Christie Tyler's Closet Is Proof You Don't Need More Clothes

Christie Tyler was always confident about her personal style. Way before minimalism became a go-to aesthetic online, she was refining her eye in real time, building a wardrobe and a world around pieces that felt intentional, instead of trend-chasing. That instinct has followed her from New Jersey to New York, and now to Los Angeles, where she’s settled into a new home that reflects the same point of view.

Tyler, who was formerly known online as NYC Bambi, was a Tumblr girl back in the early days when you could treat your page more like a visual diary than a personal brand. The name NYC Bambi dates back to when she moved to New York at 18 to attend LIM College. “I felt like a little deer in headlights,” she says; that feeling stayed with her, and so did the name. 

Her photos started to resonate quickly with her audience, and as her following grew rapidly, she became one of the first fashion creators to formalize that momentum, signing with Wilhelmina’s digital creator division, at a time when the category was still new. It was a pivotal shift in her career, signaling to brands that she was taking her work seriously, and that her presence online was more than just personal. 

Tyler has a way of making everything feel intentional and cohesive. Her vintage pieces sit alongside custom designs, and nothing feels added just for the sake of it. When Coveteur visited her new home in Los Angeles, one of the first pieces that stood out was a custom deer-print daybed. She said she designed it with a furniture maker based in Pennsylvania using reclaimed oak and steel, upholstering it in her signature Bambi print as a nod to her former digital moniker.

Her approach to fashion follows that same instinct. Early on, she became interested not just in clothing, but the creative directors behind it. She remembers falling in love with Phoebe Philo's Céline as her first real encounter with high fashion and with developing her taste. "I would use my first few paychecks from influencing, very irresponsibly, on her pieces," she says. It was the beginning of her new approach to style. 

After a decade in New York, Tyler moved to Los Angeles earlier this year, entering what she describes as a chapter of “deep relaxation.” The shift is already visible in how she dresses and how she lives. The instinct is still there, just a little more settled.

Ahead, step inside Tyler’s closet and inner world, where she reflects on her style evolution from Tumblr to now, her approach to collecting, and how exactly she decided what to bring (and leave behind) in her cross-country move.

Let's start at the beginning. Where were you when Wilhemina called?

I remember being at my internship, standing on a ladder in the accessories closet with my laptop open, trying to put things away, when I saw the Wilhelmina email. I almost fell off the ladder. I was probably 21 when I signed, and that’s when things really started blossoming. Brands understood I was being represented and that I was taking this seriously, and that’s when bigger opportunities started coming in. I was going on brand trips, juggling Fashion Week with classes, and by the time I graduated at 22, I had to decide whether to try this full-time. I took the plunge, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

How would you describe the evolution of your personal style over the years?

There have always been two constants for me, no matter how many styles I’ve tried: my taste has always been neutral and minimal. Those have never wavered, even when I leaned into a more preppy or more masculine way of dressing. There was a period when I really enjoyed playing with androgyny through suiting and loafers, but as I’ve grown up, I’ve enjoyed leaning more into feminine energy. I can see all of my past versions reflected in what I wear now. The more you get to know yourself, the less you feel inclined to prove anything. 

You recently made a big move from NYC to LA. How did you decide what items you were going to keep?

I keep things pretty edited down and I feel like I really know what my staples are by now. My denim collection, for example, never really changes. I have a lot of vintage Levi’s, and I knew I was going to take those with me to L.A. because they feel so integral to the L.A. way of dressing.

I also wanted to keep all of my coats. I believe that it’s important to edit and evolve your closet, but I’m also a keeper of pieces. If I’ve invested in something—not even in a monetary sense, but if it’s sentimental to me—I’ll always keep it. A lot of the pieces that were shot fall into that category, like my vintage Armani or a special Alaïa piece I picked up in Paris. Those collector moments hold so much personal value for me, so I was always sure to hold on to them.

How do the change in weather influence your decision-making?

It felt like a real challenge and a test for me to maintain the integrity of my style and my overall thought process around fashion while adjusting the materials I was working with. That meant incorporating more linens and silks, rather than heavy wool trousers and similar pieces. I wanted to keep the integrity of my style, but just change the materials so they would work for the weather. 

What's your shopping philosophy?
 
I really invest in pieces. I’m actually quite picky and take a lot of time when I shop. I don’t splurge very often. If I see something I love, I try to sit with it for at least a week, if not longer, to see if I’m still craving it two weeks later. That’s how I decide if something is really worth investing in. I like to test myself with time.

When I’m shopping vintage, I’m always thinking about what can fill a unique void in my closet. I’m looking for shapes or fabrics I’ve never seen before and pieces that feel dynamic and special. That’s why I love vintage so much—you can find things you truly haven’t seen before. At the same time, I’m always balancing that with strong basics. Sometimes I’ll come across a great pair of trousers or a really functional bag and know it’s something I’ll reach for again and again.

Do you have a similar approach when shopping for pieces for your home, especially after moving?

Honestly, yes. A lot of the pieces we’re searching for for our home are secondhand. I love going on Chairish and 1stDibs and finding those unique pieces.I think the hunt is so fun and oddly enough, the pieces I find secondhand, whether it’s furniture or clothing, are the ones I end up keeping for a really long time.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to be more of a minimalist?

I think small New York City apartments forced me to become more conscious and focus on intention, which ended up being a beautiful and beneficial shift. It made me really look at my wardrobe, avoid unnecessary accumulation, and focus on what inspires me and keeps me at my best. I don’t want to look at a closet that doesn’t feel like me, and I don’t want to feel bogged down by excess. I think it’s a wonderful challenge to ask yourself how you can be more sustainable and conscious, and focus on what truly feels like you. When you take things away, you gain a much clearer sense of what actually makes sense for you.

How does your home, and specifically your closet, function as a creative space for you?

There’s a beauty in not having a strict method to your madness in your closet. It sounds counterintuitive, but if everything were overly organized, I might forget about certain pieces. I like having to sift through my racks. Each piece feels like a rediscovery or a memory, and I make mental notes as I go. I’ll think, “Oh, that’s here. I should wear that tomorrow.”

I also love when a home reflects what you believe in. I’m drawn to minimalism because it gives me mental peace. I’ve always been someone who gets overwhelmed by excess, and especially when you live in busy cities that demand so much of you, it’s meaningful to come home to a space that feels like a refuge. That’s why I’m so drawn to neutrals, both in my closet and in my home. They allow me to breathe, relax my eyes, and focus on what really matters.

Do you have a uniform or go-to formula that feels most like you?

If I’m ever stuck on what to wear, I always default to a button-down shirt. A great pair of vintage Levi’s, an oversized button-down, a fun pair of oversized sunglasses, and pointy flats is my go-to formula. If it’s cold, I’ll add a long black coat and a hat, or a trench if it’s raining. It feels the most like me and completely anti-fuss. I love not fussing with an outfit. That’s always been key for me. 

How do you decide when a piece has longevity versus when it’s just a trend?

My rule of thumb has always been to play with trends through accessories. I like my wardrobe to be filled with pieces I want forever. Then I’ll have fun with trend items like a pillbox hat or bonnet, statement jewelry, or ponyhair heels.

What might surprise people about your closet?

I think people are surprised by how little clothing I actually own. It all ties back to my philosophy of living minimally, but I also love having fun. There’s a lightness to me that people don’t always expect. You can be intentional and still live lightly.

Click through to see inside Christie Tyler's closet.

Photographs by Paige Campbell Linden