Emma Oleck

Photo: Kana Motojima/ Even though I spend my days studying runways, pulling looks, and styling for a living, shopping for myself has always felt difficult. I don’t really “shop” in the traditional sense; I think of adding to my wardrobe more like collecting. And the pieces that do make it into my wardrobe are the ones that genuinely make me happy. I’ve realized I prioritize shape and comfort above everything else. If something doesn’t feel good, I won’t reach for it.

Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Sarah Treacher As a market editor, I look at dozens of outfits a day, carefully analyzing each one to understand what makes me like (or not like) the look. It often comes down to styling: the sharpness of a heel, the messiness of one’s hair, or the layering of multiple shirts. It’s the details that matter.

New Balance’s Allerdales — the brand’s new hiking shoes — are way too chic to hike in. Sure, they were comfortable, but they also remind me of a loafer I would wear out. In any case, hike I did! New Balance recently took me and a group of other editors, creators, and journalists from all over the world to the English county of Cumbria, home to a special little town on the coast of the Irish Sea called Flimby, where the brand’s U.K. factory operates.