Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Melbourne-based creative Abigail Lengui
IMAGE VIA @ABIGAILLENGUI/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY MARYEL SOUSA
“I’m a yes or no person when it comes to the clothes I buy and love… it has to be the right amount of nothing. They speak to me, or they don’t.”
We know personal style is a journey (I’m looking at you, Tumblr years) and our series Hey, I Like Your Style! dives into the fashion psyche of our favourite creatives. We’re talking the good, the bad and the 2007.
While the internet has made our fashion icons feel closer than ever before, even the most effortless of outfits came from a closet with some (well-dressed) skeletons. Clickable product tags, photo archives and lives chronicled in 30-second clips just don’t tell the full story.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
These are the stories behind the wardrobes, exploring how we develop our personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves, and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story. For this instalment of Hey, I Like Your Style!, we enter the wardrobe of Abigail Lengui.
Abigail has a keen eye for failproof fashion and a knack for finding the best pre-loved clothing. Throughout her style evolution, she’s learned to embrace what she loves, investing in a carefully curated collection of pieces she can wear time and time again. Her personal style philosophy is simple – every outfit should have “the right amount of nothing”. The verdict? A knack for crafting outfits that seem effortlessly simple yet stylish. Read on to hear about her style journey so far.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
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My name’s Abigail and I work in the fashion industry (with a focus on marketing and brand communications). I describe the items of clothing and looks I’m always drawn to wearing as being the right amount of nothing. I have a great day when I love what I’m wearing, and I consider choosing an outfit to be a fun daily ritual.
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
With age, I’ve gained confidence in the way I dress. I’ve always had a love for fashion, which was encouraged by my mum. I’m a yes or no person when it comes to the clothes I buy and love… They speak to me, or they don’t. I’d say that’s the biggest part of my evolution: Learning what I’ll wear on repeat and not steering too far from that.
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Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
There are elements of different styles that I like and take cues from. I dress for myself and I love my personal style, so I don’t care about fitting into a particular box!
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
Definitely some cringes, I’d say. I fell victim to the Windsor Smith gladiator sandal, the Ksubi palm print mini skirt and a few Shakuhachi pieces. Not for me now, but I loved them back then.
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What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
My most expensive items are probably my Proenza Schouler cardigan or my Chanel classic flap bag. Both items I will cherish forever! I couldn’t tell you a single most inexpensive item, but something to note is that I have a lot of luck on Vestiaire Collective.
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For example, I bought a pair of brand-new Proenza buckle lug soles for $150. They were still $1,200 on Ssense at the time. So, as far as inexpensive items go, I find a lot of expensive items for a good price, and I often shop pre-loved. I can be found unabashedly in the bargain bin.
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What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
A Christian Dior mohair jacket I bought from a vintage store in Paris. I walked into the store, and the owner let me try on a beautiful archive silk Chanel blouse, and she was just so lovely. The blouse didn’t fit, but the jacket caught my eye immediately. It fit like a glove, it felt like perfect destiny.
Who or what influences your style?
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It’s 100 per cent my mood or the occasion. Sometimes, I feel inspired to go shopping in my wardrobe and style something I haven’t seen in a while.
When I don’t feel the best or I’m in a rush, I wear something failproof. For me, that’s a pair of jeans, a boxy tee shirt, ballet flats, or a (New Balance) sneaker. I’ve invested in those pieces, so I still enjoy my nothing outfits.
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What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
I don’t usually save for anything in particular. Usually, I shop more sporadically if there’s a really good sale or something that I just cannot walk away from, which probably happens more than I’d like to admit!
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
At the moment, I’ve been wearing the Emery jeans by Friends with Frank on repeat… They definitely fall into my TRAON (the right amount of nothing) category. Other repeat offenders include my holy Acne Studios T-shirt, Sebago loafers (which are due for a resole) and an oversized pinstriped wool scarf coat.
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Who are your favourite local designers?
Luuda, Esse Studios, Friends with Frank, Dof Studios, Bassike, Aprés Studio, Harris Tapper, Lee Mathews, Lucy Folk, Matteau and Deiji Studios.
You can follow Abigail here.
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