Hey, I Like Your Style! Inside the wardrobe of Cub Sport frontman, Tim Nelson
IMAGE VIA @TIMBONELSON/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“I’m in like, an edgier, sluttier ethereal phase.”
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 journey of Australian producer, songwriter and Cub Sport frontman, Tim Nelson. Over a decade since the Meanjin group first formed, and Cub Sport is releasing their fifth studio album (aptly coming out on Good Friday), Jesus At The Gay Bar. Looking back on his wardrobe evolution, Tim speaks on skinny jeans, his ethereal era and wearing a Rick Owens skirt to Starbucks.
Who are you and what do you like to wear?
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My name’s Tim Nelson. I’m singer/songwriter/producer in the Meanjin band Cub Sport. I like to wear anything that I feel hot in. At the moment I’m pretty into tight singlets/tops and kinda baggy pants with big shoes.
What has your style evolution looked like? Do you feel like you’ve gained confidence in the way you dress?
I think I’m on an upward trajectory. When I was 17 I wanted to look like The Horrors. I dyed my hair black and I’d scruff it up as big as it would go. I’d only wear the skinniest black jeans and patent leather points. Next, I went through a kind of preppy phase where I wanted to look like the crossover of Gossip Girl and Twilight.
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Then I went through my ethereal era, I started bleaching my hair and I’d wear as much white/sheer as possible and now I’m in like, an edgier, sluttier ethereal phase. I think I have gained more confidence in the way I dress, and [in] trying new things.
And I think it’s kind of true what people say, that fake confidence leads to real confidence. I wore my Rick Owens skirt to our local Westfield to get Starbucks the other day, it felt good.
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Personal style is a journey. Have you ever felt like you needed to fit into a particular fashion box?
There were a few years between my Horrors phase and coming out where there was a disconnect between how I felt on the inside and how I was presenting myself to the world. I guess I tried to dress to blend in a bit more to try [and] be more ‘straight.’ The result was a lot of very mid outfits.
Take us back to those awkward teenage years. Do you have any fashion regrets?
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No regrets! I loved skating when I was in middle school and I think I actually had pretty good style. Something funny I remember though is I’d buy the biggest jeans I could find at Target, then get mum to sew skate brand patches on them. I’d get lots of compliments from skate bros at the bowl.
What are the most expensive and least expensive items in your wardrobe?
Most expensive item is a red velvet Gucci suit. It’s 1996 vintage, designed by Tom ford. It’s the exact same type that Gwyneth Paltrow wore to the 1996 VMAs. In 2018 I walked into a vintage store in Soho NYC and saw it and like, got goosebumps.
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I drained my bank account buying that suit but then I got to wear it to the ARIAs for our first-ever red carpet, and it looked amazing. I’m excited to lend it to my nieces or something one day. [The] least expensive might be a pair of protective glasses we got from the hardware store the other day, they’re pretty good.
What is the most meaningful fashion piece you own?
I recently got a Homer necklace, it’s like a little aqua alien with diamonds on it. Frank Ocean is a huge inspiration for me across all of his creative endeavours, so I was so excited to get some of his jewellery. I’ve got a bit of a superstitious thing where I feel like my throat chakra and voice are extra supported/open when I wear a necklace that has something blue on it.
What’s in your cart at the moment?
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Some custom up-cycled jeans by Melbourne designer Sean David McCallum. I wore a pair of their jeans for a shoot recently and they were so good I had to get a pair.
What fashion piece are you saving for right now?
I’m pretty obsessed with Dsquared2 Fall 2023 show, maybe some pieces from that collection.
What are the wardrobe items you wear on repeat?
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I’ve gotten so much wear out of my Prada monolith loafers. Also this pair of Jean Paul Gautier leather jeans I got in a vintage store in LA in 2019 – they’ve stayed on high rotation for like four years.
Who are your favourite local designers?
I love Alix Higgins, Pigsuit, Strateas Carlucci, Song For The Mute, Raga Malak, Olivia Rowan.
For more of Tim’s style, head here.
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