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    Now reading: class of 2017 — melbourne student style, straight up

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    class of 2017 — melbourne student style, straight up

    We’re continuing our series looking at student style around Australia in Melbourne. Tasha Tylee photographed and spoke to kids around town about tertiary style, dressing “woke” and being poor but trying to look rich.

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    Sam, 20, studying digital media

    Do you feel like people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
    The people that I know definitely have a certain aesthetic going on, you can always spot them having undercut hairstyles, wearing vintage sunglasses, fishnets under ripped jeans, and chokers. There are certain groups of people like back in high school: the basics, the punks, the hipsters, etc. I feel like the people I know from other cities are a lot plainer in the way they dress but I can’t generalise everyone.

    What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
    I’m not sure about my uni but if you look up “fashion is my life” starter pack you’ll see.

    What would you never wear?
    Culottes and Stan Smith.

    Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
    When you have a punk party at 9 but mum said you gotta be home before 10.

    Who is your style hero?
    Grimes.

    Lauren, 24, studying public relations

    How do you feel Melbourne style is unique to the rest of the country?
    More pocket chains.

    What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
    Looks of despair.

    Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
    It’s not overwhelmed and not underwhelmed, just whelmed.

    Who is your style hero?
    Jessica Simpson, Dukes of Hazard.

    Emilie, 21, studying fine arts

    Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
    Yeah for sure. I feel like you can tell when someone is from Melbourne even when you’re in another city.

    How so?
    I used to notice a lot of trend following and a lot of the same style of clothing everywhere. But I think now most people have kind of branched out a lot and found their own style. People just wake up and put on what they feel like. Things that are comfy, easy, versatile and able to get a bit messy. Melbourne can be a fast place and there is often a lot of running around to get places so you have to dress for that. I think there’s a lot more freedom in that sense as opposed to some other cities.

    What factors feed into how people dress here?
    There’s less focus on the brand you’re wearing but more on how you’re wearing it — lots of people dress in items from the op-shop. I like that people are often very sarcastic here, sometimes I don’t know if what I’m wearing is a joke or not.

    What would you never wear?
    I would never wear fur!

    Who is your style hero?
    Drew Barrymore in Charlie’s Angels meets Detective Munch from SVU.

    Chloe, 22, studying psychology

    Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
    For sure. Waves of fashion trends ripple constantly through my mates. There’s been numerous times I’ve met up with friends and we unintentionally all look identical.

    Do you feel it’s unique to the rest of the country?
    I think Melbourne has a lot of smaller and less commercial emerging brands which are really unique and embraced by Melbourne’s fashion community.

    What factors feed into how people dress here?
    The richness and diversity of Melbourne’s culture harbuors a lot of different styles. The unpredictability of the weather often determines the diversity of our fashion. It’s also a very socially and politically conscious city in relation to gender, sexuality and freedom of expression and this is reflected in its fashion.

    What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
    Berets.

    What would you never wear?
    Look, I’ll try anything once.

    Anna, 23, studying fine art

    Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
    Not at all, I think Melbourne is very diverse and my style has been ever evolving through it. I find it is more accepting of individual style.

    What would you never wear?
    Synthetic wool.

    Who is your style hero?
    Mia Farrow in Hannah and her Sisters.

    Maxim, 20, studying fine arts

    Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
    Yep, dressing like you’re rich, dressing like you’re poor, combining the two

    What factors feed into how people dress here?
    I think there’s an anxiety about not trying too hard or looking too rich which is acute in Melbourne. Also we’ve got a bunch of stores that really shape how people dress: dot COMME has made it possible for 16-year-old Melburnians to be decked out in 80s and 90s Comme gear. Kind of a weird sight. The looks that circulate on Instagram are also a big factor. Being woke is big cultural capital and it all ties in.

    What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
    Art150 tote bags, looking exhausted and sweaty, fucked up pants.

    Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
    We’re trying our best.

    Who is your style hero?
    My GF, Lucy.

    Chris, 22, studying fine art

    Do you feel people in your city have a certain fashion aesthetic?
    Yeah, I think it’s mostly trying to look cool if you’re poor and trying to look poor if you’re rich.

    What factors feed into how people dress here?
    I reckon everybody just cops Instagram explore in Melbourne. It could be the same everywhere else. I guess that’s chill.

    What’s something you’re seeing everywhere around uni at the moment?
    A lot of people wear overalls but it’s pretty varied, people are usually wearing things they want to paint in so it’s pretty chill.

    What would you never wear?
    I’d probably never wear thongs but I don’t hate people who do.

    Describe your city’s style in one sentence?
    Most people are really low-key rich but they make it hard to tell.

    Who is your style hero?
    Probably just all seven year olds.

    Credits


    Photography Tasha Tylee

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