Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Australian-born creative director, Alison Hope Murray
IMAGE VIA @ALISONHOPEMURRAY/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“I’ve always been a colourful dresser but as I’ve grown up and into my body, I really appreciate texture.”
We know personal style is a journey (I’m looking at you, Tumblr years), so we’ve introduced a new series Hey, I Like Your Style!, diving 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 own personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story.
This week, we’re taking a step inside the wardrobe of Australian-born, London-based content creator and creative director, Alison Hope Murray. Living in the UK for the last eight years, Alison has learnt how to downsize her wardrobe while still remaining true to her colourful, eclectic sense of style. Below, she speaks on her style influences, wardrobe splurges and what she’s learnt about sentimentality and clothing.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
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I’m a creative director and content creator based in London, I used to work in fashion but now I just care about how clothes make me feel.
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
Although I’ve lived in London for nearly eight years, I did grow up in Australia. The move definitely saw my style change. I had to reduce what I owned because of space (I’m still trying to work out how to live in a small space if I’m being honest), I had to think about layering, about how you can’t really run around London in Birks (I don’t care how much people love them – I’ve never been able to not have them feel like they were always about to fly off).
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I used to only wear extremely bright colours, and that’s definitely gotten less muted and perhaps more seasonal as I’ve learnt to dress for all the seasons. The diversity, variety and anonymity of London also definitely gave me the confidence to wear what felt most like me.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
I’ve always been a curvy girl, [and] I felt like most trends weren’t allowed to be worn by my body. It’s taken me a long time to realise it’s not about me. Fashion prefers everyone to be the same body type, it’s easier for big business.
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I used to care about this a lot, now I don’t really. I’ve also always been a colourful dresser but as I’ve grown up and into my body, I really appreciate texture and have learnt that it’s as important as colour to my style. I’ve always liked interesting details and contrast but over the years, that’s gone from a focus on colour to a focus on texture and materials.
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
I just wanted to be Marissa Cooper. The layering of thin long necklaces is just not quite the same when you have DD cup boobs at 14 though. Do I regret it? Not really, but I do regret comparing my body to hers.
What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
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Most expensive are probably my shoes and my winter coats. A winter splurge from last year was my Toteme coat but from November through to March, I wore her nearly every day.
The least expensive would be my Uniqlo T-shirts and shirts. I like the weight of their crew necks – they are hard to sweat through whilst also always ensuring underwear can’t be seen through. I also think their linen quality and price point are hard to get past.
Who or what influences your style?
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I am way too sentimental about clothing. I’m currently doing a clutter-to-capsule clearout series on Tiktok and I fear at the end, I won’t be clearing anything out. I could tell you where I wore everything. So I’ll have to take the easy route if I’m going to pick one, my wedding dress – I cut the pattern from a jacket I love and extended it to a full skirt. I’ve never felt more like myself than in that dress.
My friends influence my style – my best friend, Matthew Burns owns a golf brand, Angus and Grace Go Golfing, so I always love mixing sporty or graphic elements with more feminine pieces.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
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Every single piece from Completed Works. I can’t pick, I want them all but mostly the earrings. I need them.
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
Everlane linen trousers, my Wales Bonner for Adidas trainers and a Nanushka knitted tank. I also wear a lot of my mum’s jewellery every day.
Who are your favourite local designers?
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Jillian Boustred and although not Australian-based, but an Aussie designer in London – Louise Markey of LF Markey and also Meadows.
You can follow Alison for more here.
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