Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Melbourne creative, Hannah Sfetcopoulos
IMAGE VIA @HANNAHSFET/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“Personal style is just that, personal, and no box created by someone else should dictate how you decide to present yourself.”
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 Hannah Sfetcopoulos.
A longtime lover of op shopping, Hannah’s wardrobe is an eclectic mix of pre-loved pieces and purchases from her favourite local designers. Having been a size six and a size 22, she’s guided by the mantra ‘If you put it on, you’re pulling it off’. The fashion industry is full of arbitrary rules for getting dressed (don’t mix navy and black, avoid clashing prints, etc), and Hannah’s style is proof that the coolest outfits happen when you wear whatever the hell you want. Read on to hear about her style journey.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
View this post on Instagram
My name is Hannah Sfetcopoulos, I am a 24-year-old plus-size woman who has always adored fashion and how it helps me express myself. I love to wear whatever I feel like on the day, and it’s guaranteed that almost every outfit will include an op-shopped piece. I like experimenting with colour, texture and body proportions through multiple fashion genres.
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
Mum tells stories of how when I was a toddler, I used to lay out my outfit every night for the next day. I was extremely strict on colour matching – shoes had to be the exact same red as my purse, etc. I have always been a bit obsessed with what I wear.
Over the years, I have struggled with disordered eating which at some points, negatively impacted my confidence. I am so grateful I was raised in a home that championed confidence and uniqueness so I was always able to express myself. I am also proud of the fact I have always been able to see the potential in clothing, which has definitely fuelled my love of op shopping. When I was in high school, I started a little business with my friend reselling secondhand clothes on Instagram (back before Depop was a thing).
View this post on Instagram
… I have more confidence than I ever have, but that isn’t to say I don’t still struggle with body image and societal expectations when getting dressed… Something I live by is ‘If you put it on, you’re pulling it off’. I think ‘dressing to your body type’ is bullshit and just another way that the beauty industry tries to make people conform to their ideal standards. A piece of clothing is not supposed to look exactly the same on everyone.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
Throughout my life, I have been a size six and 22. Unfortunately, being closer to size 22 drastically impacts the fashion box that society allows me to fit in… [The industry is] still struggling to understand that the average woman in Australia is size 14 to 16 which at the moment, is often the largest sizes brands stock.
… I am so grateful for platforms where plus-size people can be celebrated… but unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. Although there are many other marginalised groups within this industry, I can speak on the plus-size experience personally. In mid-2023, my TikTok account suddenly took off with one of my videos gaining millions of views and thousands of comments… it reached every side of the internet.
View this post on Instagram
Overall, there was so much fat shaming, body shaming, belittling and blatant unkindness in the comments because they saw a fat woman with a conventionally attractive and fit man. Luckily, so many more beautiful people were there, messaging me, sharing their experiences and asking where I got my clothes from. Personal style is just that, personal, and no box created by someone else should dictate how you decide to present yourself. I hope more brands start promoting this ideal and widen the parameters of readily available fashion for people over a size 12.
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
Yes, of course! Honestly, now I look back, I think some of it is kind of unintentionally camp, like my blocky, black, drawn-on eyebrows and galaxy leggings… I think my main regret would be not wearing whatever I wanted at the time and changing what I wore because of others’ criticism.
What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
The most expensive pieces I own are my Vivienne Westwood keychain that my beautiful friend got me for my birthday, my Jadon Doc Martens which were claimed on tax and my Tiffany & Co Heart Pendant which I got for my 18th birthday from my girlfriends.
I am very grateful for the people I have in my life.
View this post on Instagram
The least expensive pieces would have to be a few pieces I crocheted for myself and a heap of random op-shopped bits, which were purchased before the op shops knew how to price iconic items.
What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
My most meaningful fashion piece would have to be my little gold sleeper hoops which my Greek grandparents got on my first birthday. My aunt took me to get my ears pierced when I was 10 months old (what a power move). I have had my little gold hoops since I was one and they are in my ears more often than not.
Who or what influences your style?
The influences on my style have changed and developed over time. When I was younger, I watched a lot of ’90s TV shows like Friends, Seinfeld, Sex and the City and Will and Grace… these all really imprinted on my style. I still draw from pop culture, of course. I love looking to queer art like drag to draw inspiration because we all know that they serve the looks before the brands do.
View this post on Instagram
TikTok and other social media are all big influences because that is what I am looking at day to day. On TikTok, there are some incredible creators (especially in the plus-size/mid-size community) who I definitely look to for inspiration. Some of them include Jessica Blair, Riley Hemson, Francesca Perks and Aisha Nikora.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
I desperately want to get my grubby hands on some Maison Margiela Tabi Mary Janes. I am also saving to buy some Vivienne Westwood prescription specs, I know I will get the most cost per wear out of them.
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
I have summer scarves that I use as bows in my hair on repeat, to spice up any fit. I’ve been frequenting the scarf section in the op shops, finding the most beautiful printed, silky scarves that I can fold over and tie as a bow in my buns or ponytails. Another item on repeat is my Crocs, I have platform and regular ones and they are honestly ideal to just slip on and off and suit almost every vibe.
Who are your favourite local designers?
View this post on Instagram
I love Charles & Keith, Millie Savage and Clingy Bags for shoes and accessories. Katharina Lou, Oats the Label, Suku Home, Jorja & Joseph and Remmie by Riley are some of my favourite Australian clothes designers.
Follow Hannah for more here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
