Hey, I Like Your Style! Cass Wong on whimsy, polka dots and ‘The Princess Diaries’

“I daydream about living in a cosy little cottage with a cute garden, spending my mornings knitting and reading books.”

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 whimsical wardrobe of Perth-based digital creator, Cass Wong.

For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.

If you were to take a peek into Cass’ wardrobe, you’d find a meticulously organised rainbow. She describes herself as a maximalist, gravitating towards anything pink, or pieces with puffs, ruffles and patterns. “You definitely won’t find anything plain or boring,” she tells me. “My most worn shoes are polka dot tabis if that says anything about my style.”

A love for knitting and crocheting has also influenced Cass’ taste, with many handmade pieces naturally adding texture and character. It makes sense then, that getting dressed is something she looks forward to. “Choosing an outfit is like a creative outlet within itself,” she says.

But, if in doubt, she has several failsafe pairings down pat: a cute blouse, jeans and ballet flats; a maxi or babydoll dress with tabis; or a baby T-shirt or sweater with a midi skirt and knee-high boots.

Fashion Journal: Hey Cass! Tell me about yourself and what you like to wear.

Cass: I’m a crafty girl, content creator, knitwear designer and owner of Cosy Studios who loves all things whimsical, colourful and fun! I love to inspire people to create and slow down. My wardrobe is organised by colour and in it you’ll find a massive pink section of clothes (it’s my favourite colour). I love anything with polka dots, feminine touches like lace or a cute collar, gingham or plaid – you definitely won’t find anything plain or boring in my wardrobe! I’m also a big lover of ballet flats and tabi shoes.

Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?

My personal style has definitely evolved as I’ve grown up and gotten to know myself better. When I was younger, I focused on comfort and what suited my body type. These days, getting dressed feels so much more fun and so much less about what I’m ‘supposed’ to wear to flatter my body.

Fashion, to me, is all about self-expression and having fun. As Blair Waldorf said, “Fashion is the most powerful art there is.” I always think about that quote because it’s how I see clothes. They’re pieces of wearable art. I love finding pieces that feel beautifully designed and add a little touch of whimsy, romance and femininity to my everyday life.

I genuinely look forward to getting dressed each morning. Choosing an outfit is like a creative outlet within itself. My style now feels more me than it ever has before.

Take us back to your childhood and teenage years. Who or what was influencing your style at the time, and are there any looks you still think about now? 

My brain instantly goes to the early 2000s iconic Disney Channel divas: London Tipton, Hannah Montana, Alex Russo, Raven Baxter and Lizzie McGuire. I loved how much their outfits just expressed who they were as characters.

Seeing them at a time when I was still figuring out who I was and what my own style looked like was just so cool. They weren’t afraid of bold colours, fun accessories, or mixing unexpected pieces together, and I think that’s something that’s stayed with me. It taught me that fashion could be creative and joyful rather than just practical or trend-driven!

One look I’ve been thinking of recently is actually the poncho that Mia wears in The Princess Diaries. As someone who knits and crochets, I love making my own clothes and inspiration often comes from the TV shows and movies I grew up watching. I’d absolutely love to recreate it. There’s something so charming and nostalgic about it, and I love the idea of taking inspiration from a film I adored growing up and making something with my hands. It’s why I fell in love with knitting, honestly!

How would you describe your style now?

I’m not sure if there’s really a name for my style but if I had to give it one, I’d call it soft feminine with a touch of whimsy. More than anything, I love clothes that feel romantic and cute. Anything with delicate details like lace or ruffles – I love prints like polka dots, stripes, gingham and plaid.

I daydream about living in a cosy little cottage with a cute garden, spending my mornings knitting and reading books with a cup of tea, and my wardrobe definitely reflects that vibe (even though that’s not my reality).

I also love adding pops of colour and patterns because they instantly brighten my mood. Fashion has become such a fun way for me to express my personality and creativity. Some days that means wearing an oversized hand-knit jumper with jeans, and other days it’s a flowy babydoll dress that makes an ordinary day feel that little bit more whimsical!

Where do you sit on the minimalist-to-maximalist spectrum?

