Aaron, 19, studying international relations
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
It’s a bit hard to pin down. Everyone says Wellingtonians wear a lot of black, which is true for some of us, but it seems more prevalent as an aesthetic choice in slightly older people. A lot of young people seem pretty influenced by 90s skate and sportswear styles and there is a bit of an ironic/sarcastic anti-high fashion thing some people have going on.
Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
90s athletics day meets vampires and a hipster dad at the skate park.
Madison, 20, studying design
What factors feed into how people dress here?
I kinda blame the internet, I feel like now everyone just like follows Instagram and like takes people’s ideas on how to style themselves. The trends in Wellington roll in waves. Right now it’s like girls just discovered skateboarding.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
When did everyone start wearing cargo pants and big puffy sleeves and gingham.
Adam, 20, studying fashion design
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
There are individuals and small groups of people that have an aesthetic, but overall as a city no. Wellington seems to be a cluster f*ck of aesthetics, but with great haircuts.
Do you feel it’s unique to the rest of the country?
Wellington prides itself on being a young and creative city. And it is. We’re a free city in the sense we get things done because we are driven by the other creatives in the community we have down here. Everyone seems to know everyone, for better and for worse, our ideas spread like wildfire.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
People wear jeans a lot I guess. And what’s with people wearing long chains off their waists, I’ve never been able to understand it, don’t you have pockets in those jeans?
Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
Oversized and glamorised.
Iris, 19, studying communication
Do you feel Wellington style is unique to the rest of the country?
The rest of the country is more likely to follow trends, especially in larger urban cities like Auckland, as they have lots of chain stores offering fast fashion. Wellington is unique in the sense that it’s known to be quite an artistic space dense with culture, so I think what people wear really reflect that environment.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
There seems to be two more distinct crowds— athleisure and skater.
Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
Chill, relaxed and lots of Lacoste!
Mahdhi, studying public policy and media studies
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
Yeah, they all dress like they’re either attending a funeral or in their mid-60s.
What factors feed into how people dress here?
It’s the cultural capital of New Zealand, everyone dresses like they’re Peter Jackson’s dad, they get artsy with what they rock, it’s kinda cool.
Shaylah, 22, studying design
What factors feed into how people dress here?
I kinda blame the internet, I feel like now everyone just like follows Instagram and like takes people’s ideas on how to style themselves. The trends in Wellington roll in waves. Right now it’s like girls just discovered skateboarding.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
When did everyone start wearing cargo pants and big puffy sleeves and gingham.
Jeremy, 25, studying law
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
Most people in my city have a way of expressing themselves by their choice of colour coding and style. Some dress to express their futuristic visions, some live in the moment, others as if reminiscing the days of the 90s which I find preferable because I am a 90s kid.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
90s trend mostly, futuristic trends, some brave flair jeans and high boots.
What would you never wear?
High boots or flares —not now anyway.
Max, 18, studying visual communication
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
Yeah, I moved from Auckland a little over a month ago and it’s super different down here. People in Wellington are more fashion conscious than anywhere else in New Zealand I’ve been to.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
Trendy arty bangs!
Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
More thought out than the rest of the country.
Tom, 18, studying architecture
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
From what I see, it’s something youthful and fun. I once heard somebody describe it as ‘dork-chic’.
What factors feed into how people dress here?
The concentration of students, in tandem with Wellington’s creative climate makes fashion here pretty fast-paced and experimental. Also, being prepared for the elements is a must. So, creativity and the wind.
Neil, 17, studying music technology
Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
I definitely think that there’s something recognisable about this city’s aesthetic, but it’s hard to place. There’s a lot of variety here. I suppose I would could call it consistently varied. It’s energetic, youthful and people aren’t too pretentious about it, which is nice.
What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
Wellington loves it’s second hand clothing, so you see a lot of people in nice old clothes. There’s also this t-shirt underneath a slip dress trend that you see everywhere.
Describe your city’s style in one sentence.
A collision of collective creativity and individual preferences, blown around by the wind.
Credits
Photography Ch’lita Collins