come to LA, used a bridesmaid dress I had just worn, and threw a giant rainbow statement necklace on it. I'm sweating thinking about it.

Whenever people ask me about my style, it all does come down to being a f*cking mom.

I can tell you have a silhouette now: You love an A-line dress, you love a matching separate. Do you have any favorite brands you like to shop or look at for inspiration?

In terms of shopping — especially when I was shopping for Italy — I like to go to Farfetch and Net-A-Porter. I will go and I'll look at things. I don't like to splurge on clothes, I like to splurge on accessories, like a shoe. I will always buy a shoe, never rent a shoe. I'll find inspiration on TikTok, looking at different influencers and seeing what's going on. For the most part, I love a timeless look. For Italy, Reformation was a place where it's like, “OK, these pieces are easy, they're classic, they feel like they're going to stand the test of time.” You're not fully breaking the bank.

When I'm on vacation, I like things to be as effortless as possible. It's also hot, so if you have an amazing shoe with an easy dress and a statement earring and statement bag, you're good to go. That was my inspiration when it came to Italy and filming Vanderpump Villa. Italians just know how to do it. Whenever you see European people on vacation, it's so simple and striking. I'll never forget, one of the days I was there and we were filming, someone in the staff came up to me and they were like, “I just want to let you know, all of us are talking behind the bar and you were totally giving Sofia Richie.” And I'm like, “Thank you. I came first, but thank you.”

You were there first.

I am the elder. I came first.

How many suitcases did you bring to Italy?

Seven suitcases. I'm not joking. On camera, you do have to have different outfits. In my day-to-day life, I am an outfit repeater. To me, it was about all the accessories. You would've thought a Kardashian was showing up to that camp.

Stassi Says is coming up soon. What can you tell me about filming that?

I am so excited. It's something I've been working on since before I was pregnant with my son. It's a full-blown passion project that is built from the soul. Thinking about the fashion, one of the best parts about being on reality TV is that it's an excuse to do it up. The world becomes your runway. I like to tell people the airport is your runway normally. You never know who you're going to see, so don't look like sh*t at the airport. I don't.

First of all, thank you so much for saying that because I am a huge proponent of, at the very least, wearing a nice jean on the plane.

When we flew to Italy, I brought silk pajamas with me in my carry-on.

I love that. I'm excited to see what you wear on Stassi Says; I can tell that you're excited to dress up for TV again.

I learn something about clothing and different brands every day. I've started going to showrooms that have vintage pieces I can pick from, because I hate wearing the same thing as everybody else. Vintage pieces have history to them, and it makes me think, “Who else wore this before me? What event were they going to?” It's like when I go to cemeteries, I love to walk around and look at the names on the headstones and wonder what were their lives like. That's how I feel about vintage clothing. It has a soul to it.

Was the Mugler blazer you wore on Good Morning America vintage? Where did you find that one?

Yes, but I am literally sworn to secrecy on this showroom. I normally don't gatekeep, I normally just tell everything. But one thing I also am is loyal, and when I promise someone something, I have to keep that promise.

You're the queen of an open book, so I think it's funny when you can't tell.

I need to keep some things for myself. Not my relationship or anything like that, but where I borrow my clothing, that's where I draw the line.

Are there any other places you like to find vintage clothing, like Vestiaire Collective or TheRealReal?

I love both, but I have to know what I'm going in for. I can't go on those sites or apps blind. I have to find inspiration and be like, “Oh my God, I would love to have something like this. This speaks to me.” I prefer to shop that way anyway, with full intention, knowing exactly what I want.

What is the rest of your summer looking like?

I want to plan an international podcast tour. Also, I need a vacation. My family would want to go back to Italy.

Is there a new place in Italy you want to see?

I'd really like to experience Lake Como. I also have never been to the south, like Positano, but Beau and I aren't beach people.

How’s your Italian?

Listen, I am going to use this as an excuse, and whatever, I like excuses, but this was a real one. It was very hard for me to learn Italian when I'm surrounded by a bunch of Americans 24/7. I was set up for failure with that one. We have to go back for a couple months, but actually live the Italian life.