Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Sydney model and artist, Mia Dennis
IMAGE VIA @succubusmami/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
I always feel most confident when I look in the mirror and think ‘wow, younger Mia would be gagged if she saw you’.
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 taking a step inside the wardrobe of Sydney-based model and artist, Mia Dennis. From a young age, Mia’s style has been “femme, colourful and flamboyant” – an eclectic mix of silky slip dresses, lace corsets and velour tracksuits. As a young creative, Mia expresses her queer identity through fashion. “As I have become more comfortable with who I am, I have felt more confident in expressing myself,” she says. Read on for her style journey.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
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My name is Mia Dennis, aka Minky Silky aka Succubusmami. I am a young queer woman, model, muse and artist based on Dharug Country.
I love wearing anything colourful and unique. If I’m walking down the street and getting stares (derogatory), I know I’m doing something good. I would describe my style as kindergarten-teacher-meets-Y2K-cool-mum-meets-club-kid. RANGE, darling.
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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 have always pulled looks from a very young age. I was always very femme, colourful and flamboyant in my younger years. I loved clothing and how it could alter the way I saw and felt about myself. My nana had a huge collection of scarves, pashminas and shawls. My cousins and I would style outfits with them and do fashion shows for our relatives. I’m very grateful I was able to express myself from such a young age.
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When I reached my adolescence, I was very body conscious and dressed conservatively… I shied away from colour to hide myself. When I came out and started modelling, I really journeyed back to my younger self. I feel I am still on that journey. I always feel most confident when I look in the mirror and think ‘wow, younger Mia would be gagged if she saw you’.
In saying that, my confidence and style have been complementary to each other. The more risks I take, the more I learn [the things that] give me confidence. As I have become more comfortable with who I am, I have felt more confident in expressing myself.
Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
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When I started modelling in Australia in 2020, I felt I had to tame down my eccentricity and queerness to be booked. So I had a bit of a basic phase, but I didn’t feel like me anymore. I soon realised I was doing a disservice to myself and that I needed to be authentic to truly thrive.
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
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As a teen, I was heavily influenced by what I saw on the internet. I was a Tumblr girlie who loved Lana del Rey, The Smiths and Quentin Tarantino films. So everything I wore was either thrifted or a hand-me-down. I didn’t have much to work with, so this really helped me be creative and think outside the box. My biggest regret was my moustache obsession. The amount of moustache necklaces I owned… jail!
What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
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My most expensive items are my hot pink Catherine D’lish robe, pink Gucci rubber slides, Nike TN Pink Fades, burgundy Gucci sunglasses, my rose Maroske Peech butterfly blouse and skirt set and my pink Telfar (can you tell my favourite colour is pink?).
My least expensive items are thrifted T-shirts I bought in a country town in QLD and a couple of items from the one time I (regrettably) purchased from Shein.
What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
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My white Maroske Peech slip dress I wore on my wedding day and all the beautiful vintage clothing I got passed down from late relatives.
What’s in your cart at the moment?
Levi’s Curve Baggy Dad Jeans, House of Sunny City of Angels Peggy knit, Dirt yellow leather mules [and] Charles & Keith Roony Patent Mary Janes in blue.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
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Maison Margiela Tabi bow-detail slingback shoes and Diesel M-arcey logo-plaque mini dress in pink
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
My Levi’s Curve jeans, all of my Maroske Peech items and my Telfar bags.
Who are your favourite local designers?
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Nicol & Ford, Gary Bigeni, Maroske Peech, Ramp Tramp Tramp Stamp, Dyspnea, Pigsuit, Youkhana, Erik Yvon, Jordan Gogos and High Rack Studios.
For more of Mimi’s killer looks, head here.
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