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When I casually mentioned that Erika Girardi, better known by her stage name, Erika Jayne, was coming to visit the Vogue offices, it prompted two reactions from the staff. Some reacted with trepidation, others excitement. Since joining Bravo’s reality show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2015, Girardi has made a splash with her bold fashion choices and even more explosive on-screen honesty. Arriving to One World Trade Center dressed in a Gucci satin bomber, skinny black jeans, and Christian Louboutin white pumps accented with an animal print, she looked like a sleek uptowner with a downtown slant. “I’m a showman,” said Girardi. “I believe that you’re a character every time you put on clothes. Tomorrow I may be another in hoops and tight jeans and a bomber. Clothes, to me, or wardrobe express characters.”
Beyond her role on Housewives, Girardi performs as Jayne, whose latest single, “Xxpen$ive,” is a dance floor–friendly track in which the fashion is a mash-up of ’80s influences including Miami Vice and the model Gia Carangi. But beyond the glossy veneer of this haute housewife—Girardi married high-powered attorney Thomas Girardi of Erin Brockovich fame in 1999 and has one son, a police officer—lies a fashion arbiter with references and an archive like a museum curator.
“I grew up looking at everything,” said Girardi, who read Vogue and watched MGM musicals growing up. “Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe—those women of that era will always and forever be my style icons.” And while the glamorous side is often highlighted on-screen, it’s also reflected in Girardi’s personality, sensibilities, and her approach to dress. “I think my mother and grandmother had style even though we’re humble Southern people,” added Girardi.
Today Girardi credits the strong female role models she had in her own family for giving her the freedom to express herself in fashion. “I like over the top,” she said. “And I like shit that’s expensive. My eye pulls for those things.” Punctuating today’s look are oversize diamond stud earrings and a choker from Chanel’s Cuba-themed collection whose overt bling factor hits every note: “A little cheap, a little rich, and a whole lot of fun.”
Girardi’s taste for intelligent, exuberant glamour in fashion might explain her particular love affair with two designers in particular: Tom Ford and Alexander McQueen.
“The way McQueen cut when he was with us was incredible,” said Girardi, whose extensive collection includes everything from dresses to tailored Prince of Wales check jackets. “You always had great shoulders and a tiny waist. Very feminine.” As for Ford, Girardi famously wore the designer’s gold frock while filming last season’s confessional—“It was very Ginger in Casino,” said Girardi of her “character”—and is currently stocking up on Gucci’s blouses for filming alongside her castmates. “Printed and solids just to put with pants and run around,” added Girardi. “I love a good dress but I don’t see any right now.”
And what is Girardi’s take on fashion in Beverly Hills? “It’s lazy,” laughed the singer. “You have to work to look good. You don’t wake up and effortlessly look fabulous.” On her off-days, she admits that she prioritizes comfort over poshness but still retains a cool-girl vibe in Adidas track bottoms and shell tops—a similar look recently tested out by fashion plate Victoria Beckham—as well as haute hoodies from Givenchy or T-shirt dresses from Jeremy Scott for Moschino. “I will always be fashion. I try to pull it together. I think that comes from a sense of self. That’s how you create your own look.”
For her videos, Girardi explained the songs drive the costume. For “Xxpen$ive,” she wanted to capture the over-the-top flashiness of Miami in the ’80s with pop culture references from Cindy Crawford to Madonna but with a high-fashion quotient. Rihanna’s futuristic shades for Dior were sported with a custom white suit and bustier, while swimwear and lingerie were custom-made with the latter sourced locally from Trashy Lingerie on La Cienega Boulevard.
Showman one minute, fashion fan the next—that duality is present in all facets of Girardi's life, including Housewives. This season has seen her sport Mugler mini-frocks, Cartier’s diamond-encrusted panther ring, and countless bodysuits. But it’s in the confessionals where Girardi is able to meld her love of fashion with her characters. “I’m a character every time . . . I was very bossed-up Scarface in my white Versace [suit] and then I went very Toddlers & Tiaras in the pink Gucci.”
Setting the benchmark for Housewives kids are Bella and Gigi Hadid, both of whom have strong wills and equally determined fashion identities. And even though Girardi was in town for the tail end of New York Fashion Week, she didn’t have a moment to catch her friend and former castmate Yolanda Hadid’s kids on the catwalk. “I wish! They’re doing all the best ones! I’m so happy for them . . . [Yolanda] raised those girls so beautifully. I’ve never been happier for young women’s success.” And that message of female empowerment carries over into Girardi’s music videos and performances as Erika Jayne. “Be smart, plan ahead, and stand on your own two feet.” And for Girardi, that means a Christian Louboutin heel. The higher, the better.