Growing up, Parise Sellitti’s life revolved around ballet. The classically trained dancer gave up weekends and summers to study her chosen art, which instilled in her an unwavering sense of dedication and drive. She never imagined she’d experience anything else quite as fulfilling—and then she found fashion (literally) at New York’s F.I.T. Positions at Christian Lacroix, Ralph Lauren, and Tumi followed, and now, as the Digital Director at PR Consulting, she advises top fashion and lifestyle brands on their social and visual platforms. Her unexpected journey has not been without its bumps, of course. “The perfectionist in me would rather not admit it, but I’ve made mistakes. But my motto is to accept them, learn from them, and then kick ass the next time around.” —Jennifer Henderson

Her fashion education: “My mother is a total fashionista, so the affinity for clothes, shoes, and bags are part of my DNA. I used to choose my first-day-of-school outfits weeks before going back to school—like in July.”

Her work ethic: “There is always an underlying expectation to be the best. I’m also guilty of sleeping with my phone next to my pillow, doing work at all hours of day and night, and obsessively scanning the social landscape to see what the rest of my field is up to.”

Her success secret: “If you can still feel that sense of excitement when you see the result of the work you do, then for me, that’s the ultimate success.”

Her look: “I definitely have a uniform. I’m so petite that I’ve had to figure out what styles work best on me. I like rolled-up jeans (I’m a huge fan of the exposed ankle); a bootie or wedge; button-down or popover (Steven Alan’s sizing is perfect for me); and I’m also queen of the cardigan. For nighttime, it’s a slight variation with a heel and a silk top. The one constant is a red lip—it’s the best accessory.”

Her style counsel: “Always invest in good shoes, bags, and outwear.”

Her inspiration: “This isn’t a plug for the platform, but is the best source for inspiration. And since I’m going down the worst-ever-cliché route, I’ll throw in N.Y.C., too: I get ideas from everything from a font on a menu or the colors or prints of wallpaper in a hotel bathroom (see: The NoMad).”

Her must-haves: “My iPhone and a classic watch; Diorissimo eau de parfum and FACE Stockholm lipstick; Adidas Originals Superstar sneakers, my ballet slippers, and a black and brown bootie; navy, black, and grey cardigans in every style; Jerome Dreyfuss bags; and grey and black jeans.”

Her beauty: “Being confident and having a sense of self and style—and not being afraid to show it.”

Her maxim: “I often remind myself of the thing that should drive me in life: joy. So much so that I have the word tattooed on my elbow.”

Her best practices: “High image quality, finding the right cadence, a discernible voice—but what it comes down to is posting things that have meaning. If you’re compelled by it, chances are someone else will be, too. Also, be mindful of your digital identity. Don’t post anything that you think you’ll end up regretting.”

Her social circle: “I am obsessively consuming content all day long. My list of morning reads includes Digiday, Glossy, Business of Fashion, Hypebeast, and Highsnobiety. I religiously read the Refinery29.com monthly horoscopes. I ‘like’ every post by . is great for art. And I have a thing for food so I love because I want to eat my way through Asia.”

Her future: “I ask myself that question almost every day. When I find out, you’ll be the first to know.”