Hey, I Like Your Style! Australian fashion creative Ailie Smith on introspective dressing and motherhood
image via @ailieway/instagram
as told to daisy henry
“The practice of putting an outfit together was suddenly introspective.”
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.
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 diving into the wardrobe of Newcastle-based stylist, creative and mother, Ailie Smith.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
When it comes to Australian and New Zealand fashion, there’s no bigger fan than Ailie. As well as a few investment designer pieces (like her Jacquemus Le Bambino bag), her wardrobe is full of local labels like Matteau, St. Agni, Deiji Studios and Georgia Jay (to name a few). “We have some of the best fashion labels in the world, in my opinion,” she says.
Though she leans toward minimalism, Ailie’s outfits are driven by introspection – something that came into sharp focus after having children. “As soon as I fell pregnant with my first, something completely changed for me and the way I got dressed,” she reflects. “Big things felt small and small things felt big.” Occasionally, she’ll embrace a bright colour or an eye-catching accessory, but she’s just as likely to be found in a V-neck sweater and slouchy trousers.
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Fashion Journal: Hey Ailie! Tell me about yourself and what you like to wear.
Ailie: Hi!! I’m 31, a mum of two toddlers, Harri and Frank, and married to a man from New Zealand who I met while living in London. I work in a few creative fields, but mostly as a content creator and stylist. I’m currently living in the world’s slowest house renovation. We’ve been chipping away at our fixer-upper for seven years (my husband is a carpenter), but my biggest passion project is curating my dream wardrobe.
I’m also quite spiritual (in terms of the universe). My hobbies include perusing Whole Foods grocers, vintage stores and hours-long cafe catch-ups. I love to bake and spend time with my bebs! I love to keep my outfits simple – natural fibres, oversized silhouettes, subtle details to elevate and I love a little something unexpected.
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What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
I was always experimenting with outfits and hairstyles. In primary school, someone came up to me and said, “Why do you always wear your hair differently? And why do you wear your uniform like that?” But it was fun to wake up in the morning and think of a new way to dress myself while staying within the uniform guidelines.
In my early adulthood, I was living overseas and travelling a lot. I travelled fairly light. I had two pairs of shoes (one being sneakers), one going-out top, two office-appropriate outfits, a Primark coat, an old top and trackpants that would be worn for sleeping, lounging or grocery runs. I often look back at this time fondly. There was zero outfit decision fatigue, no ego. The less I had, the less I needed.
When I moved home in 2015, I was in saving mode, working two office jobs and living in my parents’ granny flat with my now-husband. Every so often, I would treat myself to an ASOS or Sir the Label order. It was then that my love for online shopping was born (lol). I wanted to go to fashion college and eventually start a fashion label. Instead, with my savings, I put it toward our dream fixer-upper that I found one random Friday night, looking on Real Estate.
Instead, I skipped school and started my fashion label absolutely from scratch. I designed clothes that I wanted for my own wardrobe that I couldn’t find in stores or online. I wore mostly Yuni every day, which is when I really started to get to know myself and what I like to wear.
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Has your style changed since having children?
As soon as I fell pregnant with my first, something completely changed for me and the way I got dressed. It’s almost like life was put into perspective. Big things felt small and small things felt big.
The practice of putting an outfit together was suddenly introspective. How did I want to feel that day? What energy was I hoping to gain from the outfit I was wearing? I stopped caring about perception and, for the first time, truly started dressing authentically.
Take us back to your teenage years. Who or what was influencing your style at the time, and are there any looks you still think about now?
I lived for every morsel of Phoebe Halliwell from Charmed and Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I would also rummage through my mum’s wardrobe – thankfully, she hasn’t thrown any of her clothes from the ’90s away. She has some gems! Denim jackets, Laura Ashley dresses, leather coats. Perfectly preserved. Some of my most treasured childhood memories and my number one justification when purchasing new clothes: “I will hand it down to Harri when she’s older”.
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Where do you sit on the minimalist to maximalist spectrum?
Generally, I like an outfit to be 85 per cent minimalist, 15 per cent maximalist, but sometimes I’m feeling funky and fun and want to wear something reflective of that mood.
What are some of the ‘investment pieces’ in your wardrobe, or items that have stood the test of time?
I would be lost without my Emery Denim trousers from Friends with Frank. My Fortune bag by Georgia Jay, brown Gia sandals from Jenni Kayne, St. Agni tanks, and my grey cashmere sweater from Assembly Label.
Any big purchase from a favourite designer will always stand the test of time for me. My Acne Studios carpet dress or Jacquemus classic black Le Bambino bag comes to mind.
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What’s your favourite secondhand find?
About four years ago, I found a pair of vintage Guess sunglasses in an optical shop in Bangkok. They have a resurgence about every six months. They’re my number one “where are these from?” pieces.
Who or what influences your style today?
I’m inspired by so much, constantly taking in the world around me. We have access to so much at our fingertips with social media and Pinterest, but if I’m being honest, the good stuff comes to me while lying in bed at night. I have to pry my eyes open to open my notes app and type my idea down so I don’t forget.
Whose wardrobe would you steal if you could and why?
I’ve recently discovered Lara Celia’s account, and I feel such a connection to the way she puts an outfit together. Camelia Farhoodi and Cami Quittner always have the best vintage and pre-loved pieces. And Monikh, for a little hit of quiet luxury.
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What fashion piece are you keeping in your closet despite it being ‘out of trend’?
My Jacquemus Le Pantalon Areia capri trousers. These will be passed down to my daughter for sure. And Tabis forever!
What pieces do you currently have on repeat?
My St. Agni Balloon jeans, Something to Hold Chartreuse knit scarf (it’s sold out at the moment, unfortunately), Cmnty Grdn Jayde Bermuda shorts, Friends with Frank baby T-Shirts, St. Agni Origami tote bag, Marlow merino v-neck sweater, Assembly Label brown ballet flat and Friends with Frank Camilla coat.
Who are your favourite local designers?
I adore Juliette Harkness and Emma Nelson from Deiji Studios, Julia McCarthy from Friends with Frank, Lara and Matt Fells from St. Agni, Ines from Casa Ayllon, Gabriella Pereira from Beare Park, Annabella Noel from Belle Anna. Ilona Hamer and Peta Heinsen from Matteau and Paris Mitchell Temple and Georgia Cherrie from Paris Georgia – just to name a few!
I discover incredible Australian and New Zealand designers daily. We have some of the best fashion labels in the world, in my opinion!
Keep up with Ailie here.
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