I’d say I sit more towards the maximalist side. Give me a colourful, puff sleeve, lace, ruffles, embroidered, polka dot, piece any day over a plain basic! I also love to have fun with my accessories – my most worn shoes are polka dot tabis if that says anything about my style.

My version of a ‘basic-white-top-and-jeans’ look would be a vintage-inspired blouse with a frilly collar and bows embroidered on it, jeans with a ruffle tie waist, paired with some polka dot tabis and a matching polka dot bag. Not very minimalist if you ask me.

I also think my love for knitting and crocheting has influenced my maximalist style. Handmade pieces naturally have so much texture and character, and I’m definitely not one to knit a plain white sweater. In fact, the first knitwear piece I ever designed had colourwork that featured bows, flowers and hearts all around it!

What local brands do you love wearing?

Oak Meadow, Katharina Lou, Après Studio, Maem Disko, My Mum Made It, Mode Mischief, Olga Joan and Laneway The Label.

What’s a fail-safe pairing you know always works? 

My three go-to outfit formulas are: a cute blouse (usually my pink Celine Blouse from Oak Meadow), jeans and ballet flats; a maxi dress or babydoll dress with tabis; or a baby T-shirt or sweater with a midi skirt and knee-high boots.

What are some of the ‘investment pieces’ in your wardrobe, or items that have stood the test of time? 

Handbags are definitely something I think are worth the investment. My favourite and most used bag is my pink Weekend Max Mara Pasticcino bag. When I first saw her, I just thought ‘that’s me in a bag’. The kisslock closure detail is absolutely divine, and of course it fits seamlessly into my wardrobe because it’s pink!

The slouchy shape of the bag is also perfect and it actually holds a lot of stuff (my vlogging cameras, journal, book, lip gloss!). It also came with a shoulder strap as well as a crossbody strap so she’s practical, too. I bought her on a solo trip to Paris so she holds some really great memories and she’s come on two Europe trips with me, so you know she’s pretty special!

What about your favourite secondhand find?

I have a vintage Coach bag addiction! Most of my handbag collection is secondhand finds, as well as my wardrobe in general. My boyfriend would also say that my style is very ‘grandma’, which I actually love because I love a lot of vintage-inspired pieces, which the op shops are perfect for. I also found my first pair of knitting needles when I first learnt to knit in an op shop too!

Where do you find style inspiration? 

Honestly, it was from some of my mutuals on social media that really inspired my style today, like Elena Téa, Jessie Kirk, Linsey Luong and Noa Maria, to name a few. They really introduced me to feminine, colourful and playful styling.

I truly get inspired by so many people online (on social media and Pinterest), in day-to-day life, and in TV shows and movies. One of my favourite ways to get inspiration is when I’m travelling – I literally make a mental note (and sometimes a note in my journal) of people’s outfits!

Whose wardrobe would you steal if you could and why?

My brain goes straight to Blair Waldorf or Lorelai Gilmore. Blair’s wardrobe is timeless, feminine and full of beautiful details. I love the headbands, tweed, bows, structured coats and gorgeous dresses. She truly treated getting dressed like it was an art form, which I loved and reflects how I feel about getting dressed, too!

At the other end of the spectrum, Lorelai’s style is playful and effortless. She wore a combination of colourful knits, fun prints, vintage-inspired pieces and quirky accessories in a way that never feels overdone or ‘too much’. She also has a killer handbag collection and one of my favourite little facts is that the costume designer actually reused the same handbags across multiple episodes instead of giving her a new one with every outfit to make it feel so much more realistic. Just like the rest of us, she had favourite handbags she’d reach for again and again. I love that detail because it feels so much more authentic.

You don’t need a completely new wardrobe to have great style – it’s about finding pieces you genuinely love so much that you want to wear them all the time!

What pieces do you currently have on repeat?

I’ve been living in my Damson Madder Augusta Straight Leg jeans (they have an adjustable waist, which is perfect) and my pink sweater from American Vintage, which I bought in Paris. For shoes, I recently bought the Asics x Cecilie Bahnsen sneakers in black, which have a cute little flower cutout at the top, which I love! These sneakers have made me pull out all my colourful socks, as you can see them peaking out of the flower! And my polka dot tote bag from Ruby Merlot has been my bag of choice all year. You can’t go wrong with polka dots!

Keep up with Cass here.