Seven staff from The Standard Store show us their favourite winter outfit

“Tailoring gives me a starting point, then I throw something off –a print, a texture, a shape that feels a bit wrong in the right way.”

The staff at The Standard Store are arguably some of the best-dressed people I’ve seen on my social media feed. A blend of unisex styles, their outfits are an assortment of boxy silhouettes, unlikely pattern combinations and bright pops of colour.

Lining the aisles of The Standard Store’s Surry Hills and Fitzroy boutiques is an assortment of brands sourced from all over the world, from French label Soeur to Britain’s You Must Create (YMC) and Toogood. It makes sense, then, that with such a well-curated collection of clothes, the staff is so well dressed. After all, someone needs to trial the newest collections.

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

Even with good product, though, there is an art to putting a really good outfit together. It’s a considered balance of proportions, textures and personal style, all while accounting for the increasingly cold temperatures hitting the Southern Hemisphere. This is something the staff at The Standard Store seems to have collectively mastered, as you’ll see.

Rina

I’ve always been drawn to contrasts, in life and in what I wear, so my wardrobe leans heavily on black, white and denim. To me, it’s not about being edgy, it’s about clarity — a kind of blank canvas that lets my personality bring the colour. I come from a fashion styling background and will always be a fashion girl at heart but over the past couple of years as I’ve shifted my focus to acting, my style has evolved significantly.

These days, I gravitate toward classic, tailored pieces that move with me but don’t speak before I do. Perhaps I dress the way I like to move through the world – boldly and dramatically but always with intention. Here I’m wearing the new Henrik Vibskov blazer over a Rika t-shirt, paired with vintage reworked B Sides denim and my own Jil Sander loafers.

Amelia

Every day looks a little different in how I want to dress but with winter settling in and Melbourne growing greyer by the day, I’ve been really gravitating towards tailored, oversized layers. In that vein, I’m wearing two of my absolute favourite brands that we stock: YMC and Toogood, layering the Parklife Dress over The Draughtsman Shirt (huge thanks to Miu Miu for my obsession with a double collar). To brighten it up a little, I’m wearing a pair of sparkly Bellerose socks with my (honestly overworked) Tabi ballet flats.

Orlando

This is my dream transeasonal outfit, ideal for my Paris buying trip in June and relaxed WFH days in the French countryside. I’m wearing a Toogood painter’s cap in Flint Black, my seasonal staple. Layered over a Sunspel tee is a YMC seersucker PJ overshirt, light, textured and perfect for summer. My YMC Deadbeat trousers, in a green cotton-linen blend, are stylish and breathable. I’ve finished the look with YMC’s clean, brand-free high-top sneakers. Yes, I’m a YMC fanboy! The brand’s turning 30 next year and I’m here for it.

My style roots go back to southwest London in the late ’70s and ’80s, where music and fashion were inseparable. I grew up with The Face, i-D and a love for subcultures, from punk to ska. That ethos became my mantra: “It only hurts once”. If you love it and it’s well-made, buy it. That mindset led to a career in fashion, launching a fashion agency with my wife and eventually The Standard Store in Sydney and Melbourne. I’m a curator at heart, blending British classics, Japanese denim and global influences into one cohesive style — my own.

Eleni

I’ve always been drawn to balancing masculine silhouettes with feminine accessories and I often gravitate towards brands like YMC and B Sides for this reason. As a fashion designer by trade, I find the things I love to design are the things I love to wear – lived-in denim, soft tailoring and thoughtfully crafted knitwear. It goes without saying that I’m partial to autumnal dressing over any other season. I’m wearing the YMC jacket, B Sides jeans and Roseanna sandals.

Kiera

I like a little bit of structure but not too much. Tailoring gives me a starting point, then I throw something off – a print, a texture, a shape that feels a bit wrong in the right way. My background is in graphic design and content, so I’m always thinking in composition – how things sit together and how they speak. Most of what I wear is vintage or secondhand. I like clothes that feel lived-in but still sharp — pieces with personality but not too much noise. Today I’m in the YMC Burnside Jacket, Twisted Seam Pant and Rachel Comey bump ring. Easy but considered.

Nicola

I’m a true chameleon when it comes to fashion. Three decades in the industry have taught me that trends are merely cyclical, everything eventually comes back around, so I don’t follow them too closely. I adopt that philosophy when buying for my store. I focus on pieces that resonate with me and those crafted to endure the test of time. I love to mix styles, as seen with these cut-off tracksuit pants from Belgian brand Bellerose, which transform into something a little more elevated when paired with my glitter Jimmy Choo shoes.

Crisp poplin shirting is a staple I adore and this Roseanna shirt from Paris is a favourite, as is this YMC bomber jacket, which just arrived in-store. I honestly think I may have had the exact same one back in the ’90s — I love how YMC is looking into their archives for inspiration this season.

Mana

Big pants and clean, cropped jackets — I’m in. I’ve always leaned toward unique, functional, wearable pieces with strong silhouettes. No wonder I’m deep in my YMC supremacy era. I’ve been running their Deadbeat pleated pants into the ground. They go with everything and somehow get better with every wear. Up top, I’ve paired them with the beautifully constructed Toogood workwear jacket. Finished off with the new kid on the block: a Southern Field Industries tote that’s already in heavy rotation and works for pretty much any occasion.

Find more from The Standard Store here.