a curated guide to aussie labels and living
what sydney taught me about the quest for effortless dressing
Last week I found myself in the thick of a shopping spiral. Meaning it had been a few months since my last fashion binge (call it may) and I was getting to the point of the cycle where I was in the depths of wardrobe fatigue. But while this may be a great misfortune for my screen time and wallet, I come to you armed with many links for your viewing pleasures.
Despite this being my third iteration of a blog about clothes, I really didn’t start paying attention to what I was wearing until I moved to australia. Up until then, I spent most of my time oscillating between overpriced club monaco/zara tops and making sure my ann taylor/theory shift dresses were understated enough to be taken seriously in an office setting.
But moving to sydney fundamentally shifted my taste and practice of getting dressed: there is this australian way of putting together pieces that is tastefully curated, a touch trendy but also delightfully unpretentious. One of the girls in my office would come in on summer fridays in a perfectly fitted and worn in white tee and wide legs jeans and I remember thinking, I want to wear a white tee shirt and jeans, but in that way.
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When I moved back stateside, I was crying, screaming, throwing up at how much fx rates and DHL shipping prices from sydney to new york were and kicking myself for not stocking up while I was still living my cool girl surfer lifestyle.
So imagine my delight when last month I saw leandra (from the cereal isle) writing about australian fashion designers — and the trend that she (and I also!) have been noticing of more and more australian-based designers popping up at the likes of net-a-porter and farfetch.
To date, one of my most reliable fashion hacks is just shopping australian-based designers to find polished but relaxed staples but it’s time to gate keep no longer. So let’s dive into a few of my favorite pieces/designers and things that are on my shopping list:
Sir the Label: To be honest, this one is out of my price range most days, but I found one of their signature lace maxi dresses on TheRealReal last year and I couldn’t believe my great fortune. This is THE dress that I get stopped most on the streets for and complimented by random downtown girls. Plus it’s weirdly really durable — this dress has been through the nyc ringer — from enduring the july surf lodge heat to getting tied up and knotted when I hope on a citibike late to drinks.
Bec & Bridge / Faithfull the Brand / Hansen & Gretel: If you like reformation but you don’t want to look like everyone else in the downtown manhattan circuit — these are your cheat code. The vibe is always pretty, super wearable and at a relatively palatable price point — which most of the time I think is worth it for getting pieces that you know will fit well. I toyed with this vest for awhile but will have to wait until after my dopamine detox.
St. Agni / Deiji Studios: Both of these are based in byron bay, which I think epitomized everything you need to know about them: byron used to be a laid back surfer town, but has quietly become a luxe holiday destination — architectural digest went so far as to characterize it the “montauk of australia”. Back stateside, I’ve been dreaming of an end-of-august holiday in a quiet, coastal town — but specifically wearing these linen sets while walking a new england shoreline and then slipping on a demure mini dress for a posh seafood dinner.
Zimmermann: I used to dismiss zimmermann as it’s aspirationally expensive but its also one of the og australian labels. But then I bought a zimmermann bikini and it might have changed my life. The selling point at the time was the only retail store to be selling swimwear in august (australian winter) hence the willingness to stomach the $300+ price tag but over time I’ve realized that swimwear can really be worth the spend — especially when it’s well made, really flattering, and able to be worn 5 summers straight (a staple in my european summer suitcase!)
Matteau: I remember the exact matteau shirt that I saw an australian influencer wear that made me fall in love with the brand. This was also during my peak peggy gou obsession, so the shirt fit perfectly. It’s like if a pared down bode, if bode was more for the girls and not downtown new york photographers.
Nagnata: This is the one brand that I’m shocked hasn’t caught on in the US yet. I feel like it’s only a matter of time before these matching sets or knit biker shorts show flood the williamsburg solidcore and equinox pilates classes. Unfortunately I didn’t win the megamillions on friday so luxury knit athletic wear just falls outside the scope of necessities. But there’s always next time:)