Hey, I Like Your Style! Exploring the eclectic wardrobe of Eora-based model, Jaida White
IMAGE VIA @thenameisjaidaa/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“It’s easy to buy an expensive pre-styled outfit and call it a fit, but building a charity shop outfit is where you can really find your fashion niche.”
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 delving into the personal style of Sydney model, Jaida White. Growing up on a steady sartorial diet of knee-length shorts and baggy tees, Jaida’s humble tomboy beginnings provided the inspiration for her effortless street-style aesthetic today. Mixing charity shop finds (“There’s something so cool about reviving a piece of clothing,” she explained) and high-end statement pieces, Jaida’s wardrobe is vibrant, playful and ever-evolving.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
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My name is Jaida, I’m 21 and from Sydney. I work in fashion – specifically eCommerce – and I’m a model at People Agency. I love wearing colourful, bold and edgy pieces that compliment my personality and make me feel powerful.
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
It’s been a journey! I was such a tomboy as a young girl; you’d catch me in knee-length shorts and a t-shirt all day, every day. Once I started high school, I started to see a shift in my style. I wore what was trendy and didn’t really have any care for originality or expression through fashion.
It wasn’t until I left school and started working in the industry that I really found my personal style and discovered how empowered clothing can make you feel. I definitely take inspiration from my younger self, I still love shopping in the men’s section and rocking a super oversized fit! Confidence is something I like to find within myself and actively work on every day – I guess the swag is just an added bonus.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you’ve needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
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Oh, absolutely. I used to care so much about what people thought; so deeply I’d dress in certain ways for different groups. I always felt so inauthentic! Once I finally stopped caring, I dressed how I wanted to and felt amazing doing it!
Take us back to those teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
Oh goodness, yes! Literally, everything I wore in high school mortifies me. There is one event that really sticks out… I attended an under 18 music festival at the ripe age of 14 wearing near next to nothing. I wore a green strappy crop top with high waisted black shorts; finding it off with a pair of good old classic Converse Chuck Taylors. It’s probably not the outfit that horrifies me the most (as it was basically what everyone wore back then), it’s the fact I probably looked at myself in the mirror on multiple occasions and thought, ‘damn, now that’s an outfit’.
What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
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My most expensive is my $368 Dion Lee crotchet tank top, $300 A.p.c. x Sacai trousers and my 1XBlue set. My least expensive would be my $5 staple black blazer. The majority of my clothing falls in the price range of $3 to $30.
I love charity shopping, the serotonin boost I get from it is unmatched. I love a challenge. It’s easy to buy an expensive pre-styled outfit and call it a fit, but building a charity shop outfit from next to nothing is where you can really find your fashion niche. There’s something so cool about reviving a piece of clothing that another person felt had served its purpose and needed a new home… it’s almost like a story that never ends.
What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
My nan recently gave me a vintage fur coat. It’s everything and more! Fur coats are usually not my vibe, but something about it once being a staple of hers makes it feel so special to wear. I hope to give it to my kids one day.
What’s in your cart at the moment?
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I’m loving the brand Tora-Lilly, specifically the badge bodysuit in green! It’s such a unique piece, I’m obsessed with it.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
I want a vintage Vivienne Westwood corset so badly! One day, hopefully.
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
Blazers, baggy jeans, loafers and suit pants are definitely my wardrobe staples. I love versatility in clothing and try to be as sustainable as possible. Fashion is currently facing an extreme overconsumption problem, so when I shop I try to be as conscious of that as possible. I look for really good staples I can wear over and over in 100 different way.
Who are your favourite local designers?
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Ginn, Maroske Peech, Sabatucci, Daisy Ltd, Purgatory.
See more of Jaida’s killer looks here.
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