A Week in Work Outfits with Melbourne pastry chef Audrey Allard

“The days of my freshly ironed stain-free chef whites are gone and I fear I may have PTSD from them.”

If you don’t work in a corporate environment, it can be difficult to know how to dress for the day. Instead of having a set uniform of crisp white shirts and tailored black pants (as much as I love both), an ever-changing schedule means every morning requires a set of questions. Am I running around, or just sitting at my desk? Do I need to dress specifically for a project? And most importantly, will I be in the background of someone’s TikTok?

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This week, pastry chef and owner of Melbourne bakery, Holy Sugar, Audrey Allard steps us through her working wardrobe. After having her shifts cut during the pandemic, Audrey started baking sweets for her housemates and delivering dessert boxes to people in her area.

Flash forward two years and Holy Sugar has evolved into a shopfront in the heart of Northcote, with some of the best cruller, tartlet and cheesecake (and more) on offer. From sourcing ingredients at her local produce market, to 10-hour days folding puff pastry and prepping for a weekend of trade, Audrey’s outfits typically depend on her to-do list.

Monday

I love my Mondays and usually use them as a Holy Sugar admin and errand day. I typically head to Alimentari in Fitzroy to do admin on my laptop. Since I’m already out of the house, it makes running my errands so much easier.

I used to run around in stained tracksuit sets and a messy bun – I don’t know if I just had one too many awkward run-ins with people I know or if it’s the turn of the weather, but I’ve started to put a lot more effort into my outfits and it makes my morning routine so much more enjoyable and sacred.

I’m wearing a lace top I thrifted from Lost and Found Market, the Extreme Low Rise Baggy Jeans by Calvin Klein with some inexpensive London Rebel loafer shoes and of course, my Juicy Couture I found in an op shop years ago.

Tuesday

Today we have even more errands to run. I’m currently hyper-fixated on putting mango sticky rice on the menu this summer, which means I popped into Preston Market to buy a bunch of ingredients to recipe test and experiment with different rice brands.

I’m paying homage to my 13-year-old self today and wearing a light grey top from Supré – I know, don’t come for me, sometimes you just need a tight-fitted T-shirt! I also have my Leelo Active signature bike shorts, New Balance 608s and a black vintage coach bag from Lost and Found Market.

Wednesday

By Wednesday, I start to get serious in the kitchen. I will usually work a 10-hour day prepping for the weekend, folding puff pastry, making tart dough, lining our tart and tartlet bases and making jams, curds and more.

The days of my freshly ironed stain-free chef whites are gone and I fear I may have PTSD from them.

I prefer to wear big vintage T-shirts or small baby T-shirts. I was influenced when I saw Megan Fox wearing her stepson’s Star Wars top. I get mine from an op shop – they’re usually five dollars and they’re always such good quality. Today, I’m wearing a thrifted ‘This Monster Rocks’ baby T-shirt, Lululemon Align high-rise pants and my New Balance 608s.

Thursday

Today’s another big prep day in the kitchen as I’m setting the shop up for a smooth weekend. I have cruller mix, éclair mix, crème patisserie, lemon mix and passionfruit mix for our tarts, cakes and cheesecakes to be baked, the list goes on.

Today it’s a Lululemon Align high-rise shorts and a thrifted Thrills men’s top from Storehouse Thrift in Northcote – I shop here all the time and go straight to the men’s T-shirt section because they’re just such good quality and I don’t have to worry if I get chocolate or oil splashed on them. I’m also wearing New Balance 2002R and Calvin Klein’s one-size-fits-all bamboo socks (they are my favourite socks).

Friday

The shop is open on a Friday and after working all morning in the kitchen, I’ve made an outfit change into something a little nicer yet comfortable to meet my dad, sister, brother-in-law and niece for lunch.

It’s the first time they’ve seen the shop since I opened in May 2022 as they live up north, so I was madly rushing around to squeeze in some time for them.

I’m wearing an off-the-shoulder top from H&M, flared pants from Cotton On and timeless black flats from Windsor Smith. No bag needed because Dad’s finally paying.

Keep up with Audrey and Holy Sugar here.