You don’t have to wear Gucci and Chanel to have style (although sometimes it does help). Around Australia there is no shortage of eclectic and stylish people from whom to get your daily fashion inspo.
In a weekly blog on Sydney’s everyday fashionistas, ISABELLE KNEVETT and AMELIA JANE ROACH hit the streets to talk to the ordinary Aussies exhibiting their own extraordinary fashion sense and find out what inspires them.
FRIENDS IN FASHION
Thursday, July 25, 2019 – Hyde Park, Sydney
Meet Prya and Liza, two 19-year-old architecture students from Brisbane, who we found walking through Hyde Park on their Sydney holiday. The girls say their personal style is, “layered, patterned and colourful. “My favourite colour is orange, I love bright bold colours”, says Liza. “I really love block colours, they’re definitely trending at the moment, I think some of the 90s looks are definitely on trend and look cool too… We are also massive fans of the TV show Friends and get style inspo from their fashion”, says Prya.
One of Liza’s favourite fashion purchases is a pair of layered, black baggy pants and also her favourite pair of orange corduroy jeans… “I get so many compliments when I wear them.”
Among the girl’s favourite brands and fashion labels are Uniqlo and Zara. They also said: “I feel like I don’t really go to that many shops anymore, everyone seems to go thrifting now.”
The girls get a lot of their clothes on sale, and do a lot of opp shopping and check out vintage sales in their area. They also feel like they’ve always had their own sense of style, “more recently I’ve actually gotten quite a few hand-me-downs from my mum, so in a way, wearing her old fashion I guess I look up to her, for fashion inspiration and styling inspo.”
Prya said: “I love to look at people on the street and see the way they style clothes similar to what I already have… I do it all the time, I’ve got so many clothes in my wardrobe and when I see people style clothes differently it inspires me to give my clothes a new life.”
CAPITOL CLASS
Thursday, July 11, 2019 – Pitt Street, Surry Hills
Meet Talia, a bubbly 24-year-old performer, whom we found walking with her coffee outside the Capitol Theatre. on her way to perform in the Capitol’s latest show Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.
Talia describes her personal style as “shapeless, loose and colourful”. Her love of bright colours and fun patterns, she says, is influenced by the ’70s and ’80s.
She likes a little bit of op shopping but at the moment is really obsessed with an Australian brand, ALPHA60. “They make the most amazing jumpsuits and they’re really cool.”
Her fashion icon is flame-haired actress Emma Stone, and she loves to read old magazines and watch old movies to find her fashion inspo.
New York is her city fashion inspiration.
IN TUNE IN NEWTOWN
Friday, June 28, 2019 – King Street, Newtown
Meet Tet, a 24-year-old fashion designer from Newtown. He is really into the ’60s and ’70s and makes and designs his own clothes. He always wears something he feels he can relate to and wants to wear clothes that are different.
He gets all of his clothes from around Newtown, in op shops, markets and vintage stores. He hits up local shops in the hope of finding cool items to add to his collection. His fashion inspiration comes from his mind and the music to which he listens.
“I’m inspired by Al Green, the soul singer, who is my hero,” he told Sew Cool. “Also Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and George Harrison.”
Tet, who grew up in Japan, said living in Australia had changed his style.
Eleanor, Grace and Ruby, 19-year-old art students from the Northern Beaches, always ask themselves before wearing an outfit: “Do I really want to wear this just because everybody else is wearing it?”
They try to stay true to their own personal styles and are lovers of the ’70s and ’80s, which influence their fashion. They get their clothes from Vinnies, markets and vintage stores – even, in the case of one girl, from her grandfather. Everything they wear is second-hand.
Yasmin, a 23-year-old traveller from England, changes her style (all the time) and loves wearing baggy clothes.
“I want to be comfortable first,” she says. “I like to wear plain clothes so that way I can play around with the style and colours and patterns.”
She is heavily into online shopping, with her faves being ASOS, H&M and Topshop.
SINGAPORE SLING
Thursday, June 20, 2019 – Flinders Street, Darlinghurst
NAMES: Vivian and Lilin
AGE: 23 (both)
OCCUPATION: Material Science student and Management Consultant
How would you describe your personal style?
(Vivian) I like summer clothes. (Lilin) I love dresses, jumpsuits and rompers… Mostly like [them] for ease of wear.
Do you have a style inspiration?
(V) I look at Instagram. (L) I look at Instagram.
What is your favourite item you’re wearing?
(V) I love my coat, I got it in Korea. (L) I like my dress.
Where are you girls from?
Singapore.
Where do you buy your clothes from?
(V) I buy my clothes online. (L) For me I do physical shops more.
What kind of shops do you like?
(V) Fast fashion shops. (L) I like Zara.
What is something you would never wanna be caught wearing?
(V) A lot of things… (L) I don’t like frilly dresses.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you want to live?
(V) Japan. (L) Toronto.
SURRY STYLE
Thursday, June 13, 2019 – Crown Street, Darlinghurst
NAME: Akira
AGE: 31
OCCUPATION: Retail
How would you describe your personal style?
I don’t know, like… cowboy dad.
Where do you find your style inspiration?
My dad… Maybe him in the 1970s.
Where do you buy your clothes?
Here, there and everywhere, mainly vintage stuff.
What would you never be caught wearing?
Chinos.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Madrid… if you’ve ever been to Madrid. you’d understand why.
NAME: Lily
AGE: 33
OCCUPATION: Sales
How would you describe your personal style?
I’d say a mix of 60s, 70s… One day I’ll go kind of like mod-y and the
next day I’ll go more hippie, just a mix of vintage.
Where do you find your style inspiration?
I go on Tumblr a lot and just look at old pictures from the 60s and
70s and also old magazines.
Do you have a style inspiration?
I guess if I were to pick one person it would be Brigitte Bardot…
She’s the one.
Where do you buy your clothes?
My clothes are predominantly vintage, so at swap places .. old second-hand clothing.
What would you never be caught wearing?
Fast fashion (styles that leap off the catwalk straight into the shops).
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
I would live in Madrid in Spain.
TUNE IN FOR MORE SEW COOL NEXT WEEK…
@IsabelleKnevett and @ameliaroach, additional reporting by Erin Christie, Annika Baker and Naomi Ferreira