Australian Clothing Style

Melbourne is home to Australia's Fashion Week, but its locals wear fashion-forward looks year round. Here, a few Melburnians talk to us about their personal style and what it takes to dress like a local.

Photograph by Aubrey Daquinag

Name: James Neal
Occupation: Digital Media Strategist
Age: 32
Neighborhood you live in: Brunswick
Favorite element of your outfit: My Dejour Jeans for sure. Established in the late 80’s, Dejour is an institution. With an unassuming and far from glamorous shop front on Sydney Road in Brunswick, Dejour is filled with a load of styles, colors, and sizes. They tailor the jeans to fit in-store and generally within the hour, depending on how busy they are. Best bet is to go midweek or else you could be lining up around the corner to get in. Including tailoring for a little over $50 a pair, the jeans are uber comfy and cost-effective. I don’t think I’ll buy jeans anywhere else ever again!
What do you think Melbourne style is all about? There are two commonalities when it comes to fashion in Melbourne: individuality and layers. Melbourne’s full of all sorts and all cultures—it brings a diverse range of styles. As long as you’re comfortable within yourself, anything goes. And it’s important to remember that even if it’s 30°C (86°F) outside, it is still a pretty good idea to bring a coat!

Name: Charlotte Grigg
Occupation: Fashion Director for 213 Apparel and Yoga Teacher
Age: 34
Neighborhood you live in: Hawthorn East
Favorite element of your outfit: It was so cold this morning and I wasn’t really that inspired, hence the striped T-shirt layered with black jumper. But when I put on my Acne green leather jacket, it just makes my outfit come to life. Two seasons later, and I’m still in love with my Acne green leather jacket.
What do you think Melbourne style is all about? Melbourne style is effortlessly cool in layers—people really mix high street, designer, and vintage pieces. Also depending on the area you hang out in, too, affects how you dress. The North side is hipster/grunge, and East is yuppie/hipster.

Name: Sammy Veall
Occupation: Yoga teacher and Yoga 213 studio owner
Age: 25
Neighborhood you live in: Prahran
Favorite element of your outfit: Leggings and tee by my new apparel line 213 Apparel. It’s comfy and cool.
What do you think Melbourne style is all about? Matching seasons with mood and functionality.

Name: Zackary Leon Furst
Occupation: Chef
Age: 22
Neighborhood you live in: Flemington
Favorite element of your outfit: Most of my apparel is from local Australian labels—jeans by Dejour in Brunswick, T-shirt by Pass Port, jacket by AS Colour, and Vans shoes. The deep black color suits my personality and who I am.
What do you think Melbourne style is all about? Melbourne style for me is about practical wear—I dress in a way I can be ready for cold, warm, wet, windy, and dry. But mostly I think Melbourne style is about individuality. Melbourne allows someone to express themselves visually without judgement due to its diverse cultures and wide array of styles.

Name: Kat Cheung and Michelle Le
Occupation: Kat: PR & Marketing Manager; Michelle: Graphic Designer
Age: Kat: 26; Michelle: 26
Neighborhood you live in: Kat: Balwyn North; Michelle: Richmond Favorite element of your outfit: Kat: My culottes by Carven, because as much as they repel men, they are so darn comfy.
Michelle: All the different textures—fur on my Deadly Ponies bag, sequins on this Gorman x Miranda Skoczek collaboration sweater dress, and suede on my Rag & Bone boots.
What do you think Melbourne style is all about? Kat: Expressing yourself through the way you dress. Although we're known for loving black, I think Melburnians have a very eccentric, individual sense of style. We aren't afraid of straying from the norm.
Michelle: Head-to-toe black, but I'm trying to change that to navy.

Name: Alyssa Amelia
Occupation: Photographer and student
Age: 24
Neighborhood you live in: Bundoora
Favorite element of your outfit: The weather in Melbourne is so cold (and unpredictable), so my favorite element of my outfit is the layering and the warm shaggy jacket I picked up from a vintage store. I love these boots, too—they were $40 from the Tony Bianco outlet, and I've worn them from here to New York and muddy photoshoot locations in between.
What do you think Melbourne style is all about? I think Melbourne style is all about black, black, and more black! There's a very "cool" vibe going on here, and everyone seems to embrace that minimalistic look.