Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Sydney model and actor Hailey Prats
IMAGE VIA @haiprats/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY LARA DALY
“I spent a long time trying to conform to fashion trends and wondered why it never looked ‘right’ on me.”
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.
While the internet has made our fashion icons feel closer than ever, even the most effortless 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 personal style. There’s a brilliance behind the way we choose to express ourselves, and at FJ, we know every outfit has a story. For this instalment of Hey, I Like Your Style!, we enter the wardrobe of Sydney-based model, actor and content creator, Hailey Prats.
A quick scroll through Hailey’s colourful Instagram feed will probably inspire you to try something bold. A daring dresser, she makes ‘editorial’ looks seem somehow doable – a backless gown with a balaclava, white cowboy boots and skinny jeans, a glossy red eyeshadow, the slays keep coming. Being a full-time model probably helps.
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While Hailey’s style is certainly ‘cool girl’ coded, she’s not hyper-fixated on trends or buying the latest designer garb. “I’m not really a designer girlie… I spent a long time trying to conform to fashion trends and wondered why it never looked ‘right’ on me. [I started] dressing for my own body type and everything fell into place.” Below, Hailey shares her secret to cultivating confidence and why she’ll keep playing dress-ups forever.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
I’m Hailey Prats, a full-time model, actor and content creator from Sydney, Australia. My mother is Anglo-Indian and my father is Spanish-Filipino so I love taking inspiration from my background and mixing colours, textures and materials. I love to wear super comfy basics and elevate it with a cool hat, c**t sunglasses, a patterned scarf or balaclava, and some form of polarising comfy shoe.
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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 absolutely come into my own. It’s taken time. I spent a long time trying to conform to fashion trends and wondered why it never looked ‘right’ on me. Then I thought of just dressing for my own body type and everything fell into place. Dressing for your body not only makes you stand out but opens doors to allow you to play into your strengths and embrace your uniqueness! Slay.
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Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
It has definitely been a journey. Primary school was full of Aztec bodycon bandage skirts and crop tops while high school was galaxy tights and cleavage. I participated but never felt like I was ‘in body’. My body looked different to everyone else’s as puberty did its thing and I started to tweak my style to try and make it feel more me. I felt pressure to stand out, fit in and be seen as beautiful by the mass standard.
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
Awkward teenage years, yes. But no regrets. At the age of 25, I no longer look back and cringe. I admire how I took bold risks and didn’t care about being ‘on trend’. It was the perfect time to start experimenting and it has taken me to where I am today. But the movie glasses with the frames popped out with a side ponytail and side fringe make me giggle.
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What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
I’m not really a designer girlie. My most expensive item is probably my $450 Laura Laureto bag from a small town in Italy. And my least expensive would be free clothes that I take off my mother and alter. Or all of my favourite pieces that I thrift at op shops.
What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
That’s tough. Anything given to me by my grandmothers; earrings, clothes, jewellery, the lot. I feel like all of the pieces hold so much divine feminine energy that has been passed down to me and that gives me so much confidence and reminds me how fun it is to play dress-ups forever.
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Who or what influences your style?
At first it was my mum. Seeing her dripped in yellow gold jewellery to compliment her Anglo-Indian skin tone, which she would pair with tapered business shirts, pants, glasses and the most chic leather shoes. Then it was Disney Channel. Pops of colour and patterns had a chokehold on me. Now, Pinterest is my best friend, I love wearing things that excite me and complement my shape. Being inspired by others on set is one of my favourite parts of the job.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
I’m a sucker for shoes and bags. I would love a pair of vintage Manolo Blahniks and a Chanel bag. I also love investing in good quality jewellery like Millie Savage or Lox and Chain.
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What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
Low, baggy blue jeans are a staple of mine. Paired with a cute tank top and oversized men’s leather jacket with Uggs, boots or sneakers depending on the occasion. I’ll top it off with Bayonetta glasses and chunky gold jewellery.
Who are your favourite local designers?
Shopping consciously and sustainably is super important to me. I have so many that I love all over the world. In Australia: Millie Savage, Lox and Chain, Sabi The Label, Kourh, So Familia, Sage Avenue, Raga, I Am Gia, Bye Bambi, Deiji Studios, Archive Threads, Walking Protest, Sorry I’m Busy, By Dyln, Ownley, Snakes and Shanti, the list goes on…
For more of Hailey’s outfits, head here.
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