Hey, I Like Your Style! Law grad Mulan Wai on resisting the corporate dress code

“Your corporate wardrobe is only as restricted as your imagination.”

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 law graduate Mulan Wai.

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

If you were lucky enough to meet a teenage Mulan in Boorloo, Western Australia, you likely would’ve done a double-take. Known for repping a fluorescent yellow ballgown with studded star shoes to church, or donning skirts around her neck like a necklace, her approach to fashion was all-in.

“I was just so ecstatic when I became a teenager because that was the first time in my life that I was ever able to choose my own clothes and, in a sense, my own identity,” she says. “People staring means I’ve done something interesting, something worthy or of note and honestly, that excites me.”

Although her style has evolved since those early days, she still carries the same sense of fearlessness. “I don’t believe in ‘over the top’ clothing, I don’t believe in ‘overdressing’ and I don’t believe we have to save our best pieces for a special occasion.” And this includes workwear.

Rather than dilute her personal style for the office, Mulan’s approach to corporate fashion is just as playful as her day-to-day. Rather than a plain shirt, she’ll opt for a coloured pinstripe or a sailor collar, and lean hard into accessories. “Your corporate wardrobe is only as restricted as your imagination.”

Fashion Journal: Hi Mulan! Tell me about yourself and what you like to wear.

Hey! My name is Mulan, after the Disney princess. I’m a proud Blasian woman living in Boorloo, West Australia (my villain origin story) and I’m currently working as a corporate law graduate. My wardrobe is defined by colour, pattern and boldness. I don’t believe in ‘over the top’ clothing, I don’t believe in ‘overdressing’ and I don’t believe we have to save our best pieces for a ‘special’ occasion. Getting dressed is a joy I cherish every morning and what I like to wear is reflective of that joy.

Personal style is a journey. How has yours evolved over the years?

It’s only very recently that I feel like people have referred to me as being stylish or being a ‘fashion girly’. I’ve always had very eclectic taste and was super experimental with my look growing up. I’m talking skirts around my neck like necklaces, jackets under T-shirts with another jacket over the top and a bright pink buzzcut with no eyebrows (before it was cool).

As a teenager, I once attended my church in a fluorescent yellow ballgown with studded star shoes, both of which I found in a bargain bin at Good Sammy’s. I think I was just so ecstatic when I became a teenager because that was the first time in my life that I was ever able to choose out my own clothes and, in a sense, my own identity.

Because I approached dressing with such enthusiastic creativity, it led to some of the weirdest, funkiest outfits I’ve ever worn. Looking back, I think that freedom gave me a strong sense of confidence from a very young age.

Growing up in a sleepy, low socio-economic part of Perth, I stood out in a way people weren’t used to. Because of that, I was often stared at, pointed at and laughed at by both children and adults. But when you are young, you are almost insulated from other people’s criticisms because you often lack social awareness. So, quite frankly, teenager Mulan did not give a flying frick – as my South African mother often says, “a ghost couldn’t tell me boo”.

I thought I was the hottest thing since sliced bread. This, of course, was completely delusional and I look back at my older outfit photos in horror now. In saying that, I’m thankful to my younger self for being so unapologetic and unwavering with my personal style because it now means I have such a thick skin. And while my style is now more refined (no more fluorescent ballgowns… for the time being), I’m completely unfazed if people stare at me in public now. People staring means I’ve done something interesting, something worthy or of note and honestly, that excites me.

Where did your younger self look for fashion inspiration?

I remember watching the Bratz movies when I was younger and just thinking, “Wow, being a girl is so cool.” The low-rise flared jeans, studded crop tops, six-inch stiletto pumps and accessories. For me, Bratz dolls symbolised the height of fashion, glamour and beauty. The looks I still think about and reference back to the most are from the Bratz Rock Angelz movie. That movie really leaned into the punky rockstar vibe with Union Jack pants, red leather paper boy caps and cropped leather biker jackets.

Disney Channel was also another massive influence on me. In the early 2000s, Disney was big on colour blocking, layering, whimsy and patterns. What I loved about that period was that people weren’t constrained or confined to one look. Alex on Wizards of Waverley Place is a perfect example of this –one episode she’d be in something grungy and punky, and the next she’d look girly and romantic.

I think right now, we’re all obsessed with sticking to one genre of fashion. Between ‘clean girl’, ‘streetwear’, ‘goth’… people are afraid to venture out of bounds.

You’re a law graduate. How do you balance office dressing and personal style?

I don’t think corporate dress codes are as strict as people envision. What I mean by that is that when people enter corporate, they usually have a very specific stereotype in mind, like dull muted colours and shapeless silhouettes. In reality, most contemporary corporate workplaces have a work-for-your-day policy. This doesn’t mean you can rock up in a T-shirt and jeans, but it does mean you can have some fun with your outfits.

