Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of model and florist-in-training, Daila Melkis

“With the help of fashion inspirations like David Bowie, Rick James, Marc Bolan, Abba and Stevie Nicks, I embarked on a quest to just dress however the fuck I wanted.”

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 exploring the fashion psyche of Sydney model and future florist, Daila Melkis. With a penchant for plants, silver jewellery and androgyny, Daila’s wardrobe staples are simple – a big slogan t-shirt, a linen suit and bare feet. Read on for their style journey.

Who are you and what do you like to wear?

 

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I’m Daila (she/they) and I’m a model, earth lover and florist-in-training. I like to wear clothing that makes me feel comfortable, cute and campy.

What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?

My style evolution began when I started trying to alter myself to fit in with trends, which started around the age of 10 or 11. After years of trying to fit in (and dressing like a Ke$ha wannabe from the ages of 12 to 13), I really began to notice personal style. I respected the people who seemed really so authentic in their style, the ones who really didn’t give a shit about how they were being perceived.

 

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I started really evolving my personal by returning to the op shops at 14 with a refreshed passion for unique clothing and jewellery. With the help of fashion inspirations like David Bowie, Rick James, Marc Bolan, Abba and Stevie Nicks, I embarked on a kind of quest to just dress however the fuck I wanted. Now my clothes reflect how comfortable I am in my skin, it’s my inner campy child just having fun.

Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?

My only fashion regrets are giving in to buying coloured skinny jeans and fake fluro pink glasses.

What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?

 

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My least expensive things would be clothes that I have found literally dumped on the streets or in council cleanup, with my most expensive being a custom androgynous linen suit from the Australian designer Anna Cordelle.

What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?

The most meaningful piece I own is my grandmother’s Latvian pagan jewellery, the ancestral power from them is forever.

What’s in your cart at the moment?

In my cart at the moment are chunky black boots from Depop and a big silver handmade chocker from Etsy that I’ve been eyeing for ages.

What fashion piece are you saving for right now?

 

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Right now I’m saving for beautiful new silver hooped earrings that will last me years, I only try to get things that I can have for ages and hopefully one day give down to my family in the future.

What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?

Ooft… my most repeated item would firstly have to be my big black t-shirt from a Melbourne environmental group that says ‘Smash the patriarchy, not the forests’. I love a baggy t-shirt. My second most repeated item would definitely be a pair of the comfiest army cadet camo pants from Savers. They’re truly the best androgynous item (who doesn’t love hectic big pockets?).

Who are your favourite local designers?

 

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My favourite local designers include the amazing humans behind Maroske Peech (also my first-ever paid modelling gig), Snakes and Shanti, Anna Cordell, Krystal Deans, Romance Was Born and Shape in the Sand.