A week in work outfits with graphic designer, Ella Wight

The designs a designer wears.

It’s never easy trying to come up with new outfit combinations for the working week. Instead of having a set uniform, 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 what am I meant to do when my favourite pants are in the wash?

Given that it can be a daily struggle, we’re asking our favourite local creatives for outfit inspiration. This week, we’re digging through the wardrobe of New Zealand-based graphic designer and content creator Ella Wight.

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

There’s an art to Ella’s outfits, which tracks, given her half a decade working in design. Her signature style features a neutral colour palette, perfectly juxtaposed with pops of primary and secondary colours. She somehow looks perpetually put together, yet her outfits are always wearable, living in the sweet spot of work-life balance we all wish to achieve.

If we’ve learned one thing from Ella this week, it’s that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to turn heads. All you need is to know what you like, and we like what Ella likes.  A fan of homegrown labels, her week in work outfits reads like a checklist of need-to-know New Zealand and Australian brands. From Deadly Ponies to St. Agni, we’re taking notes. Read on to see how she gets dressed for a typical week.

Monday

I always like to start the week with something simple but still chic – an outfit that’s easy to throw together without having to think too much. I’m wearing Rachel Mills trousers, from a New Zealand designer I really love who has since gone on maternity leave, with a Uniqlo V-neck layered over a white tee.

I tend to wear a lot of New Zealand brands, as well as Australian labels, and I like mixing those pieces with simple basics. Work-wise, we usually start Monday with a WIP meeting in the morning before I spend most of the day working through design projects and a couple of internal meetings.

Tuesday

It was quite a warm day, so I thought wearing jandals would be fun. I’m pretty much wearing a full Assembly Label look, paired with Neuw barrel-leg jeans. I wanted to tie the red shirt and red jandals together, and I always love the way blue denim looks with red. The jeans keep the outfit relaxed, while the red adds a bit more colour. I spent most of the day designing at my desk, with a couple of meetings between projects.

Wednesday

I’ve been loving this blue layered knit from Korean brand The Rye, which I recently discovered through a site called W Concept. Because it’s quite a bright statement piece, I paired it with my black Ruby barrel pants to keep the rest of the outfit simple. I think the darker trousers balance out the colour really nicely and stop the outfit from feeling too busy. It was a pretty typical day for me at my agency, Boxer, working across design projects, checking in with the team and jumping into a couple of meetings.

Thursday

I really love layering, especially having a little bit of white T-shirt poking out underneath a knit. Here, I’m wearing an Assembly Label knit with black trousers and my Ölend trench. The trench is really lightweight, which makes it perfect for transitional weather and the neutral colour goes with pretty much everything. I spent most of the day working through design jobs and making amends, with a few meetings throughout the day.

Friday

On Fridays, I usually like to dress up a little more because I’ll often have plans after work, whether that’s dinner or drinks with the girls. I’m wearing one of my favourite purchases ever, my St Agni wool skirt, with a layered Assembly Label top and my pony hair mules from Deadly Ponies – another favourite item of mine. I still wanted the outfit to feel comfortable enough for work, but a bit more elevated so I didn’t have to change before going out. Fridays are usually a little more relaxed, too. We often wrap up earlier and head to the pub around 3:30.

Follow along with Ella here.