My philosophy has always been to look for regular ‘corporate’ wear with a twist, and the easiest way is through colour and pattern. For example, if I needed a button-up for work, I’m not going to pick up a stock standard white shirt, I’m going for a lilac pinstripe style, or one with asymmetrical buttons or a sailor collar. If I have to buy trousers, I’m not going to just buy a pair of black straight-legs, I’m going to get a wide-legged pair with a wrap detail around the waist. I do really believe that your corporate wardrobe is only as restricted as your imagination is.

What advice would you give to other corporate girlies who don’t know where to start?

My core piece of advice is to utilise classic corporate outfit formulas but add in your own unique flair. The easiest way to do this is by incorporating a couple of patterned or bright pieces into your wardrobe, like a plaid shirt or a pink skirt and then rotating that through with more classic styles.

Something I always do in the office is wear a stock-standard pair of corporate black slacks, but jazz it up with a really vibrant or textured item to offset the mundaneness of the pants. This provides a good contrast and makes your statement piece pop. It’s also a really good way for you to build up your confidence in wearing more funky things into the office because initially, when breaking the corporate mould, it can feel incredibly daunting.

Another tip if you’re trying to create more visual interest in your corporate outfit is to layer. For example, I have a really beautiful Katharina Lou dress that’s too low-cut for the office, so I work with it by wearing a button-up underneath. Honestly, it’s about being creative within the confines of your office’s dress code but remembering that while work is important, you shouldn’t have to diminish yourself or your sense of style to conform. Remember that your outfits at work are just a statement of your style and not a comment on your competency.

My very last tip might sound obvious, but it needs to be said: don’t be afraid to accessorise. I’m a maximalist girly. I wear at least four to five chunky bangles and rings to the workplace every day. Again, it’s an easy way to create visual interest and to take a relatively minimalistic corporate outfit to something more elevated.

What other local labels do you often turn to?

There are so many! I adore Monroe the Label and Itadaki. They’re both run by fellow half Asian girlies and their clothing is just such a beautiful combination of Australian and Asian culture. Especially during a time of racism in Australia, clothing can be a political statement. Wearing those brands feels like a small rebellion, saying, “I’m Asian and proud.”

I also really love Poiset, which is a brand from my home city! Poiset is so whimsical and slightly circus-like, unlike anything I’ve seen before. It’s the ultimate fairy brand, with beautiful quality and a clear sense of imagination behind it. I love knowing the name and the story of people who make my clothes – that’s why local fashion is so near and dear to my heart.

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

My two-piece custom corset and matching skirt set from a small UK designer, Immoral London. It was made from a deadstock cherry blossom printed fabric with satin green ruched bra cups with hand-beaded berries hanging off the cleavage. Truly unreal. Close second is my custom punk fairy set from Poiset. The outfit has charms and piercings and bows throughout with the coolest pink, turquoise colour scheme that contrasts perfectly. I get chased down whenever I wear it and for a good reason.

What’s your favourite secondhand find?

Easily my vintage Vivienne Westwood cherry red and green plaid purse that I found in a small thrift shop in South London. I think Vivienne Westwood is such a classic, timeless brand and I love how she was such a staunch activist. That purse made me feel like I had a piece of Vivienne Westwood’s rich history. It reminds me why I love fashion so much – it’s a statement, a conversation and a way of saying something without having to verbalise it.

Who or what influences your style today?

I think more than anything, other women online. I love the TikTok fashion community because it lets me see how women from different places, cultures and backgrounds express themselves through style. Fashion is so interesting because of the diversity within it. I’m constantly inspired by girls using style to express who they are and figure out who they’re becoming.

Whose wardrobe would you like to steal if you could and why?

Carmen! She is an amazing Naarm-based fashion influencer. I’ve had the biggest style crush on her for almost nine years. She was a massive influence on me as a teenager, largely because I had never seen someone wear such fun colours, patterns and styles before.

I grew up in the era of minimalism, where the height of fashion was skinny jeans. I had never seen anyone be so unapologetically themselves in how they dressed until I found Carmen’s content. Her command of colour, her understanding of texture and contrast is unparalleled. I aspire to be as creative and bold as her every day.

What pieces do you currently have on repeat?

My Dacy camouflage pants are getting a lot of airtime recently. They have the perfect baggy silhouette, and in my opinion, camouflage is a staple and goes with pretty much everything. My Melissa x Diesel red platform slides are also having a moment. They’re a perfect mix of fashion and function. They’re easy to walk in but they look like Darrel Lea liquorice. I’m also a very staunch believer in the ‘pop of red’ theory. Most, if not all, outfits are vastly improved by a dash of red.

Keep up with Mulan here.